i need help figuring which dvd recorder is best for me.

25th Jul 2005 11:58 #1

Member

i know the subject seems a bit whiney but that is ok.

i currently have a lite on lvw-5005 that i had purchased from compusa last week. seems like a great recorder but i am experiencing a bit of a jitter when playing my tivo dvr through the dvd recorder. this is how i would like to run it so i can record as things catch my eye but it is not necessary to do, i can always buy a splitter for the s-video out of my tivo and a switch to go back and forth from dvr-dvdr-tv or dvr-tv.

i will get into the jitter issue in another post but i am also noticing that the color is a bit green as well, but when i record a dvd i see nothing on my dvd player that i use.

i have been looking at returning this and spending a bit more for a more stable player. currently i am looking at the following (but would be open to other suggestions):

JVC DR-M10 (the loading issue is a bit freaky)
Panasonic DMR-ES10 (seems to have just as many problems as the 5005)
Pioneer DVR-220 (seems like a really solid machine, even with the vhs drop out being a bit rare)

or i could keep with lite on and just swap this one for another one. but i would really like to stay around $200 & under.

things i would need out of a recorder.

1. the ability to record in vhs tapes (being able to get around macrovision would be useful but i only have one tape where this would be a problem. i also only have maybe 20 tapes i would need to record, after that it would only be recording in from the dvr)
2. the ability to record from dvr via s-vid or component
3. a s-vid or component out for my tv
4. the ability to record in some various time lengths with pretty good quality even at the lowest level.
5. the ability to record to either dvd+r/rw or dvd-r/rw or both. dvd-ram is not a format i really care about.
6. the dvds must play on other machines. (my dvp642 is pretty new so this shouldn't be a concern)
7. two sets of av in/out on the back would be a nice feature.

things i don't need

1 a tuner (this is why i have a tivo)
2. the machine to work as a player (i have the dvp642 for this)
3. the need for having to open the machine and make modifications (like adding heat sinks to a 5005 if this is indeed a problem solving aspect of owning the 5005)

i will basically be using this machine to record saved items from my tivo and the occasional vhs tape. no more, no less. so something with good color as well as good quality recordings is a must.

i currently have a pioneer 106 in my mac and have been pretty happy with it's performance over the last year and a half. so the brand is something i favor when it comes to this technology, so i am leaning towards the dvr-220.

thanks in advance for your help.