Pioneer DVR-3100-S or DVR-5100H-S

[deepdown]

I'm about to buy a dvd recorder.
Been looking at the Philips DVDR70 and up... but found that I would like to get something "better". As for the Philips, I think the buttons in front of the recorder is useless. ..anyway.

Read that the "disc backup" function on the recorders only work on dvd-r, and you can't copy FROM a dvd-r disk ONTO the hdd. ;( (true?)

Wonder if anyone of you have any opinions about this recorders ?.

I like the idea of HDD on a dvd recorder - but is it worth it ?


DVR-5100H-S
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters.php?DVDnameid=168&Search=Search&list=1#comments

DVR-3100-S
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters.php?DVDnameid=197&Search=Search&list=1#comments

[donpedro]

I don't have DVD Recorder with HDD, but I would say that it is worth. You should be ale to use it like VCR (HDD) with option to burn movies to DVD if you think they are worth of keepeing.

[deepdown]

I've see your are quite active on this website.
So I guess you may know alot from different opinions etc..

What really worries me, is that the recorder only does DVD-R
NOT dvd+r ... which I guess most players take..(or is it visa versa?)

btw; read your pinnacle 8.0 forum... great reading, thanx!
I have a pinnacle studio + card, which works great - together with my sony dsr-890E camcorder. Had some problems, after upgrading..
So everytime I upgrade - I do a backup of the pinnacle-program folder! 8)

[donpedro]

What really worries me, is that the recorder only does DVD-R NOT dvd+r ... which I guess most players take..(or is it visa versa?)

I wouldn't worry too much about this. My personal experience is that DVD-R is more compatible with players or PC DVD-ROM's. (this fight was here a lot of times, but this is my limited finding) Anyway... in case that I will have to make DVD for somebody that can't read DVD-R, I have dual PC DVD Writer so I can make copy on computer

PS8: Thanks. I didn't make new DVD recently and I didn't upgrade since I am worry that it will "break" what is working.

[deepdown]

thank you for clearing this out!

[deepdown]

I read some article in here about...
"Yea but in the future stuff like PPV and movies on HBO will all have broadcast flags turned on via CGMA-A so you won't be able to record those to your DVD recorder."

Is this true ?

If I buy a dvd recorder - I will not be able to record movies ?

---
Tivo - is this optional in Denmark/Sweden/Norway ?
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=143412&highlight=pioneer
---

Tips; http://www.dvd-recorder-buying-guide.com

[thoots]

As for the Philips, I think the buttons in front of the recorder are useless.

Read that the "disc backup" function on the recorders only work on dvd-r, and you can't copy FROM a dvd-r disk ONTO the hdd. ;( (true?)

I like the idea of HDD on a dvd recorder - but is it worth it?

"...in the future stuff like PPV and movies on HBO will all have broadcast flags turned on via CGMA-A so you won't be able to record those to your DVD recorder."

Is this true ?

If I buy a dvd recorder - I will not be able to record movies?

Let me try to dive into some of these questions:

Yes, the buttons on the front panel of any DVD Recorder won't get much done. You'll be using the remote, so take good care of it.

"Disc backup?" Not sure what you're going for there. It's best not to think in terms of these DVD recorders being "copiers." Usually, you're simply "recording" some analog signal (VHS tape / off-air recording) onto either a blank DVD or onto the unit's hard drive. Hard drive units can do "dubbing" between HDD and DVD, but indeed, some won't go from DVD-R to the HDD. For instance, the Panasonic machines will go from HDD to DVD-R or to DVD-RAM, but only from DVD-RAM back to the HDD. On the other hand, you can always hook up a DVD player and "record" your DVD-R discs back to the hard drive. Bottom line, if you want to make more than one DVD-R "copy," just get the original onto the HDD to begin with, and make more than one copy. If you want to have something "on disc" you can record back to the HDD over and over again, you can just put it on the recordable media -- DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, etc. This "issue" seems to be blown waaaaay out of proportion, from my perspective....

Getting a unit with a hard drive is WELL worth the money. All of that "dubbing" stuff I mentioned above isn't even an issue, if you don't have a hard drive. The HDD gives you all kinds of quite precise editing capabilities (think in terms of editing out the commercials before you burn the thing to DVD-R), and it is incredibly convenient when you're just "recording stuff you want to watch." No more digging through a pile of tapes trying to figure out "what tape was that on?"

Many of these issues are discussed in great detail in this thread:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177179

Finally, regarding "recording movies:" These recorders do include circuitry that makes them compatible with the "Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM). Yes, the motion picture industry can enable "restrictions" on their broadcasts that might not allow you to make a copy onto DVD-R discs. I'm not sure "where we are" with such restrictions delivered via broadcast, cable, or satellite, but most certainly, you will not be able to copy encoded video tapes or DVD's. There are ways to get around this if you would like to do some research, but I will not advocate for them here.

Oh, and as for DVD-R vs. DVD+R, you can find lots about that in this forum -- start reading! In the end, there's not much difference at all in regards to "home DVD players," but DVD-R seems to be quite a bit more compatible with "computer DVD-ROM drives." Make your selection accordingly.

Hope this helps!

thoots

[deepdown]

Wow, thank you very much thoots!
Really appreciate you taking time and writing this.

Its a lot of money for a dvd-player-recorder, but then again - you get so much back also. Thinking of it,.. i do spend alot of time in front of the TV.
Don't get me wrong, I mean there are limits, yes.. but if you add up all the hours you watch TV in a week.. you realize that you might spend the weeks "better off watching prefered shows" than just zapping through channels.

After several hours, and days searching for info on both pioneer, sony, panasonic.. I have my eyes on this; DVR-5100H-S

I am going to buy a recorder with HDD!

I know there should be some way of fixing the macromedia and CPRM, but i don't know how yet. Of course, if panasonic version is easier to fix - I may buy this instead

What bothers me, is that pioneer doesn't seem to answer emails