FR recording better than SP? I'm new to the FR recording

[Pink Pryncess]

I returned my JVC DVD recorder and got the panny DMR-E85H, and this is my first time to look into the FR speed and I wanted to know if recording in FR is better than recording in SP? I record Will and Grace and I would like to know how many I can get on a disc if I record all of them on FR for 30 min. I edit out commercials so they are about 20 min each.
On my JVC I use to record them in SP and then transfer on LP to a disc and I could get 3 episodes an hour for a total of 12 episodes.

When I want to transfer the episodes to disc do I change the numbers on the FR to the amount I want on the disc, like if I wanted 9 episodes I would put 3 hours (20 min an episode)?

I hope someone can understand this, it is kinda hard to explain.

1 more thing, I set up the recorder on Friday and instead of turning it right off so the TV guide could download I started recording and programming, but I turn it off when I am not using it, Will the Tv guide still download even though I didn't turn it off as soon as I set it up? So far I still have nothing on the guide.


Thanks

[midnightsun]

Hi!

FR is better than SP if you use FR-115 (or the equivalent to 115minutes/disc, I don't know what Panasonic calls it) or lower. FR-120 (or equivalent) is the same as SP, whereas FR-125 and higher is worse than SP. FR simply lets you record an amount of material other than 1hrs/disc (XP or some other name), 2hrs/disc (SP), 4hrs/disc (LP), 8hrs/disc (EP or some other name). FR was created to allow smaller intervals between two adjacent recording settings.

[lordsmurf]

SP = FR120
LP = FR240

Minutes... get it?

I suggest you read the Panasonic Tips sticky, and be sure to keep all recordings at about 2-2½ or less to avoid common block issues on that recorder.

[jrh1194]

Congratulations on your new Panasonic. You will be very happy with it. Much better than the JVC you returned, No reliability issues with the Panny!!!

[Captain Satellite]

Congratulations on your new Panasonic. You will be very happy with it. Much better than the JVC you returned, No reliability issues with the Panny!!!

In all fairness, I'm certain that the JVC is a fine machine - when it loads!

[Pink Pryncess]

How do you get the tv guide to not pop up when you turn the recorder on? I think there is a way I just dont know where to find it?
panny DMR E85H

[bnbhoha]

Correct me if I'm wrong. If you record one episode in FR mode to the hard drive, then you are utilizing the most disc space possible.

-If you record one episode in XP mode, that's going to take up 1/3 of a dvd and will probably let you put 3 episodes.

-If you recrod one episode in SP mode, that will allow you to put roughly 6 episodes on to one dvd.

-If you record in LP mode, it will default to four hours and allow you to record 12 episodes. Mind you that the recording will probably have artifacts and not look that great

-If you record in FR mode (flexible recording). It may take up more space than XP mode. Only way I could recommend using this is to record all your shows in XP mode and THEN do FR mode to disc to help utilize the best space/recording quality. This will require a re-encode and could take a while because it will be in real time.


Since dvd-r is relatively cheap now, I would recommend recording your shows in SP mode on to the hard drive, which will allow 6 episodes per disc. Remember, you can record usually up to 2 hours and 9-10 minutes in SP mode on to a disc. Since the shows were originally recorded in SP mode, they can be transferred to disc in high speed mode w/o a re-encode.

Good luck.

[brand1]

One thing though, record to the hard drive in the same speed you want to copy to dvd. Then high speed dub for best results.

An SP to LP downconvert is not as good a quality and it would be in real time.

[midnightsun]

come on let's be real, you can't take more space than XP with any recording setting, as you can't fill out a dvd with less than 60 minutes of material (XP)

FR doesn't mean "fill-disc recording mode".

Of course I'm talking as per dvd-video specs.

[solidsnake]

How do you get the tv guide to not pop up when you turn the recorder on? I think there is a way I just dont know where to find it?
panny DMR E85H

I'm not familiar with the panasonic recorders or anything, but i have a tv with the tv guide service, look and see if at the top theres a tab called Setup on the TV Guide menu, you'll have to keep scrolling right when your in the tabs to find it, the click on change system settings, and maybe its in there. Again this is on my tv, I'm guessing its the same for the dvd recorder