Do LG make Good HDD-Recorders?

[Joakim_A]

Hello!

I wonder if LG makes good DVD-HDD Recorders?

Im considering bying a LG RH-277/270H Recorder that has a built in HDD and HDMI with upscaling and also a USB port wich is very handy since I can then just transfer a Xvid file from my computer onto a USB memory rather then burning a DVD then from the USB memory the movie can be transfered to the Recorders HDD.

The question is do LG produce good quality recordings?

Are they quiet in operation? (I do not want a loud machine since I will have it in my bedroom)

Can it play Xvid?(I know it can play DivX with GMC 1 point deep but nothing is mentioned about Xvid)

Any downsides to LG that you know of lordsmurf.... anyone?

[jjeff]

I can't specifically comment on a LG w/hdd, but 3yrs. ago I did try a LG DVDR it was there top of the line back then. I was not impressed the PQ with any speed above the 2hr SP mode. I returned the unit.
I had not tried another LG product until a LG 22" LCD HDTV a couple months ago. While it did have excellent PQ, the first one kept changing channels by itself. The next one was DOA out of the box. Actually it had sound, just no picture. I ended up returning the second one, and would not really suggest LG.
Now maybe I got 3?.....bum units, but I guess I really don't want to waste anymore time on LG. JMO Maybe someone else knows more specifically about the DVDR w/HDD you are looking at. The LG's do look nice, and sure seem to have good features.

[lordsmurf]

Not really.

Toshiba and Philips have better offerings right now.

[Joakim_A]

But I remember in 2005 you complained about Philips and their poor PQ apparently their recordings where noisy it was something to do with a poor encoder chip just like with the Panasonics.

Have this changed now have they changed the chip?

I do like the design though of both the Toshiba and the new black front Philips! But here in sweden they are both abit more expensive then the LG.

Apparently the LG model I spoke has the DVFX LSI chip which is supposed to make the picture quality better.

[lordsmurf]

2008 is different. Philips has slowly moved to using LSI chipsets instead of their own crappy chips.

The chipset alone, as Panasonic and LG has taught us, is not always enough. You've got to use it properly. I found LG models to have this aliased quality their encodes, even on LSI. Polaroid was largely the same, not the greatest of quality. JVC and Philips are doing quite nicely.

I don't recall if the LG is using CVBR or true VBR.

[Joakim_A]

Whats the difference between CVBR and VBR?

Another brand I consider is Samsung. What do you think about them?

[lordsmurf]

CVBR = Constrained variable bitrate = VBR that doesn't move much, sort of like CBR.

Variable bitrate has a much larger range to use. DVD recorders with VBR have a decent buffer to obtain a good VBR (about halfway between 1-pass and 2-pass on a computer software).

[Joakim_A]

CVBR = Constrained variable bitrate = VBR that doesn't move much, sort of like CBR.

Variable bitrate has a much larger range to use. DVD recorders with VBR have a decent buffer to obtain a good VBR (about halfway between 1-pass and 2-pass on a computer software).

Thank you for your speedy replys! 8)

What about the Samsungs then are they crap?

I have used a Samsung DVD-R119 recorder without a HDD but it is now broken. And it was rather slow att loading discs (around 30 seconds) and it had to be in standby to make timer recordings and no support for Divx/Xvid. but other then that I think it was rather good for a bedroom recorder.

has Samsung improved as of late do they record good quality?

All I know is that they look good!

[lordsmurf]

Samsung "120" (forget exact letter/number model #) had an LSI chipset and it's fine.

[Joakim_A]

Samsung DVD-R120 is a model even older then my DVD-R119 and it did not have a HDD(perhaps you meant the HDR720 that had a 80GB HDD from 2005. But do you mean that newer Samsungs do not have a LSI chip?

Thats bad news if that is the case!

[lordsmurf]

The 120 had no hard drive, correct.
Want a hard drive model? Philips 3575

[lordsmurf]

The Philips 3575 does not appear to have an LSI, judging from some tests I finally did this morning.

[Joakim_A]

Yes im after a HDD model!

Which Philips models are confirmed to have the LSI chip onboard?