Want DVD recorder with hard drive to record off satellite

[Want2Learn]

Hi, I'm new and would like information on which DVD Recorder would be best for me to buy.

I record mosty from NASA and some from the Discovery digital channels on Dish Network. I like to record several hours of programming and then split them up later before dubbing to DVD. When I am out of town I like to set up lots of recording events while I am gone. I would like to have as large a hard drive as possible on the recorder. I also have a previous recorder that uses DVD-R media, so I would like to stay with that media type. I need to be able to do high speed dubbing from HD to DVD.

I rarely record from regular broadcast channels, so the TV Guide feature (which lots of people seem to be having trouble with) is not something I need. However, it looks like all of the recorders with large hard drives have that feature (and most if not all have problems with it).

I am willing to look at older models (before the automatic TV Guide), but they all seem to have very small hard drives (compared to the 160 GB and 25 GB avaiable now).

I had a Panasonic DMR-E80H which started hanging up a lot and then it hung up in record mode (anytime it is on, it is recording even if nothing is set to record).

I looked at the Sony RDR-HX715, but it only has 8 record timers and it is awkward to use in dividing programs and putting titles on program compared to the Panasonic I used to have.

Do you have any suggestions?

[DeepOne]

Pioneer DVR-640H-S

[Want2Learn]

Thanks for the input... Is there anything special about the Pioneer that makes it particularly well suited to this type of recording?

[samijubal]

Toshiba records the best picture quality from a satellite of the brands I've used.

[neomaine]

Want2Learn,

First, Dish does not have any DVRs with burning capabilities. So, here are your options:

- Capture to DISH PVR, then, to standalone DVR or to PC. This gives you the most flexible scheduling option since you can use DISH's schedular to capture to the DISH PVR and then output to your DVR or PC at a later time.

- DISH receiver, to Use timer to change channels on DISH receiver, to scheduler on DVR.

- DISH receiver, using dish scheduer, to capture card on PC.

Remember, everything on DISH is encrypted and cannot go directly to another recording device via a tuner. You need one of their receivers at the beginning of the chain.

Personally, I use two methods. We have an old 510 which we use in the living room for all our regular recordings. For sending to DVD, I have a regular 301 (no dvr) connected to a capture card (ATI AIW) via s-video. I schedule the DISH receiver to set the needed DISH channel for the appropriate times and create a corresponding schedule in the ATI software to capture (to mpgeg2) at the same times over the s-video connection. From here, I don't even bother with commercials (unless I have to) and use Ulead MF2 for authoring and burning to DVD-R. Works like a charm.

[Want2Learn]

Neomaine,

Thanks for the detailed suggestions. Since I record mostly NASA, there are no commercials

I have been using the Dish receiver's timer to change channels and be on the right program at the right time, then I set the DVR to record from the video input where Dish is connected at the appropriate time. I record to the DVR hard drive both because I have had problems recording directly to DVD (they sometimes will not finalize and I lose everything) and so I can split up programs and group like programs together to dub off to DVDs.

My Dish receiver does not have a hard drive so I do not have the PVR for suggestion one. I also do not have a computer that has the capability to capture video.

Thanks for your suggestions....

[Want2Learn]

I am really wanting to know which DVD Recorder works smoothest to set manual timers (not from a TV Guide) and which would allow me to easily divide programs recorded on the hard drive before dubbing to DVD (at high speed).

It is really hard to tell from the specs (or even the owner's manual) how easy it is to divide programs. For example, the owner's manual doesn't in general say if there is a way to use fast speeds to get to the right place and then slower-than-real-time speed to find the exact place you want to divide the program.

Also a nice feature to have is the ability to enter a program number to jump around in the program list (if you have lots of programs on the hard drive (rather than having to go a page at a time through the whole list).

It seems like many of the newer units do not have these capabilities even though earlier models did.

[TBoneit]

Well I've found it easy to divide recorded programs on my Pioneer 531h. I would expect that the 640h would be just as easy to use.

One advantage to recording off of a Dishnetwork DVR is record internal to it's hard drive. Then playback whenever to DVD recorderand have the ability to see the description of what you are playing back to record. I often set the recorder to record a show from the DVR and then go to bed.

To edit/divide a recorded program on the Pioneer I can do it two ways if I know where i want to split then for example 30 minutes in I'd press the skip button 7 times for a 10 minute skip and do that 3 times (Also works to create chapters) or if I don't know exactly where then I choose the fastest FF speed and when I see where I want to divide I'd back up at 2X or faster depending on overshoot.

Hopefully the 640 has the same feature of playing audio at the proper pitch when double speed playing, From DVD or hard drive. Handy for sports or news broadcasts or slow moving movies.

Cheers

[Seeker47]

I am really wanting to know which DVD Recorder works smoothest to set manual timers (not from a TV Guide) and which would allow me to easily divide programs recorded on the hard drive before dubbing to DVD (at high speed).

Well I've found it easy to divide recorded programs on my Pioneer 531h. I would expect that the 640h would be just as easy to use.

Based on my experiences with the 520, I'd agree with that assessment. That applies to the manual timer as well. In fact, from what I've seen and what I've read, Pioneer seems to own Ease of Learning / Ease of Use. If this turns out to be their last model -- or last non-HD model -- I'd say grab one while they're available.

Also a nice feature to have is the ability to enter a program number to jump around in the program list (if you have lots of programs on the hard drive (rather than having to go a page at a time through the whole list).

Don't know about that one. That feature could well be there in the 520, but I never went looking for it. There is a grouping feature: recordings can (optionally) be classified in one of 4 groups, of your own designation. Say, Movies, Shows, whatever. The default is to show everything. What you record does seem to get a numerical listing, per the recording order, but whether there is a "Jump To #", I never noticed.

It seems like many of the newer units do not have these capabilities even though earlier models did.

Some features invariably seem to get dropped. That's not always a bad thing, as witness all the complaints regarding EPG, which did get dropped in the 640. Firewire In also went by the wayside, but now there are two kinds of USB In. Except for camcorders, that could be very nearly as good. (Does that mean I could take an HDD in a portable drive shell that has content already on it, and just feed that into the DVR, such that it would be ready for use ?)

There are 20 pages worth of user comment on the 640 at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=fc65efb8deb3d3665a0a03e7ffa61508&t=683...1&page=1&pp=30
and so far I've only read the first couple pages worth. So far it looks very favorable. I recall Davideck's recent praise of some Toshiba models, particularly the older RD-KX50 and the RD-XS52. He said these have a lot of good features, and no problemmatic EPG (but also no ability to burn to DL media). As such, they might be the best competition for the Pioneers that has come along, quality-wise. The Toshibas seem to have noticeably more in the way of "Prosumer" / hobbyist features. Still, I have seen those Toshibas. They are twice the height of the sleek Pioneer, apparently wider, are said to be somewhat noisy whereas the Pioneer is reportedly quiet, and their used or leftover stock prices seem to be not that far removed from the price you can find on a 640 (per CNET Shopper) new and with a full warranty. This seems like a No Brainer to me. I am seriously considering adding one of these, even though I'm extremely pleased with the 520.

[handyguy]

Note that Pioneer is getting out of the recorder market, so you might want to buy one soon.

[Want2Learn]

Thanks to all of you for your comments. They give me some ideas and it will help narrow the search.

[Xesdeeni]

Note that the Dish 501 and 508 put unencrypted data on the hard drive. That means it is not illegal to pull the hard drive and extract the data for personal use (as with any copyrighted material, it is illegal to distribute it). See the DishRip group on Yahoo. The 520 works as well, but Dish didn't sell these, they only lease them. So these boxes aren't yours, and I'm sure you are not allowed to open them.

Xesdeeni