For Those Buying DVR Recorders (My Follies)

[johnny quest]

Having recently returned my Pioneer 520H and getting the Toshiba RS-TX60, I can offer the following:

I was looking for all in one solution, record hi-8, dv, vhs and programs. My Tivo had just died so I needed Tivo integration as well. Here are my thoughts:

The Pioneer was awesome, it had great editing (cut out commercials, etc.) and was a breeze to use with a great manual, it had a dv input and created good menus. The down size was that it had no Program Guide for recording shows, just your basic VCR Plus codes which are tedious at best, no season pass or on screen guide.

The Toshiba is nice, it has Tivo integrated and has good quality recording, however, I was very disappointed with some things. First, there is virtually no editing of material saved to the hard drive, other than Title info. The worst is that you can't just put in a dvd-r and record to the hard drive like you can with the Pioneer. You can record from a VHS or DV or analog cam, and it does have front inputs for this.

My final decision is to keep the Toshiba for the tivo advantage, I will try to connect another DVD player via the front av inputs and see if this works. My advice to those who don't mind an extra box, i.e. Tivo, and the accompanying wires, go with the Pioneer. For basic and simple recording of tv shows to dvd without any interest in editing, go with the Toshiba.

I hope this will save people the time, returns, etc., that I wasted learning this info.

[Frobozz]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Johnny. I do believe you intended to write Pioneer wherever the word Panasonic appears.

It looks like Pioneer has figured out too late how to keep you as their customer. The Pioneer DVR-533 that will be available later this spring for $499 has the electronic program guide you desire.

[johnny quest]

Your, right, thanks for the correction, I have edited accordingly.

[johnny quest]

Just an update, I was able to successfully conect another dvd player up to the Toshiba via the front av inputs. It was actually quite easy to record to the hard drive this way. Too bad there is no way to do this internally.

[Captain Satellite]

Just an update, I was able to successfully conect another dvd player up to the Toshiba via the front av inputs. It was actually quite easy to record to the hard drive this way. Too bad there is no way to do this internally.

There is with the Panasonic. Give it a try, it might work.

[rhegedus]

The down size was that it had no Program Guide for recording shows, just your basic VCR Plus codes which are tedious at best, no season pass or on screen guide.

Let's get this straight - you gave up on the Pioneer because you couldn't be bothered to manually do timer recordings?

[johnny quest]

I'm not sure of the purpose of your post but if you had read the entire message, I was trying to pass on information to potential buyers of dvd recorders, especially since there are so few reviews and/or posts regarding the Toshiba. I elected on the Toshiba because my Tivo box died and I needed that feature.

As far as manual timer recordings, the Tivo interface allows me greater flexibilty, i.e season passes, two week advance program guide. Having a job, a wife, and two kids and a life outside of tv, I really don't have the time to hover over my a/v equipment everyday.

[rhegedus]

If you had specificially wanted that feature then you shouldn't have bought the Pioneer in the first place

As far as manual timer recordings, the Tivo interface allows me greater flexibilty, i.e season passes, two week advance program guide. Having a job, a wife, and two kids and a life outside of tv, I really don't have the time to hover over my a/v equipment everyday.

How did we ever manage before Tivo?

[johnny quest]

Thanks for your poignant insight given well after the fact. I guess the (My Follies) inclusion in the title of my post wasn't enough of a mea culpa for you.

Perhaps you can now move on to other's posts so as to give them your 20/20 hindsight vision.

[Frobozz]

You're not alone in demanding an electronic program guide, johnny quest. I liken it to how I saw little need for air conditioning in my car (because I live in a mild climate) until I had it. Now it is essential. I have the Pioneer DVR-510 and think Pioneer did a fine job of creating easy programming options when compared with my VCR. But recently I got the Comcast/Motorola HiDef DVR which has TiVo-like programming. Now programming the Pioneer seems like a real hassle. It's smart of Pioneer to add this to their DVR-533 coming out some time this year.

[Bud]

Anyone know if any of the current models of DVD Recorders are compatible with DishNet Satellite Program TV Guides? I have a Panasonic E85, and it works well but is not compatible with the Sat TV Guide, I do a lot of traveling and the current TV Guide for DishNet only shows the next four days, this is based on the current set up (One Dish System), but I would rather not have to program both the Sat Receiver and the DVD Recorder and would like to go out at least 7 days for programming. Another option I would look at is adding a Tivo to my current set up. Thanks, Recommendations please.

[johnny quest]

Personally, I'd just get the Tivo/Replay Tv unit for Dish Network and leave the Panny out of the loop. The Tivo guide far exceeds anything I've seen. By doing this you could just schedule your recordings to the Tivo and then dub to the Panny harddrive whenever you felt like it.

[rhegedus]

Thanks for your poignant insight given well after the fact. I guess the (My Follies) inclusion in the title of my post wasn't enough of a mea culpa for you.

Perhaps you can now move on to other's posts so as to give them your 20/20 hindsight vision.

Gladly.