DVD Recorders with the Best Tuners - Recommendations?

[SCDave]

Hi. I have a video projector that I sometimes use to view standard cable TV using my VCR's tuner. I'm looking to replace my VCR with a standalone DVD recorder. Since I'd like to use the recorder as my tuner to view cable and because the viewing image is so large via projector, the quality of the recorder's tuner is very important to me. So I'd like to know what recorder model(s) you would recommend. I don't want to spend more than $250 on a recorder and some of the models I'm considering are the Pioneer DVR-310s, Panasonic DMR-E55, Philips DVR75.

Also, which one is the best at playing back pre-recorded DVDs?

Thanks!

[hech54]

Also, which one is the best at playing back pre-recorded DVDs?
Thanks!

Scratch the Philips 75 off the list. Great recorders but terrible players. The playback quality is fine.....but I've seen MANY stories of people using their older Philips models as their main playback device and the machines don't last long.
I have an older DVDR985 Philips....never use it for playback of ANY kind....still going strong for over two years now.
There are others that will tell you that what I'm telling you is a load of crap....I can just give my observations.

[zagortenej]

Hi. I have a video projector that I sometimes use to view standard cable TV using my VCR's tuner. I'm looking to replace my VCR with a standalone DVD recorder. Since I'd like to use the recorder as my tuner to view cable and because the viewing image is so large via projector, the quality of the recorder's tuner is very important to me. So I'd like to know what recorder model(s) you would recommend. I don't want to spend more than $250 on a recorder and some of the models I'm considering are the Pioneer DVR-310s, Panasonic DMR-E55, Philips DVR75.

There was a recent end-of-the-year review of DVD recorders in one of respectable European audio/video magazines (I can't remember which one at the moment) and Panasonic DMR-E55 was voted the best non-hard drive DVD recorder and was given product-of-the-year nod. One of the machine's strengths mentioned was a quality tuner which, according to the review, is a weak spot with many DVD recorders. Now I do not own a panasonic DVD recorder and cannot verify this, but it may be worth looking into this a bit more.

What I can verify is that, at least with my setup and cable reception, Pioneer DVR-310s definitely has a better tuner than the new DVR-*20s series. I wanted to replace my 210s (identical in all respects to 310s) with a Pioneer DVR-420s hard drive model but after initial setup I noticed that the picture on the 420s is noticably grainier than on my older unit and that some channels with clear reception on the later had diagonal white lines on the former. So I returend the 420s and am still using my old Pioneer. So I'd say if you want to go with a Pioneer do get a model from their initial *10s series rather one of these newer models. Feature-wise the two series are almost identical and the major difference is cosmetical rather than technical.

Hope this helps.

[wilsonrio]

The magazine mentioned by zagortenej is WHAT Hi*FI Sound and Vision.
http://www.whathifi.com/newsMainTemplate.asp?newssectionID=2&storyID=174

I have the previous generation Panasonic DMR-E50 and I can say that I like the tuner's quality.

[mracer]

The U.S. model Panasonic DMR-E55 has a great NTSC TV tuner in it. The best I have ever seen. I used to think the NTSC tuner in my JVC HRS-9500U S-VHS VCR was good. Then I got a Sony HDTV, and I thought it had the best NTSC tuner. Now I have the Panasonic DMR-E55 and it's tuner is even better than the Sony HDTV.

Don't let a few individuals with a grudge against Panasonic fool you. The Panasonic DMR-E55 is an EXCELLENT DVD recorder.

I tried and returned the following DVD recorders.

1. Liteon 5101- tried 2 units, blacks are tinted green, colors screwed up in general
2. ILO DVD04 - DVD+RW would not play on my JVC XV-N44BK, drive mechanism sounds like it's about to blow up when reading DVD.
3. RCA 8005N - horrid piece of crap, too many problems to list.

The Panasonic DMR-E55 is the one I am keeping. It is the only one of the 3 I tried which can record a signal without changing the colors. The E55's TBC, 3D Y/C seperation, input noise reduction, and MPEG noise reduction are all top tier features.

[shutterbug]

SCDave, I can't speak for the newer Panasonic models, but I like the tuner on my E80 so much, I usually use it instead of my cable box for most channels. And that's compared to several different tuners in my house.

I echo MrRacer's comments and am glad I didn't listen to some of the *experts* when I bought my recorder. There are some here who just have to be different and tell you how bad the popular brand XYZ is. .....go figure.

[lordsmurf]

JVC DR-M10S DVD recorder is by far the best recorder, in terms of video quality.

The tuner is excellent. The only exception is some particularly weak or corrupted cable channels may confuse it and cause green streak (which usually vanish after it's done stabilizing the signal).