True 1080i input recorder

[Zen of Encoding]

Direct TV is now advertising that they have several channels being broadcast in 1080i
and current Comcast advertising says they have more HD channels than other providers.

Are there *any* DVD recorders that can record to an 8.5 GB DVD+R DL (dual layer) disc,
through a true high definition input connector, and record the Direct TV & Comcast material
in their full 1080i (1920 X 1080 interlaced) image size?

[kitty]

Onto DVD at full HD resolution - no. Maybe Blu-Ray or HD-DVD someday but don't hold your breath.

[guns1inger]

full res HD can be authored in HD DVD format to DVD DL, but only on a PC, and you only get around 20 minutes to a disc.

[FulciLives]

JVC makes some D-VHS VCR units that are capable of recording HDTV broadcasts (I believe it can record 720p as well as 1080i) but it does respect copy protection so you may be limited as to what you can record.

The JVC HM-DH5U is one such model.

Here is a link to the JVC HM-DH5U at ONECALL.COM: CLICK HERE

No I don't have one but I read about them mostly over at the AVS Forum website.

Please note that Mitsubishi makes a similar model D-VHS VCR but it doesn't include any MPEG encoding/decoding hardware which the JVC does. My understanding is for the Mitsubishi to work correctly you need FIREWIRE out from the cable/satellite box to the unit and then a FIREWIRE input on your HDTV and even then I don't think it works with all FIREWIRE equipped HDTVs. However the street price is around $200 or less whereas the JVC above has a street price closer to $450 or so. The big BUT of course is that the JVC is much more functional with a wider variety of HDTV hardware.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[jman98]

Based on your question, I don't think there's any chance you're going to want to do this, but here's one possible option that does NOT involve a standalone recorder. If you simply must have a standalone recorder, you're going to have to wait a few years.

I can record high def shows from my cable box using the drivers at
http://hdjunkie.com/tutorials.html
Then I take the video and edit out the commercials using VideoReDo. I also have MPEGVCR, but it has not worked very well for me in trying to edit high def video. I either save the final edited video clips (I was able to get two 22 minute shows on a single layer DVD+R disc. The shows were 720p.) to DVD+R by burning a data disc on my PC or I use Divx/Xvid and encode them to that format to save space. I also burn these as data discs. In theory, it is possible to encode to H.264 or VC-1, but my PC is a 3 GHz CPU and it's just way too slow, so I encode using Divx/Xvid. Despite what some claim, I get excellent results this way, but you have to use a high bit rate. I usually use something like 3000. It takes up more space on the DVD, but the results are excellent.

[Zen of Encoding]

If the DVD DL recorder also had a hard drive, then capacity wouldn't be an issue.
As far as I can tell, there aren't any stand alone DVD recorders currently available
that can use a true high definition connector to input and record a 1080i signal at full
image size. Agree? Disagree?

[FulciLives]

If the DVD DL recorder also had a hard drive, then capacity wouldn't be an issue.
As far as I can tell, there aren't any stand alone DVD recorders currently available
that can use a true high definition connector to input and record a 1080i signal at full
image size. Agree? Disagree?

There are none.

That is why I suggested the JVC D-VHS VCR as it can record HDTV to digital videotape.

The other option as suggested by another is to capture the HDTV to your computer ... it can sit there and be played back to a HDTV if you have the proper Video card with the proper TV out connections OR you can burn to a DVD and if done correctly (I think the newest version of Ulead DVD MovieFactory supports this) it will play back in a HD-DVD player for true HDTV quality.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman