Anyone tested an SV2000 yet? How is it?

[overloaded_ide]

Well, call me a sucker, I bought the $57 standalone SV2000 DVD recorder based only on low price. Now I am hoping for the best while I wait for it to be delivered.

I geuss my basic thought is if it plays DVDs well and lasts awhile, it's not a total loss since it does not cost that much more than just a player anyway.

I did not see any reviews or mention of it, and I read in a thread it's a FUNIA or soemthing but have not found out anything about those either yet.
Some-one said same maker for other brands that cost more, and I would by those brands at this price I think.

Now while I wait to get it I wonder if I should just wait till later to backup some tapes as I watch them, or should I do them on the computer now which takes far more time?
Basically I just want to backup 2 hours or less VHS directly to DVD, no menus or anything needed.
Nothing fancy, just VHS tape quality that plays from a DVD disk in my other players and the PCs.
I have anti-macrovision device that should prevent false trigging from low quality home movie tapes etc..

Recently I been getting tired of menus anyway. I like to put a disk in a player and just have the movie start playing. If I fall asleep while watching a DVD I hate the anoying repeated noises when they go back to motion menus and such. So I even been backing up my comercail DVDs as movie only, after all that's the only reason I bought them, to have the movie! Not for comercails, not to be annoyed and harrased or stare at menus for hours, only to watch a movie and be done with it! So I see no reason to make menu's for my movies for myself now either on most home stuff.

So hows the recording in SP and other modes, and should I expect it to last for years or just for a couple weeks? Etc..

[oldfart13]

Google Funai for answers to that question.....

Or check this part of the forum:

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=315062

[louv68]

overloaded_ide,

I too ordered one of these from Walmart.com It came out to $66 after tax and s&h
I'm very happy with it for the money. It's not perfect, but it does a fine job at replacing my VCR. I've used it for 3 days. I have only tried it with two different DVD-RW's and one DVD+RW One of the DVD-RW's would not record on this machine (Office Depot 4X DVD-RW, media code: RITEKW04). I tried it again with another of the same discs just in case it was defective, but it also did not work. It does however play back these discs for material previously recorded on my PC.

Memorex 4X DVD+RW, media code: Philips041 Works great with these discs.
Memorex 1X DVD-RW, media code: RITEK000V11A records fine, but it does not allow you to pause during recording with this media, unlike the +RW above. I'm not sure if it's with all -RW's or just this media.

Check out these links on the AVS Forum DVD Recorder section.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=776039
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=660474 This is the exact same recorder Funai makes for Magnavox. It is identical in every way, except cosmetically.

[overloaded_ide]

How is the picture quality?

Wall-mart needs to have an instore pick up policy like other online stores often have!
I am Paying about $5 or so shipping and having to wait for it get here, I was at the store tonight and found a WHOLE RACK of these for $79 I think it was. Heck even though I bought at the lower online price they should give me one from the local store, then I could spend that $5 for shipping there while picking it up instead of them giving it to UPS or Fedex
Oh well, figuring in the taxes and everything I am still saving $15-$20 so I will happily wait.

Recording a capture directly to disk is 1/2X I think. I am posting a new thread on that if you want to look for it. I think Highspeed disks would be a waste of money if we can still get great low speed disks for less.

[louv68]

How is the picture quality?

Hard to say as I am new to standalone recorders. To me the 1 & 2hr modes look great. On my 27" SDTV, they look indistinguishable from the broadcast. Even the 2.5hr mode looks pretty good. Even at this speed I did not notice any artifacts, but I'm also not viewing the recordings on a HDTV. I also tested out the 3, 4 and 6hr modes. The 3hr mode looks acceptable for "non-fast" moving stuff you'll just watch, then erase. It seemed to have a softer look to it, but still surprisingly watchable. The 4hr mode looks on par with the 6hr (SLP) speed on VHS with some artifacts on fast moving scenes. The 6hr mode looks horrible. I'll never use this mode as macroblocks and artifacts are all over the place.

Hope this helps.

[overloaded_ide]

Thanks louv68

That's what I am wanting to know.
If the 2hour mode is looking like a TV broadast on a 27" TV of decent quality, that's good enough for me on many of these tapes. Some of these tapes do not look that good anyway when played to TV.

I geuss I'll do other stuff now and save these tapes for when the SV2000 gets here. Probably still about a week, darned holidays.