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  1. Member
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    Hi... I have a Philips DVDR3575H/37 HDD/DVD recorder that has one recording on the HDD that will not delete, no matter how I try. The machine has never had any problems in the past and works perfectly when working with any other HDD recordings, including newly-made ones.

    I have a feeling that perhaps the "header" for this one recording is corrupt.

    I've tried using the "Delete all unprotected videos" function, of which this recording is one, but, surprise, none of the unprotected videos get deleted.

    I have not tried the "Delete all videos" function as I would want to export everything on the HDD I'd want to save to DVD's first, which would be tedious and I'd hope to save myself this trouble if possible before trying this option.

    I've searched for an answer for this issue, but have come up empty. Any help would be appreciated, I'm sure someone out there has had the same issue, even if it's been on a different make or model of recorder.

    (FYI... this machine, unlike another of a different brand I have, does not have a function to reformat or defragment the entire HDD.)

    Thanks...
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  2. I had a similar problem with a cable-box DVR recently. One recording was inaccessible (could not be played or deleted). I unplugged the DVR for a minute, and after it had finished "rebooting," I was able to delete that recording.

    If your recorder has some sort of reset button, try that. Or try unplugging it for awhile.
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  3. pfflamingo, Hello... Actually you can reformat the Hard Drive in the 3575, it is done with a Utility called skip 079. This is one of many utilities available for the Philips 3575 and the Magnavox line of DVD/HDD Recorders. I know you indicated that you would prefer to not reformat the drive, so if you have not already looked at the AVS Forum at the link below, suggest that you go there. This forum contains the answer to most questions one would have related to the Philips/Magnavox units. If you start at page one, it is an index to several sections about these recorders. Section 8 has information on using the Skip 079 and other utilities. This is a long thread, but you may find your answer there, if not you can still reformat the drive....Good Luck ....... Link to the Magnavox 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575 Forum: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657:
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    DeepOne and TimeLine50... thank you very much for the information. I will try the unplugging-technique (after I take photos of my timer-recordings screens, in case they disappear!) and let you know how that goes.

    The forum thread for the Philips and Magnavox models do have a great deal of valuable information, I'll be sure to get through it all.... which brings up another inquiry: I know Philips has long discontinued their HDD/DVD recorders and I'd buy a second one if I could. I've been watching ebay and other sources but I haven't made a purchase.

    But with a lot of research I've done it appears that the two currently available Magnavox HDD/DVD models are virtual clones of the Philips 3575/76 series, the only real differences are bigger hard drives and a shortened maximum recording time limitation per track.

    From what I've read, Funai is the parent of both Philips and Magnavox, so that makes sense, but I've seen a lot of negative comments on the Magnavox machines. I would think it would be a no-brainer to just buy one of those machines especially since you can get one with a 500GB hard drive (from Wal-Mart for only $225). Any thoughts on this? I just wonder if I should just stick it out until I can (hopefully) get a second Philips 3575 or 3576.

    Good to know there are people out there like you two willing to share their leads.

    Thanks again...
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    I own a MDR513 and I love it. I use it to record ATSC programming off an antenna. If I had to, I would buy another (as opposed to buying a used 3575 or 3576).
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  6. Originally Posted by pfflamingo View Post
    The forum thread for the Philips and Magnavox models do have a great deal of valuable information, I'll be sure to get through it all....
    You'll never get thru it all: that thread has taken on a bizarro-world life of its own, branching off into a thousand arcane directions due to quite a number of people (who definitely know better) flatly refusing to accept times have changed and they can no longer force a square peg (DVD recorder) into a round hole (cable TV service). The opening page with table of contents has also ballooned out of control: unless you've been following the thread since its debut in 2007 you'll have a hard time finding quick or logical answers to some relatively simple questions. That thread is an amazing achievement: its creator and ongoing contributors make it an incredible resource for owners of Funai-based DVD/HDD recorders. It makes those machines the most exhaustively (exhaustingly?) documented DVD/HDD recorders in history. But it can be a chore to get the answer you need in a hurry. To save you some time, here is the passage on "frozen titles':

    "If you (or the machine) start a manual recording then stop it immediately (or the machine stops it immediately for some problem), that title can "freeze" cuz the HDD Rec icon is still being displayed on screen (for ~6 sec), so the op system is "busy." Sometimes, a Divide can also freeze a title with an "0:00" time. Frozen titles don't seem to hurt anything so they can be left in place, and they sometimes can be deleted in the normal manner with the Title Delete menu, but after a power cycle. Several people have tried the combo of Protecting titles they wanted to save, using the Edit > Protect menu on each title, then using the Setup > HDD Menu > Delete All Unprotected Titles option, but they reported that it didn't work... on 11/14/09 however, Stump 69 did the Protect/Delete Unprotected trick and it worked!? Don't give up too soon trying to delete in the normal manner... I worked for a long time trying to delete a frozen title, gave up, then my wife turned machine on after I told her about the frozen title, and she deleted it with no problem..."

    From what I've read, Funai is the parent of both Philips and Magnavox, so that makes sense, but I've seen a lot of negative comments on the Magnavox machines. I would think it would be a no-brainer to just buy one of those machines especially since you can get one with a 500GB hard drive (from Wal-Mart for only $225). Any thoughts on this? I just wonder if I should just stick it out until I can (hopefully) get a second Philips 3575 or 3576.
    The majority of those negative comments come from the "stubborn people who should know better" I referred to above. The Magnavox machines are notably more reliable per se than their Philips predecessors, especially the tuners, but escalating hostility from cable companies has rendered the tuners in most recorders practically useless. Instead of blaming the cable service for screwing them over, and just dealing with the new reality that modern digital cable has locked ALL recorders out of many features we grew used to, the majority of Magnavox whiners blame the recorder and petulantly waste weeks of their lives (and hundreds of pages in that thread) trying to force the Magnavox to operate with cable as if it was 1996. Well, it ain't 1996, and you've got a more than 50% chance the Magnavox will lose many convenience features the second you hook it up to cable: you'll most likely need to use a decoder box or free DTA converter to tune the full range of channels (even with bargain-basement basic cable), and you'll likely lose the ability to set multiple timers on different channels (unless your decoder box also has that feature). If you're one of the lucky folk whose cable service is still compatible with the Magnavox tuner, you may need to tweak settings frequently to keep things going smoothly: recorder tuners are not as "intelligent" as TV tuners and can't automatically reconfigure thamselves when the cable company gets cute.

    Otherwise, the Magnavox models are a more refined evolution of the Philips 3576. The tuners are fantastic for off-air antenna broadcasts, the HDD and burners are reliable, and the clock/timer is solid as long as you switch it to completely manual control (don't allow it to automatically sense and update the date/time). If you can afford the 515, it has a nicer remote and a couple of nice added features in the timer setting system. If money is tight or you want an inexpensive backup for your Philips 3576, consider the factory-refurbished like-new Magnavox 513 sold exclusively thru web dealer J&R for only $169 including shipping. Dozens of people on "that" forum have bought these and raved about the great deal they got: I bought two of 'em myself.
    Last edited by orsetto; 24th Sep 2011 at 03:28.
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    Originally Posted by orsetto View Post
    Originally Posted by pfflamingo View Post
    The forum thread for the Philips and Magnavox models do have a great deal of valuable information, I'll be sure to get through it all....
    You'll never get thru it all: that thread has taken on a bizarro-world life of its own, branching off into a thousand arcane directions due to quite a number of people (who definitely know better) flatly refusing to accept times have changed and they can no longer force a square peg (DVD recorder) into a round hole (cable TV service).
    Isn't that the infamous thread where some former member here decided to become the biggest asshat in our history and deleted all of his postings in it, leaving only a pointer to a forum on another website? I don't remember that jerk's name, but he was the number 1 expert here on the machines and he deleted everything.
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  8. As usual, orsetto, provided a very good , detail reply, and I agree will all that he said. He even found the possible answer you ask for in the Philips/Mag forum and due to its length, and sometimes unusual direction the forum takes, that can be difficult.

    The Magnavox units , 515, 513, 2160A, 2160 are based on and are updated versions of the Philips units. So I do not think you would go wrong if you purchase one of the Mags. They are good basic Standard Definition Recorders. Are they perfect ? Of course not , but like most things we buy, some people will love them, some will hate them. Since you already own a 3575, you know what they do and how they preform. I believe many of the negative reviews , in particular from the Walmart online web site, are because of a lack of understanding on how to use and operate the Recorder and knowing what the Units limitations are. I bought them as replacements for the old Liteon units and have been satisfied. I have four units, a 2160, two 2160A and one 515 . Two are refurbs from Jr.com, and two were purchased from Walmart. I upgraded one of the 2160A from a 160GB drive to a 500GB, but for the difference in cost today, I would go for the Mag 515. I think you will be satisfied, and if not , if purchased from Walmart, their return policy is very liberal .....
    Last edited by TimeLine50; 24th Sep 2011 at 11:06.
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  9. Agreed, I have the 515, It works fine and I'm lucky it works with my basic cable, Clear QAM channels. I have it mainly as a poor mans DVR to allow a third Tuner during New season premieres and Sweeps weeks, to supplement my two tuner Satellite DVR.
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    Originally Posted by pfflamingo View Post
    DeepOne and TimeLine50... thank you very much for the information. I will try the unplugging-technique (after I take photos of my timer-recordings screens, in case they disappear!) and let you know how that goes.

    The forum thread for the Philips and Magnavox models do have a great deal of valuable information, I'll be sure to get through it all.... which brings up another inquiry: I know Philips has long discontinued their HDD/DVD recorders and I'd buy a second one if I could. I've been watching ebay and other sources but I haven't made a purchase.....
    Hi... I have now tried three different times to try deleting the "frozen" recording (unplugging for five minutes, then fifteen minutes, then overnight) but the recording still won't delete. It's not something I can't live with and I know it will do no harm to leave it there. I will continue to try this method as well as other ones suggested, something is bound to work at some point.

    I appreciate the assistance... please see my other posts to other entries. I've been very busy this weekend, otherwise I would have responded more quickly.
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    Originally Posted by SLK001 View Post
    I own a MDR513 and I love it. I use it to record ATSC programming off an antenna. If I had to, I would buy another (as opposed to buying a used 3575 or 3576).
    Thanks... At this point I'm beginning to feel very comfortable with the idea of going with a Magnavox machine.

    I need the flexibility of having two machines (and possibly a third) as my cable channels are "scrambled" and must go thru a box to decode. Unfortunately, this means that if you want to use a machine to record, say two progemas on from different channels, one after the other, you can't unless you're physically present to manually change the channel in between programs. So, two machines set to record independently are a necessity, along with having two separate cable boxes. A real hassle, and the extra box costs $8.00 per month but I just put with that.
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    The majority of those negative comments come from the "stubborn people who should know better" I referred to above. The Magnavox machines are notably more reliable per se than their Philips predecessors, especially the tuners, but escalating hostility from cable companies has rendered the tuners in most recorders practically useless. Instead of blaming the cable service for screwing them over, and just dealing with the new reality that modern digital cable has locked ALL recorders out of many features we grew used to, the majority of Magnavox whiners blame the recorder and petulantly waste weeks of their lives (and hundreds of pages in that thread) trying to force the Magnavox to operate with cable as if it was 1996. Well, it ain't 1996, and you've got a more than 50% chance the Magnavox will lose many convenience features the second you hook it up to cable: you'll most likely need to use a decoder box or free DTA converter to tune the full range of channels (even with bargain-basement basic cable), and you'll likely lose the ability to set multiple timers on different channels (unless your decoder box also has that feature). If you're one of the lucky folk whose cable service is still compatible with the Magnavox tuner, you may need to tweak settings frequently to keep things going smoothly: recorder tuners are not as "intelligent" as TV tuners and can't automatically reconfigure thamselves when the cable company gets cute.

    Otherwise, the Magnavox models are a more refined evolution of the Philips 3576. The tuners are fantastic for off-air antenna broadcasts, the HDD and burners are reliable, and the clock/timer is solid as long as you switch it to completely manual control (don't allow it to automatically sense and update the date/time). If you can afford the 515, it has a nicer remote and a couple of nice added features in the timer setting system. If money is tight or you want an inexpensive backup for your Philips 3576, consider the factory-refurbished like-new Magnavox 513 sold exclusively thru web dealer J&R for only $169 including shipping. Dozens of people on "that" forum have bought these and raved about the great deal they got: I bought two of 'em myself.
    I'm so glad I have a progressive attitude about getting what I want and dealing with whatever roadblocks the cable copmpanies put up, it's a real shame that they behave so much like bullies. Even though we have four cable providers to choose from here, they all pretty much throw monkey wrenches into what should be customer-friendly technology!

    Good to hear your positive comments about the Magnavox machines and thanks for the extra information on prices. I happen to love J&R (and B&H, although they are slightly pricey ofttimes). I am sure I would swing toward buying a new 515 if I could.

    I don't see the downside of having a much larger hard drive and, as a side note, I looked the specs carefully for both the 513 and the 515 and they seem totally identical except for the hard drive size and the differences you mentioned with the remotes and the timer settings, these would be a good selling point for me for the 515.
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    Since you already own a 3575, you know what they do and how they preform. I believe many of the negative reviews , in particular from the Walmart online web site, are because of a lack of understanding on how to use and operate the Recorder and knowing what the Units limitations are. I bought them as replacements for the old Liteon units and have been satisfied. I have four units, a 2160, two 2160A and one 515 . Two are refurbs from Jr.com, and two were purchased from Walmart. I upgraded one of the 2160A from a 160GB drive to a 500GB, but for the difference in cost today, I would go for the Mag 515. I think you will be satisfied, and if not , if purchased from Walmart, their return policy is very liberal .....
    Thank you... I myself was somewhat perplexed by what seemed to be nonsensical ways of working my 3575, but soon thought of it as very superior (to two Lite-On units I already owned). There are a lot of people who have written on the Wal-Mart site that probably find themselves a bit technically-challenged, thus their "thumbs-down" reviews. But I know I can ignore those comments.

    Regarding purchasing from Wal-Mart, there are twenty Wal-Marts within a 50-mile radius of where I live and most of them claim to "carry [these machines] in stores", but none of them have had any to buy off-the-shelf since I started looking at them. I would have to buy one "ship-to-store" (actually to my nearest FedEx location, a Wal-Mart option) at no extra cost. I would just have to go pick it up. That's OK and no big deal.

    I have a friend who wants DVR/DVD machine just like I do and he's mentioned the possibility of these machines being discontinued (I would hope not) and that's why they aren't on Wal-Mart's shelves as of late. I suppose it would be a better idea than not to buy units sooner than later.
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    Originally Posted by pfflamingo View Post
    Regarding purchasing from Wal-Mart, there are twenty Wal-Marts within a 50-mile radius of where I live and most of them claim to "carry [these machines] in stores", but none of them have had any to buy off-the-shelf since I started looking at them. I would have to buy one "ship-to-store" (actually to my nearest FedEx location, a Wal-Mart option) at no extra cost. I would just have to go pick it up. That's OK and no big deal.

    I have a friend who wants DVR/DVD machine just like I do and he's mentioned the possibility of these machines being discontinued (I would hope not) and that's why they aren't on Wal-Mart's shelves as of late. I suppose it would be a better idea than not to buy units sooner than later.
    There are very few brick-and-mortar retailers with any DVD recorders available off the shelf. It has been that way for between 3 and four years, at least where I live. The number of sales is apparently not large enough to justify devoting any floor space to these items.

    Your best bet is to buy online. My past experience is that Walmart's policy is to accept returns of merchandise purchased via their website, which is very convenient in the event that a return becomes necessary. However, it is always possible that the policy has changed, so it is probably best to check before making a purchase.
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    Originally Posted by pfflamingo View Post
    Regarding purchasing from Wal-Mart, there are twenty Wal-Marts within a 50-mile radius of where I live and most of them claim to "carry [these machines] in stores", but none of them have had any to buy off-the-shelf since I started looking at them. I would have to buy one "ship-to-store" (actually to my nearest FedEx location, a Wal-Mart option) at no extra cost. I would just have to go pick it up. That's OK and no big deal.
    Check Amazon for the thing. I got mine for ~$200 from them delivered to my door. The same thing shipped to my Walmart store would have been ~$200 plus local sales tax.
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  16. Originally Posted by SLK001 View Post
    Check Amazon for the thing. I got mine for ~$200 from them delivered to my door. The same thing shipped to my Walmart store would have been ~$200 plus local sales tax.
    All bargains are not alike. Unless the buyer is completely tolerant of getting stuck with a lemon, it really is not worth taking a chance on a brand new Magnavox 515 from any dealer but Wal*Mart's website. While I firmly believe the negative reviews of the 515 are mostly BS from clueless or wise-ass buyers, the fact remains negative reviews of the 515 outnumber the 513 something like 3:1. Even discounting for the clueless and snarky, where there's smoke there's fire: you run a somewhat greater risk of getting a lemon with the 515 model.

    Since Wal*Mart is the company that commissioned the Mags in the first place, and charges only $225 for a new one with a virtually unlimited return/exchange warranty, while other dealers aren't exactly giving them away at $200, the $25-50 you save by avoiding Wal*Mart is not worth the risk of getting stuck with a bum 515. I realize times are hard for all of us, but if you can't afford or can't justify the price of a 515 thru Wal*Mart you are MUCH better off forgetting the 515 altogether and opting for a refurb 513 thru J&R instead. Its cheaper, has already had bugs shaken out by the factory service depot, and J&R accepts returns and can usually exchange for another 513 (although negative reviews of the refurbs are practically nonexistent: I think I've heard from two people with complaints, both of them superficial and easily rectified by J&R).
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    Using edit instead of divide is what scrwed up my old E80H long ago. The only way to correct things was to use divide (beginning and end only) and then burn to DVD-RAM or DVD-R for processing on a computer. After I stopped using edit on any of my recorders, the problem of full HDDs not wanting to delete any programs went away...
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  18. It is true that various edit functions contributed greatly to hard drive freezes and other corruption on some models like Philips 3575/76 and Panasonic E50H/E80H. However, newer models do not have this sensitivity due to revised firmware in the recorder and updated specs in their HDDs. Reports of frozen HDDs in the Magnavox series are way down from the earlier Philips versions. Ditto the Panasonic EH55/75 having no issues compared to the E50H/E80H.

    The whole point of these units is convenient editing/burning without having to bother with a PC, so most owners should feel free to exploit the full editing feature set. Habitually keeping the HDD at nearly full capacity is a bad idea in general: if you always maintain approx 10-20% free space then even the older more sensitive units give less trouble with edit corruption. (However, certain older models like Panasonic E80H and Philips 3575/76 do have known bugs in their edit software that will unpredictably cause problems from time to time no matter how careful you are with HDD capacity.)
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    The whole point of these units is convenient editing/burning without having to bother with a PC, so most owners should feel free to exploit the full editing feature set.
    I love the editing feature as I do lots of field recording (charity events, roasts, etc.). I transfer from a digital camcorder via Firewire to the 3575 and do "rough cutting" on the machine. It saves me an enormous amount of time even though I have to transfer from the camcorder to the 3575, do the "rough cutting", then transfer to DVD and then import into my PC for the final minor edits, titling, etc. I also experience no apparent degradation in the quality of the video during this process. Doing "rough cuts" on a PC is tedious, awkward and very time-consuming. I'm so glad I don't have to do the "rough cuts" on my PC anymore.

    I have, at times, recorded directly to the 3575 passing through a camcorder to save the step of importing from a camcorder. I simultaneously record the video on the camcorder. This allows for a "backup" of the video in case I made an editing error on the machine I can't undo. The only downside to this is the machine has to go with me wherever I want to make a recording in this way, which isn't always convenient.
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    I realize times are hard for all of us, but if you can't afford or can't justify the price of a 515 thru Wal*Mart you are MUCH better off forgetting the 515 altogether and opting for a refurb 513 thru J&R instead. Its cheaper, has already had bugs shaken out by the factory service depot, and J&R accepts returns and can usually exchange for another 513 (although negative reviews of the refurbs are practically nonexistent: I think I've heard from two people with complaints, both of them superficial and easily rectified by J&R).
    My friend, whom I mentioned previously, decided to get a 513 from J&R and, surprise(!) they now have refurbished 515's in stock, which he purchased (I've only seen 513's available before).

    As I write this, the price is $199.99 and free shipping is offered (all subject to change, of course). I've also now purchased a 515 from J&R having found this forum to be very supportive of both the 515 and J&R, with whom I've also had excellent service from in the past.

    I'll give the machine a thorough workout and learn the new remote navigation(!) and give a report back to this thread.

    My only outstanding question at this point is whether the remote for the 515 will also interact with my 3575, which, of course, I would not want it to do. It would be easy enough to temporarily physically block the signal for either machine, which I wouldn't mind if that would be the only solution.
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