DVD-recorder or HDD-recorder? + some other questions

[Ruude]

Hi, I am planning to get rid of my crappy VCR and put a standalone digital recorder in its place. Now I'm a bit confused whether I should buy a DVD-recorder or a Harddisk recorder. Which has the most usages and advantages?

Furthermore, I can't seem to find out in what format the standalone DVDrecorders write to the DVD disc. Is it just an mpeg file or is it something else?

And also: is there any way for my PC (with AIW 9700pro) to record directly to a DVD-R disc so I can watch it on my standalone DVD-player without having to author it first?

[JohnnyCNote]

Now I'm a bit confused whether I should buy a DVD-recorder or a Harddisk recorder. Which has the most usages and advantages?

The first thing to decide is how likely you'd be to want to keep what you've recorded. If you tend to watch programs and later delete them, then a DVR would be a better choice. On the other hand, if you want to keep what you've recorded, then the DVDr would make more sense.

At least, that's the thought process I've followed in making my decision. For now, I'm going to get a DVR/satellite tuner from Dish Network. Maybe later I'll get a DVDr...

[rhegedus]

Get a DVD recorder with hard drive. Before I bought my Pioneer DVR5100 I thought it would be a luxury - now it's a necessity!

You won't look back.

[Kingnog]

HD - High Density, not hard drive (if that's what you're talking about)

[JohnnyCNote]

HD could also mean High Definition....

[Ruude]

HD - High Density, not hard drive

Since forever HDD= harddiskdrive

And please, only relevant replies...

[JohnnyCNote]

And please, only relevant replies...

Did you read my first reply?

[RabidDog]

What is wrong with your VCR, if you dont want it I will give it a good home. I would get a dvd recorder with a hard drive. Or get a hrd drive recorder with an added dvd burner! 8)

[Schmendrick]

@ Ruude: If you can get all your TV-programs via satellite like in many parts of Europe, want the least hassle and just want to record something for later view without the intent of long term storage you might get a satellite-receiver with a built-in harddisk.

Some cheap taiwaneese standalone DVD-player are able to play MPEG2-files from an UDF-format DVD+-R/RW. So you might be able to use the MMC-program of your AIW-card to produce an MPEG2-video-file burn ist to DVD+-R/RW without authoring and view it on such a DVD-player. If the output of your recordings from your AIW is compatible you will have to find out.

CU

Schmendrick

[zorankarapancev]

DVD/HDD recorder will allow you to make a recording on the hard drive and decide later whether it’s worth storing permanently. That means no wasted DVD-R’s and no need to invest in expensive rewritable discs. Recording quality is same to that of DVD recorders, as most of them use standardized bit rate recording modes: XP, SP, LP and EP. HDD of 80GB will give you over 17 times the size of one DVD-R. Finding a recording takes no time and response is immediate as the command is given.
The major complaint is that HDD recorder is not suitable for indefinite savings of the recordings or their distribution. That is why DVD/HDD combo recording decks offer the best of both worlds.