JVC DMRH30 opinions

[kitzj0]

I am looking to get a second DVD recorder. I currently have A Panasonic E80 which I have had for two years. It has been a great recorder, lots of use. I currently have it hooked up to 50" Panasonic HDTV through component inputs.

I am seriously considering the JVC DMRH30 and am interested in what everyone who has one thinks about the unit. It seems that reading through the posts most people think it is an excellent unit. Will the picture quality be equal to what I have now with the panasonic E80? I have noticed with the E80 that the picture looks kind of blocky when the picture has alot of solid color in the background like black or a blue sky? The JVC does not have HD upconversion, should I choose a unit that has HD upconversion?

Thanks

[kitzj0]

I also should add, that I do most of my editing with Tsunami DVD Author on my computer for Menus/editing out commercials.

[piano632]

JVC is supposed to be replacing the DR-MH30 with the DR-MH300 soon, and the U.S. version of the DR-MH300 will have HDMI with upscaler.

I have a JVC DR-M10 and I see no blockiness in anything, even at the 4-hour LP setting. The DR-MH30/300 should be even better because it has a quasi 2-pass encoder.

[Neuron]

I'm very happy with JVC DR-MH30. Makes excellent picture quality DVDs. Works flawlessly. No "freezing" and no "loading" issues so far.
Do not need HDMI since I do not watch DVDs on that unit. I use it for recording only. If you want to watch DVD on your HDTV, better go with separate player (JVC SRDVD-100U / a.k.a. AVeL would be a good choice but pricy http://www.iodata.com/news/releases.php?newsID=36&ts=4&tsc=20 ). There are some of inexpensive DVD players available today with HDMI or DVI interfaces and built-in upconverters ( ---> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3610578&sourceid=16233076101557661379 is an example). So I'm not sure if HDMI is really needed for DVD recorder.