Anyone using a Philips DVDR75 or DVDR80 yet?

[CPimaging]

I know these are pretty new products, but maybe some of you are already using them and can give me some feedback. I want to capture using the standalone, then edit on my computer. I tried computer capture, but have had many problems with that. From what I have read here using a standalone is a good capture method.

I saw the Philips DVDR75 advertised at Best Buy for $599, but it can be found online for less than $500. Also, what's the difference between the DVDR75 and DVDR80?

[Gil T Pleasure]

DVDR80 features not on found the DVDR75:
* IR Blaster
* Free EPG
* Disc Manager
* 8-hour max recording

For feedback on these 2 machines, visit DVDplusRW.org.

[CPimaging]

Thanks for the help

If anyone is using one of these units please post some feedback.

[lvsunz]

CPimaging,

I just returned a Philips DVDR80. It does beautiful recording and has a lot of nice features, but has some serious shortcomings, at least for me. Very inconvenient to do timer recording from a satellite receiver - OK from antenna/Guide Plus input; menu selection somewhat inconvenient, e.g. have to skip ahead quite a number of 'pages' to get to the function menu that allows you to 'fast forward/reverse' (in VCR terms); encountered several 'freezes' while recording. Philips has a firmware upgrade available, ff14f, but I'm not sure what it does (and their 'customer care/service' didn't know!).

lvsunz

[OldeMan]

I have used the Philips DVDR75 for over two months and burned about 230 DVDs on it mostly DVD+Rs. The +Rs are cheaper and have better compsatability with older standalone players.
Every DVD+RW that I have used has worked as expected. I have made seven DVD+R coasters. Apparently unfinalized DVD+R discs are very sensitive to fingerprints, dust and marginal media. I have had no coasters since upgrading to 13k firmfare from the Philips website, but I expect this use a run of good quality media. The DVD+RW has good (simple) editing capabilities in the DVDR75. You can cut commercial, trip end etc.

IN 1,2 and 2.5 hour recording modes the DVDR75 gives good quality. The 3,4 and 6 hour modes are more like videotape.
I use the DVDR75 mainly to record movies from digital cable. The video quality is much better than video tape AND the audio is Dolby2.0 thus giving much better sound.
The timer keeps great time and there is no startup lag.
I have transfered Hi8 tapes to DVD and the results look better than the orginal to me.

Bad things:
1) No video and audio bypass except for RF. That means the video from the S-video/component and composite always shows the effects of the MPEG processing. It is WYSIWUG.
2) there is no PLAY mode zoom. There is a still mode zoom.
3) 75 Remote suffers from dual function buttons. the Philips 985 has a much better remote and it works on the 75. This a real problem when trying to find exact edit points. Would love a jog/schuttle dial like my VCRs have.
4) There are only two scan speeds (4x,32x) available by key. There are others available from a on screen menu bar.

I will use this unit until I can get one that will record Dolby5.1.. Good lluck. I have bought my last video tape....

[CPimaging]

Thanks OldeMan, great writeup

The DVDR75 looks like my best option right now. I may just buy one to test it out for myself now. I just need to find some money