Pioneer DVR-310 Standalone...Oct.

[Capt_Diode]

Broadway,

I plan on waiting until I can get the features I want. Money is not so much an issue but I don't wish to buy a unit and then a month later find a unit that will meet my needs. As much as I desire to throw my VCR out the window, I will be patient. I haven’t been happy since Beta disappeared.

My focus is with home movies. All else comes second. Even the "FR" feature is nice but for my needs is not as important as video quality and a hard drive for simple editing. Mini-DV is one hour so I would use the highest quality. For over two years now I have been making VCD's converting PAL to NTSC and trying to author DVDs. Although I am a teckie, I find the extraction of Mini-DV to computer, re-encoding and authoring so time consuming that it's just not worth the time. Yea I've tried DVD-IT, Ulead, etc. and can produce nice outcomes. Raising a family, work and time here doesn't leave a lot of time for me. If anyone in marketing is watching here is what I (Maybe WE) want.

1. Quality recording in all modes
2. At least 80Gb Hard drive
3. Firewire (Both computer and Camera)
4. Simple editing and menu creation for captured video
5. -R-RW/+R/+RW support
6. Flexible time recording
7. 5.1 support

That being said I won't buy until 1-5 are met with the rest being nice if it is included. I do like the idea of the Tivo like features for weekly broadcasts. In the past I have made 5 VHS tapes around the holidays for the various family members. ALSO TIME CONSUMING! As the holidays approach I may consider the Sony model but who knows........

A trip to the tarot card reader may be in order....HAHAHA Miss Cleo....Can you here my from your jail cell...... I need some advice.....
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Anyhow good luck on your decision. I will be watching the posts.

Regards,
Captain Diode

[zorankarapancev]

Capt-Diode, maybe one day... maybe one day...
...but until then, have a look on PANASONIC DMR-E100. If I will rate SONY recording quality with 10, PANASONIC will get 9+. Close enough for you ( it was definately for me - I bought Panasonic DMR-E60)?
And you will get HD, VBR, FR and DV input...

... wonderful surprise for this Chrismas!

Regards,

Zoran

[nextlife1]

Love all the features of the Panasonic DMR-E100. If only it had wider capabilities than just DVD-R and DVD-RAM. For me that is the question.

Nextlife

[Capt_Diode]

Zoran,

Thanks for the heads up! Like Nextlife I was hoping for -RW support. I may have to wave that feature. (5 VHS tapes not looking good) My home computer is a DVR so the limitation can be worked around. One web site described Mpeg-4 recording? Would that also imply watching? It looks like it might be arriving here in the states as we speak. I also wonder if it allows firewire output? It only lists input. Could also be a workaround for the -RW limitation. I may reconsider this model besides, I have not received a response from Miss Cleo.........

Cheers,
Captain Diode

[donpedro]

Even the "FR" feature is nice but for my needs is not as important as video quality and a hard drive for simple editing. Mini-DV is one hour so I would use the highest quality.

That is true if you didn't use LP mode (1:30) on some tapes as I did . Then you wish you have FR mode

[Capt_Diode]

Donpedro,

Being somewhat anal about quality, I have only used 1 Hour. Sorry to hear about your delema but I think this model might allow it. I have not been able to review all the features as of yet.

Good Luck,
Captain Diode

[webeye]

Some info from Panasonic Canada.....sit down for the List Prices

http://www.panasonic.ca/english/audiovideo/dvd/index.asp

I did see a full page ad in the new Can mag. 'Toro' for the Panny 100

Are you sitting? $2400 CDN...List + 15% tax.

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[nextlife1]

I don't understand that. I see it in the 850-950 range at a number of known sellers: www.calibex.com/Panasonic_DMR_E100HS_DVD~57177275z3znz300099zz1z300099zzcalibex1z2-htm

Nextlife

[webeye]

http://www.electronicscity.com/Detail.bok?searchpath=7f000001f74bf015acdb&category=Vid...otal=5&no=3602
Anyone know this place? Deal ends Oct 12.....$819 for the Panny 100
plus free shipping UPS

[zorankarapancev]

To PhilipL:
Panasonic DOES NOT HIDE THE QUALITY LEVEL AND RESULUTION ! In contrary! With Panasonic you can monitor the exact quality of recording (in Mb/sec) every moment, in real time, while the recording is in progress! With Pioneer that is not possible and you can only guess the aproximate recording quality accordingly to the graph chart! Regardles of that, I have to mention again that the recording quality of the Panasonic DVD recorders is superior to the recordings of the Pioneer DVD recorders (especialy at and around 2 hour setting).

To Capt-Diode:
Tell me, honestly, why do you need a DV output from a DVD recorder and how many times will you use it? Do you want to import a DV tape, edit it in the DVD recorders HD and recorded it again to a DV tape? I was under the impression that you want to record DVD discs. A DVD recorder will never be a real substitute for a good NLE system.

Zoran

[webeye]

For those who would like a Panny ram player...$69 after $20 MIR
Till Oct 30
http://www.etronics.com/printspecs.asp?stk_code=pandvds35k

REVISED....actually a better deal might be Amazon...$72 after rebate
+++++free shipping<<<<<<<<<
Panasonic S35k

[webeye]

Of interest from Zoran....(thanks)

DV - is digital recording done with compresion known as DV-compresion.
S video - is analog conection with separate chroma and luma ( better then composite conection).

In theory DV conection should be better then analog S-video. If you have DV camcorder, then you will have only one conversion in your DVD recorder: DV to MPEG 2(DVD). If you have DV camcorder and if you use S-video conection, then you will have two conversions: DV to analog(S-video) and then again to digital MPEG 2. In a real life, using normal TV set and video material that is not of broadcast quality and if you don't have Dv camcorder, i don't think that you will notice any significant diference in the picture quality.

Zoran

[donpedro]

...if you use S-video conection, then you will have two conversions: DV to analog(S-video) and then again to digital MPEG 2.

Just feel like adding something here...

... plus you are transporting analog siglnal through cable so additional loss there ...

[Capt_Diode]

Zoran,

You might be right about DV output but if I record from TV and wish to transfer to my PC, I either record permanently to DVD-R or DVD-RAM. The later requires a DVD-RAM drive for my computer. Since I have not considered this option in the past, I don't have any idea what it would cost to put one in my system. Do they even make a reader for PC? My reasoning here is if I want to watch daily TV programming somewhere other than my TV, I am limited by the DVD-RAM for non permanent recording. I currently watch an hour of recorded TV at work on my lunch hour. If I could transfer video to my PC and vice versa, this could add a variety to my viewing options away from home. This is the reason the DVD-RW was high on my list. (I know, the anal thing again) By the way, You have been very kind in your advise and patience with me (us). THANKS! Would you mind giving me (us) a little of your background?

@ Webeye,

The sound you heard earlier was my butt puckering when I saw the price of the unit. OUCH! At that price you could drive to Niagara Falls for a visit, pop over to New York, buy the Pany there and have a nice drive home, and it would still be cheaper even considering the CDN vs Dollar. Seriously, I would shop around and check for feedback at dealtime and other shopping sites. Lots of sites can advertise low prices on limited quantities. Feedback weeds them out!

Regards,
Captain Diode

[webeye]

Captain D..
I has me an Amerifriend

[Gil T Pleasure]

Just change your perspective. If you do not watch the steps changing but watch the remaining recording time move up and down in 5 minute increments you are adjusting the time to what you need in order to fill the disc completely at the best quality, isn't that flexible recording?

But this is only true if you're stepping up/down in 5 minute increments. I was under the impression that Panasonic's FR mode can move up/down in 1 minute increments. Is my assumption correct?

[donpedro]

1 or 5 min increments.... who cares, as soon as it not 1h or 30min, it is great

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[Yvon]

[quote="webeye"]For those who would like a Panny ram player...$69 after $20 MIR
Till Oct 30
http://www.etronics.com/printspecs.asp?stk_code=pandvds35k


Afew days ago, I went to a Sears store in Montreal and there was a standalone Panasonic RAM player for $179.00 CDN.

But it has no Firewire connection. You have to use the "S" connector.

Yvon

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[Yvon]

For Captain Diode

Captain Diode, like you, I am looking for the best quality in burning my DV videos, so I have concluded that The Sony deck would be the best (thanks to Zoran).

Choosing a standalone deck is like choosing a wife. You have to accept the things you might not like in your spouse and look at the eminent qualities you go for.

Now that JVC is coming with a standalone deck, let's wait to see the reports from the users of this forum.

Sony sells its standalone DVD recorder @ $1,300.00 here in Montreal. There is also a 15% sales tax. $500.00 too expensive for that product. As always, Sony products are more expensive than the others...

I also noticed that the JVC DVD recorder has a 500 lines resolution, not 540.

Patience,

Yvon[/b]

[nextlife1]

Yvon;

Do you have the model number and/or specs on the JVC recorder and when it is due to be released?

Thanks,

nextlife

[donpedro]

Yvon;

Do you have the model number and/or specs on the JVC recorder and when it is due to be released?

Thanks,

nextlife

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=181975

[zorankarapancev]

For PhilipL:

For the most of the users time increments of 1 or 5 minute will never be an important issue. What makes a real difference between the Panasonic and Pioneer DVD recorders is the QUALITY of the recording! Unfortunately, for the quality of the recording of the newest Pioneer 310 DVD recorder I have only one word - disapointment !

For that reason I bought Panasonic DMR-E60.

Regards,

Zoran

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[Capt_Diode]

For all who have been watching this,

I did a little looking around and found that there are indeed DVD-RAM-Read only drives for the PC. There is a model by Sony (DDU1621) that sells for around 50 dollars. There may be more I didn't look too far. This would get around the DVD-RAM limitation for transfering video to a PC. After reviewing the DMR-E100 I have decided I will wait to buy a DVR until my original 5 items can be met, afterall the features are coming, just a mater of time. As I said earlier my main concern is quality for home movies. But since I will be ultimately eliminating my VHS recorders, it just makes sence for my needs to wait. Why hassle with copying DVD-RAM to my computer to turn around and burn to DVD-RW. Same for firewire.

Webeye, Thanks for posting this. I have been interested in learning more about future DVR's and the discussion here has helped a lot.


Cheers,
Captain Diode

[zorankarapancev]

Philip,

I am an electrical engineer with 20 years of broadcast experience, and I can assure you that I know what I am talking about. I consider the electronic equipment only as a tool and I am not emotionaly attached to any name, brand or company. In my studio I have products from Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Pioneer, Mitsubishi... a products from any company that will give me the best results for certain job. All of this manifacturers have some good and some bad products. To insist that every product is good and that the eventual differences between them are only "subjective" is totaly immature. To defend any manifacturer on any base exept the quality of the product is totaly irresponsible. At the end, to discuss about concrete products based only on a manifacturer information without actualy using them is nothing but the empty polemics. That is of no help for people visiting this forum.

The comparation test between Panasonic and Pioneer DVD recorders was quite objective: I was using the same broadcast equipment and same video recordings from BETACAM SP and DV-CAM master tapes for each of these DVD recorders. The findings were verified from two other profesionals.

I am sorry that you do not like the results.

Anyway, this shouldn't prevent you to get the newest Pioneer DVD recorder. At the end, as you said, maybe compression artefacts of many sorts will go completely unseen from you.

Good luck,

Zoran

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[Yvon]

Some info from Panasonic Canada.....sit down for the List Prices

http://www.panasonic.ca/english/audiovideo/dvd/index.asp

I did see a full page ad in the new Can mag. 'Toro' for the Panny 100

Are you sitting? $2400 CDN...List + 15% tax.

That list price is exagerated. I don't think that anybody sells at this price.

Yvon