How do [i]you [/i] use your dvd rec. as a vcr replacement?

[Farmerbright]

Since the prices have been falling the last couple months I've been thinking about buying a dvd recorder but I've still got a couple of basic questions to ask.

Do you watch everything thru your dvd recorder so you are always ready to record something on the fly? Or do you switch to it when something comes on to record? I remember reading something about the early Philips showing the video as it would be encoded as you watch.

How do you take advantage of things you tape to watch one time? I have no pvr and am very looking forward to the being able to watch-while-recording feature. Most of the stuff we end up taping are tv shows or movies that we'll watch once and record over. Is it worth it to get one with a harddrive for stuff like this, or do you think media is cheap enough to keep a stack of rw's around? From what I've read, quality video is under 2.5 hrs per disc.

Lastly, I have dishnetwork and have the svid and optical cable hooked up to my amp. Has not being able to pass the digital audio thru to your amp been a frustration and how have you dealt with it?

The wife says I must need more on my honey-do-list since I have enough time to think up all these questions.

[Gil T Pleasure]

If most of what you're going to be doing is time shifting, then I would suggest you get a PVR (TiVo, ReplayTV, etc). Not only can you pause live TV and watch the beginning while recording is in progress, you also get features not found on DVD recorders such as EPG, Wishlist/Theme recording, Season Pass/Show-based recording, Show Suggestions/Replay Zone recordings, Internet Remote Control and IR blaster.

The Panasonic DVD recorders let you watch the beginning while recording is in progress but that's about it. The Philips DVDR80 has EPG and IR blaster but can't let you watch the beginning while recording is in progress. All DVD recorders, except those with built-in HDD, can only offer a max recording time of 6 hours at the lowest quality level.

[Farmerbright]

I've thought about getting a pvr, but I don't like the idea of another monthly bill. And I like being able to have a hard copy of things you want to save. I guess it all comes down to money, and always wanting a little more than what you can have.

But I'm still curious about how most owners use the dvd recorder in their home theater. How they chose to hook it up, if that sacrificed quality of audio/ video in one way or another, and how it changed their habits from vcr days. For instance, I chose to take the locals from dish (fox and cbs on the outside ant were poor at best) mainly to keep from switching from video 1 to video 2 all the time on my amp. It simplifies things even if Smallville sometimes has a lot of macroblocking on dish. I've just been studying how I would hook a dvdr up, going thru different scenarios and how my viewing habits should decide the on what models I should be looking at.

Thanks for your input.

[Cyrax9]

I actually did this in November of 2002 and it was a smart move to put it mildly.

If I were you, I'd Run my VCR THROUGH a Panasonic Recorder (In only) so I can put my VHS Tapes onto DVD and use the DVD Writer as you would a VCR. The HS2 from Panasonic has the TimeSlip feature you've mentioned which is very nice and will let you pause what you've recorded sof ar but not lvie TV, you'd need something like Digital Cable for that, aka another bill.

The Panasonic units are fairly nice but DVD-RAM is expensive if you don't get a model with an HDD and once you get used to the DMR-HS2 you'll never want to see VHS again, I'm trying to move all of my VHS Recordings to DVD-R and ditch the tapes because they're sucking up space and they suck all around, but if you don't want to pay for a PVR and you don't save shows, your best bet is any unit with a HDD, if you DO SAVE your recordings from the TV like I do this is what you should ask yourself:

1. Do I have a lot of VHS Tapes from the TV/Video Camera I want to move to DVD?

2. Am I buying less VHS movies and more DVD Movies?

3. Is my VCR taking up valuble space or not doing it's job as well as it could?

4. Can I afford Blank DVD's and am I willing to start with them for future recordings?

5. Am I going to transfer my VHS Tapes to DVD and if so, am I going to need a lot of Discs and possibly a lot of time to do so?

If ytou answered yes to two or more of these questions go with a DVD Writer preferrably a Panasonic unit with a Built n Hard Drive, if you answered no to four or more of these questions, get a PVR and if you're thinking of ditching the VCR in the enar future, the DVD Wrier is a good idea, move your VHS Tapes to DVD and then ditch the tapes, I can fit a minimum of 2 DVD's in Clamshell cases where I had 1 VHS Tape and if I use sleves or Binders, I can hold plenty of DVDs in the same space that ocne held VHS tapes, if you need to free up space,ditch the VHS stuff and move twoards DVD if you're jsut recording random shws and recording over them VHS should still be fine but a PVR would be better, I prefer the DMR-HS2 for my needs as a DVD Writer but that's because I want to gfet rid of a lot of old VHS Tapes and move the stuff to DVD.

[dcsos]

Why wouldn't you watch right thru the device at all thimes...does it DOG the signal or something?

[Farmerbright]

Cyrax9,

Thanks for your comments. After reading your list, I may be better off with just a pvr. It might suit my needs more.

I do think the future is in pvrs with dvdr, like the panny's. The urge to go digital and get rid of tapes, for quality and space issues, is what is driving me.

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dcsos,

That's something I wanted to know. More specifically, if my one svid output from dish is hooked up to pvr/dvdr to record hi quality and I want to watch a dd5.1 show from sat, it looks to me like i'll have to watch it on a seperate video-in on my reciever with composite video.

Without having optical audio inputon the dvdr/pvr, or dual svideo outputs on sat, seems to make hooking it all up with high quality all around a little hairy.

[lordsmurf]

Are you saying that unlike a VCR, you cannot watch a program as it's being recorded?

[Farmerbright]

I don't know how dvdr's work in the real world. That's something I'd like someone to answer. Back before dd and svideo things were alot simpler to hook up. The sattelite (rca jacks only) and outside antennae hooked up to the vcr and I switched back and forth btwn line in and the local channels. Then if you wanted to record, then you hit the record button.

Discounting digital audio, is the above scenario the way most people hook up their dvd recorders who have a dish? If you were hooking up cable to this and it to only a tv with no surround sound then there wouldn't be any questions on hooking it up.

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Cyrax, I believe you are right and the more I think about it the more I realize that a pvr is all I need. I can capture to cvd/svcd anything I think is important and get a standalone recorder next year with more features and a lower price and be satisfied. You and Gil T have put me on the right track.

[jobedo1]

i have a replay 5040 and a panasonic e30 if high quality is what your after
get a panasonic i dont know about tivo but my e30 gives me DVD quality
and replay only VCR quality

[Farmerbright]

I saw this discussion at hometheaterforum.com that in the middle is relevent to what I've been asking.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=154550

I think bob posted here as well.