Humax DRT800...Combo TiVo & DVD-Recorder...

[gcutler]

http://earthlink.com.com/Humax%2C+TiVo+recorder+aims+for+prime+time/2100-1041_3-540995...html?tag=st_lh

Anyone seen this in action yet? Sounds interesting, but wonder if feature wise it is just like the Pioneer (no editing ability, etc) Granted the price makes it nice...

[joepic]

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks when I get mine!

The offical product comes with a 80 GB hard drive, I purchased a 160GB hard disk version & the USB to Ethernet converter that was upgraded from these folks:

Humax DRT800 - 180 HOURS of recording capacity - $549
http://www.weaknees.com/tivo.php


http://www.humaxusa.com/Products_dvdr_framset.html

Here are some user comments on the product:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/10726

Some MAJOR features of this box:
1. Record to a DVD
Supports DVD-R at 4x or DVD-RW
Will automatically split long shows on to multiple DVD's.
A Title is created for each program saved.
Chapter marks are placed every 5 minutes.
All DVD's are automatically finalized at the end of the DVD recording process.

2. The following are reasons the Recorder might not be able to save a program to DVD
Some programs might not be saved due to copy protection rights over the material (broadcast flag?).
Programs transferred to this Recorder from a different kind of TiVo DVR via the Multi-Room viewing feature.
If a recording is less than 2 minutes long.

3. Connects to an Ethernet LAN for your home network via a hub or router for your PC/MAC.
No need for phone line for schedule updates if your network is on the Internet.
Supports DHCP or Static IP address
Connects to wireless networks
Has 2 USB ports but requires a USB to Ethernet adapter for $29.

4. If your Recorder is connected to your home network with a broadband Internet connection,
you can use TiVo Central Online to remotely schedule the recordings.

5. If connected to your home network, can playback music and photos from your PC or MAC
For music it supports MP3, M3U (playlists), PLS, ASX and B4S
On a MAC TiVo desktop works with music organized by iTunes 3.0 or later

For photos supports BMP, DIB, JPG, PNG.
On a MAC TiVo desktop works with digital photos organized by iPhoto 2.0.
Set slideshow times to view each photo

6. Back up your VCR tapes
Record from a Video Camera or VCR to the hard drive then you can play back on the TiVo or burn on a DVD.
Has front panel inputs for DV (from your camcorder), composite Video, Audio and S-Video.

7. Can save to VCR (not sure this has much value since you can burn to DVD except to copy VCR tapes).

[gcutler]

Cool, Thanks... I've pointed this unit out to a few people, but had to give the caveat of "I've not read any reviews by real owners". Although today I saw on bestbuy.com there are 5 glowing reviews.

[joepic]

I've pointed this unit out to a few people, but had to give the caveat of "I've not read any reviews by real owners".

Well here is a "review by a real ower" I LOVE IT

Before the review a little background on my setup:
1. I have "BIG satellite DISH" c-band which has been installed for 11 years. This was the only option for me when I purchased it as the "pizza dishes" were not available.

2. The satellite receiver is a Zenith 7000 which is the old analog type. I have not gone to the digital receiver.

3. I get just about everything. For premimum channels - HBO, SHOWTIME, CINEMAX and the Movie Channel. The cost for all of this is ONLY $50 a month With DirectTV this would be $90.

4. I am using a Modulator which has Composite Video/Stero Audio input from the sat dish, modulated to channels 14 -78. I am using channel 16 to receive all big dish satellite programming. Here is the product I am using:
CVT1stereo-II MTS Stereo Modulator
http://www.hometech.com/video/mod.html#chanplus

5. I have an outdoor antenna for all local channels.

6. The main TV is an 11 year old 36" JVC. Next year we are going to HDTV. It will probably be the Samsung DLP 61"

7. After we get the new HDTV I will probably go with VOOM with their 35 channels of HDTV and keep the big dish for everything else dropping the premium channels.

My DRT800 arrived about a week ago. This is my first TiVo. I am currently using the RF input for local and sat dish. The only challege was selecting the sat dish channel (currently 16) to use.

In case you didn't know it, TiVo will only download/work with "local channels" in your TV area. You can not ADD an unused channel to mannually record from. So I had to chose a local TV station that I was not using to put my sat dish on so that I could record TiVo programs.

Yes the information that TiVo shows in the NOW PLAYING for the sat dish recordings is bogus but that is my only option as TiVo does not support c-band programming.

The only saving grace is when you create a DVD from the NOW PLAYING list you can mannually change the name to reflect the sat dish program. So the menu on the DVD shows the correct name for the recording.

I have a VCR and wanted to transfer the programs from several tapes that I purchased to DVD. The DRT800 has front panel inputs for IEEE 1394 firewire for you camcorder and composite video/audio. I was very simple to record the VCR tapes on the TiVo then create the DVD's.

When TiVo creates a DVD it puts a "TiVo menu" on the DVD plus your programs. Each program has a chapter created every 5 minutes for advancing through the DVD. If the TiVo program is too big for a single DVD then it will span multiple DVD's automatically.

The only option I have not tried yet is the USB to Ethernet adapter to connect to my local Lan. Hopefully I will have the Lan connection wired this weekend from the basement to the family room.

I have recorded both DVD-R and DVD-RW. The DRT800 came with a 4x RW blank. The TiVo has a Pioneer 108 burner. TiVo is limiting the functions of the burner to support only -R/-RW disks and the speed is only 1x. That is the only disappointment I have with the unit. Hopefully in the future these limitations will be removed.

If you are looking for a TiVo with a DVD recorder this is a GREAT buy. The off the shelf unit as purchased at Best Buy etc. has an 80GB drive. I purchased my DRT800 from www.weaknees.com with the 160GB upgrade. This gives me 40 hours of BEST recording instead of 20 hours.

I LOVE my HUMAX DRT800 TiVo

[gcutler]

Thanks!

[zleepy]

This is now $100 cheaper with free shipping at circuit city.