Opinions Please: DVD Hardware/Maturing Technology

[Searcher]

I'm a newbie, and I'm in search of my first DVDplayer/recorder.

I realized that the reason that I've been having so much difficulty with getting clear info concerning DVD player/recorders is because the format(hardware and media) hasn't settled yet. Opinions are very contradictory and there are still a lot of reliability problems that the manufacturers have to iron out.

If I asked for a progressive-scan DVD player/recorder that is
*Reliable*, All-region, compatible with media formats across the
board, and plays both PAL & NTSC on any TV, I'd probably have to shell
out a lot of money if there is such a player. And these are just the
basic features that should be standard by now.(I'm sure I've missed a few).

Quality control seems to make the *reliability* feature the most
difficult to come by. Nevertheless, if such a player does exists, it's
cost is probably through the roof.

When near unanimous praise is heaped on DVD player/recorders that fall into the above mentioned categories, then it would be an indication that the technology is maturing and has a definite direction.(Not just a defined goal). So until this hardware becomes user-friendly and can interface with all major technology and media, it is still "new" and "buggy".

Does anyone else have an opinion on this?

Thanks a lot.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[indolikaa]

If I asked for a progressive-scan DVD player/recorder that is *Reliable*, All-region, compatible with media formats across the
board, and plays both PAL & NTSC on any TV, I'd probably have to shell
out a lot of money if there is such a player.

My first thought was, "Good Luck!" I'm afraid after browsing the 'Net my first thought remains.

Reliability is a total joke in the Consumer Electronics field anymore. My Apex AD-1100W ($55) has worked flawlessly for some time now, while my Sony DVP-NS999ES ($1000) has been in the shop twice in four months. What a f^ucking parallel that is!

[The village idiot]

Whatever you decide, I would suggest shelling out the extra for one that has a hard drive. My personal choice would be one with a hard drive and DVD-RAM. But that may just be me.

[Searcher]

Whatever you decide, I would suggest shelling out the extra for one that has a hard drive. My personal choice would be one with a hard drive and DVD-RAM. But that may just be me.

I look at a hard drive as just something else to go wrong. Most won't really need it anyway.

It appears that the best thing to do is to buy a really cheap one(or two), and hole off on getting one with all the "bells and whistles" until the technology settles.

As for buying electronics, I will not purchase anything that is relatively "light" in weight, because that is the easiest way to tell the manufacturer has cut corners. I also never buy anything that is refurbished because that means that an inherent design flaw was "patched" and the make/model was put back out there for resale.

Anyway, perhaps the new LG Electronics's GSA-4040B which is supposed to be the first drive(for the pc) on the market to support all five DVD formats is a step in the direction of all-media drives one can output to just about any tv or pc.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[The village idiot]

The hard drive would let you record the show, then you can edit out the commercials before transfering to disk. No computer involved. Users report that this works very well.

[Searcher]

The hard drive would let you record the show, then you can edit out the commercials before transfering to disk. No computer involved. Users report that this works very well.

Yes I know, but since I have a pc, and the idea would be to get a cheap recorder until the technology is 1)reliable, 2)format friendly, and 3)cheap enough to be justifiable, a hard drive is still something that adds cost and increased risk of problems that I don't need.(I'm not into recording shows for keeps, and I have a VCR).

Reliability is the number one critera I'm searching for at this time.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[Tearren]

-Searcher,

I would say that DVD player/recorder technology is just in the first stages of its adolescent phase. I believe the consumer use of the technology has only been around for maybe a few years, in the US. I think you are expecting a bit much, based on this. The adoption rate is only in the beginning of an S-Curve (ie, most of the people don't own one yet). Especially the "All-Region" criteria, this is going to be almost impossible to find with a mainstream company, at least without some type of hack.

I bought an HS2 when they first came out a little less than a year ago. It has been very reliable and I use it quite a bit.

Here is a breakdown of the HS2 (what I have) compared with what you want.

1) Progressive Scan - Yes
2) Reliability - Yes, It's a Panasonic.
3) All-Region - You can change the region's in the service menu (Service menu hack using remote - CAUTION - I don't know if it locks after so many changes though, could find out if you really wanted to know)
4) Compatible with formats across the board - No, but sufficient. Plays DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM and I believe I read that it would play DVD+R or DVD+RW, but I have not tried this and cannot confirm.
5) PAL & NTSC - US version only NTSC I believe. I haven't tried PAL though.

If you are going to be using it with a PC, I agree with the Village Idiot and think you would want DVD-RAM, especially if you decided to get a recorder without a hard drive. However, I think the benefit of a hard drive far out way the fear of "something else to go wrong". Majority of the things I have read have been positive for the HS2. IMHO by the time you wait for the dvd player/recorder technology to mature to the level you want, blue-ray will be here (already released in Japan) and you will agian be waiting for that to mature.

Out of curiosity, if you are not going to be recording shows, what do you want a recorder for?

Tearren

[The village idiot]

Out of curiosity, if you are not going to be recording shows, what do you want a recorder for?

Tearren

Me too??????