Dixons (UK) selling Grundig 550 + dvd stand alone writer

[kcalczab]

I saw this in Dixons today, a nice looking silver machine that write +


anyone else seen it ro a review on this beastie???

[KDH]

Model - GRD DVDR550 DVDR
Type in Product Code - 860711 on currys.co.uk

£199.99!!!!


Fantastic price-same as the Mico in Sainsburys.

Who owns Grundig now- I thought they went belly up 2 months ago?

KDH

[kcalczab]

ta da

[KDH]

Looks to be a Cirrus logic based Mustek DVDR100A clone.

See
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3...duct_uid=52944

and

http://www.mustek.de/eng_/html/produkte/dvdr100a.htm

The remote is the same and front layout and buttons the same.

Incidently it's also the same model Bush (DVDR2003)originally planned to sell in Argos and Debenhams at £299 and £329 respectively-supplies have not yet appeared?


KDH

[kcalczab]

looks like dvd writers are going to be the xmas gifts this year

[enaid]

The Grundig is actually a Philps, Dixons bought the name. Good machine lots connections and optical. The mico from Sainsburys doesn'y have optical but it does have front imputs for camcorder etc.

Does anyone know a hack for the Mico espejo 311? Records great, plays region 1 in colour others in b/w. Could be TV which is pal only.

[bugster]

Does anyone know a hack for the Mico espejo 311? Records great, plays region 1 in colour others in b/w. Could be TV which is pal only.

First, please do not 'hijack' other users threads, it is against the forum AUP.

Second, to try and help with your query, Region 1 is USA and canada which is normally NTSC material. If you are in UK, your TV is PAL. Are you sure you don't mean it plays region 2 material in colour but other in BW?

[enaid]

Sorry meant plays region 2 in colour. As for 'hijacking' I was only giving acurate information about the Grundig.

[bugster]

Sorry meant plays region 2 in colour. As for 'hijacking' I was only giving acurate information about the Grundig.

Don't worry about it, just remember for the future.

Anyway, if it plays region 1 material in BW, its the TV that can't handle NTSC, nothing wrong with the DVD player. Take a look at the players settup menus/manual. SOme can be set up to output NTSC in either NTSC or Pal-60 and some TV's can handle PAL-60 but not NTSC.

[clayts]

As for 'hijacking' I was only giving acurate information about the Grundig.

I don't agree with the word accurate

The Philips/Grundig tie up ended in about 1999/2000, when Philips cut all their losses and got the hell out of there : they were substantial shareholders, but when things started sliding, they pulled out. The first two Grundig DVD players (GDV100/110) were exact clones of the Philips DVD701/710 players and that's where it ended.

Grundig then sourced their DVD players from TYT and a few other Far Eastern manufacturers, before setting up their own plant in Llandudno in Wales.

Grundig then sold their digital set top box business to Thomson in 2002, nearly got bought out by Sampo in early 2003, and went into administration in May 2003 where, I think, they still remain.

Grundig products that appear in Dixons Stores Retail Group outlets are generally clones/OEM rather than Grundig's own manufactured stuff.

The Grundig recorder is a Mustek clone and is Cirrus Logics based, not Philips.

There endeth the lesson on Grundig, from a man who researched it thoroughly thinking their DVD players would be coming under Area 450's wing earlier this year

[enaid]

Sorry I was given false info to pass on, will check facts. Did get the Dixon name thing right they do own the Grundig name.
What is the difference between cirrus logic based and philips? How does the technology differ? Which in your opinion is best?

[KDH]

What is the difference between cirrus logic based and philips? How does the technology differ?

http://www.dvdplusrw.org/Article.asp?mid=8&sid=11&aid=55


KDH

[kcalczab]

so then

which is best to go for

sainsburys or dixons models???

[KDH]

Ah! That depends on whether you actually see that many in Dixons/Currys-the Grundig was featured in UK press adverts today as being "limited stock"& " to check stores for availability".
Seems to be plenty of Mico's in Sainsbury's though.

Mind you, amazon.co.uk has the Philips DVDR70 at £234.99 delivered ,so an extra £35 gets you the Philips(with its apparent improvement in reliability over the 880 models?)

KDH

[clayts]

Grundig seems to be the winner according to an Area 450 visitor's experiences here

[Scobo]

I'm very tempted by the Grundig recorder.
Saw one today in Dixons and it's a much nicer looking machine than the Mico.
I didn't think it had a front panel display (the one I saw in Dixons may not have been powered up) but the poster on Area 450 suggests it has.
Can anyone confirm this ?
I know for sure the Mico doesn't and it's very cheap looking.

[kcalczab]

the mico is cheaper looking and the grundig doesnt have a display on its front

but

they have a machine working in dixons and it looks crap. it was set on 2 hour mode so i would have thought it would have been pretty good quality but it looked bad

i think its time to face facts and go for the tried and trusted panny and spend a bit more dosh

[Scobo]

Hmmm,
I was leaning more towards a Philips myself (better PC convergence) but the Panasonics do have more functionality.
I'm wondering if the poor picture you were seeing from the Grundig was partly due to a poor source signal.
Dixons/Comet/Currys tend to have all their TVs feeding from the same source and probably use cheap cables giving a weakened signal. Some of the TVs they have on display show very poor pictures.
Think I'll wait for the guy on Area 450 to give more feedback.
He seems to think the LP mode is on a par with good VHS quality which sounds reasonable.

[rhegedus]

Been in 3 Dixons this weekend and none have the Grundig in stock or on display - counter staff are all What they do have are plenty of Philips DVDR70.

I'm thinking of getting a set-top recorder myself and after seeing Panasonic's new TV ad last night, I'm leaning towards the Panasonic DMR-E50 myself instead of the Philips DVDR70. The only problem is that the Panasonic's DVD-RAM recording is useless to PC owners since most PC drives do not read DVD RAM - meaning that if you want to edit on PC, you need to use a new -R every time you record something new.

Decisions, decisions..............

[elmotheteapot]

the new philips+r standalone writer is avaliable for on 199.99GBP in Makro.

[rhegedus]

Which model?

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

looks like dvd writers are going to be the xmas gifts this year

no....that was last year..and they flopped.
there was a great deal of interest in the media,about the fact that people were being railroaded into buying into one format,and if i remember rightly,it WAS dixons who caused a lot fo controversy,i.e:they had the uk watchdogs breathing down there necks about certain issues.
that and they lost a packet on them,partly blaming the dvd recorder sales,and Nintendo sales for a major slump in there profits.

as for Dixons owning the Grundig name,thats poo.
tescos sell grundig products,so do Comet(dvd recorder),Scottish Hydro Electric stores(dvd player/recorder),Powerhouse,Asda(mainly tvs thoough there have been a few dvd players,etc.

the Grundig name seems to have been placed in the stores own specs type of brand,as Comet years ago used Goodmans there brand,and only they had certain tvs,etc,with certain specs.
a bit like Alba/Bush/DansaiMatsui.

[kcalczab]

ive not seen dvd standalones drop in price pre-xmas before though

[elmotheteapot]

Its the DVDR70 model i think the one going in COmet for 280GBP

[kcalczab]

the 70 is £279 at currys

a mate brought one yesterday

[elmotheteapot]

The dvdr70 as i was saying is 280GBP in currys dixons, comet etc
and 199GBp in makro

[KDH]

The dvdr70 as i was saying is 280GBP in currys dixons, comet etc
and 199GBp in makro

Best UK DVDR70 prices here

http://uk.pricerunner.com/sound-and-vision/vision/dvd-players/148930/prices

Comet and Currys both selling it for less on their web sites.

The Makro price includes VAT ? If not, it makes it £235-same as Amazon!

Back on the subject of Cirrus Logic machines it seems they reckon they can get DVD+RW recorders down to the $200 point next year (about £120!!) by incorporating all the electronics onto a single board.

See
http://www.dvdinsider.com/news/view.asp?ID=5156

KDH

[elmotheteapot]

Didnt realise it was so cheap on amazon, the thing is i sawa a comet ad in the paper, then a makro one, and thought even by adding VAt thats still a 35-40GBP saving. Would like a DVD Standalone recorder but cant justif it and dont think the times right to buy just yet.

[Scobo]

@ elmotheteapot,

Can you confirm the Makro price including VAT ?

[rhegedus]

I'd guess the Makro price is without VAT:

£199, Vat @ 17.5% = £34.825

Total = £233.825