NTSC/PAL Compatible DVDR Recommendations

[FrenchT]

All,

I have been doing some research for a DVD Recorder that would be (or could *easily* be made) region free and with a good PAL/NTSC conversion (for PAL DVDs playback). So far, I keep coming back to the Philips DVDR 3400, though reviews I have read have been mixed. Is there a better option out there that I missed in the $100-$200 price range? Thanks for any info you may post!

[Krispy Kritter]

Have you tried doing a search in the DVD Players section?

[jman98]

I'm afraid you're going to have to decide this one for yourself. Quality is just too subjective. I've learned as a general rule to never trust one opinion on players/recorders. I remember some years ago when I got started recording my own videos to my PC that the guy who helped me more than anyone else used to rave about his VCD captures and how they were "almost as good as DVD". I saw his work and it had macroblocks all over the place. No one other than him would have concluded that it was "almost as good as DVD". One of the forum regulars, who I have a lot of respect for, bitches all the time about the quality of a certain player with regards to PAL playback. I've had none of the issues he has with the same model and I really don't know if the problem is that he got a bad one and I got a good one, if he's too fussy, or if maybe the issue was somehow with his TV.

I bought the Philips DVDR 3400 for my brother and his family for Christmas and I have no reports yet on the quality, but it does output a very good picture through composite outputs and it is easy to set to region free mode, although my brother lacks PAL DVDs to test with.

[FrenchT]

Thanks jman98. Your comments match what I took out of my reading, and they help. I found many different reviews on both end of the spectrum. No other device appears to stand out in my price range and seems to better fit my requirements than the 3400. I ordered the Philips DVDR with the hope it will be as good as it sounds.