Buying - To Wait or Not to Wait

[clisi]

I have recently begun studying all there is to know about DVD recorders. The standards, features, etc. When I started my research I was so excited to think I would have one of these by years end, but after learning what I did and reading these forums, I'm really bummed because I don't think it's worth it to purchase something that in many ways doesn't work. My reasons:

• There is no recording "standard".
  
  There are very few recorders that offer both -R/RW and +R/RW, and those that do don't have all the other "must have" features.
  
  There are so many consumers complaining that cd's don't work from one DVD player to another. Even the DVD's that say -R/RW don't work when played in some DVD players.
  
  There are very few recorders that have Electronic Program Guides, and on this forum there are consumers saying it doesn't work (shows aren't listed, etc.) even if the recorder has it!
  
  There's very little information anywhere on copying VHS tapes to DVD and the quality after the transfer, and very few recorders that have VHS built in and include all the other "must have" features.
  
  When you find a recorder that has all or most of these features, the price is ridiculous, especially given all these questions/problems that still exist.

What's wrong with this industry? Can't they get it right? Or is it just greed, yet again? This is a web site with ordinary (albeit there are some real "techies") consumers and there are hundreds of complaints about these units. My thinking is to continue using my VCR until things get a little better and there are less complaints.

I'd love to see if there's anyone else out there who feels like I do. I am not technical when it comes to A/V. I'm just an ordinary consumer but I like to be an educated consumer.

Thanks to all who respond.

Christine

[samijubal]

Once you use a DVD recorder you will scrap that VCR, period. You may transfer some stuff to DVD, but I can guarantee you won't record with it anymore. There will never be 1 standard for the reason stated, greed. Whoever makes a recorder has to pay the inventer of that format royalties. I work on VCRs and have for many years, they have plenty of problems too, people just don't post them here because few people here still use the inferior machines. Buy a DVD recorder and throw away the VCR, you won't be sorry unless you buy a cheap piece of crap.

[Frobozz]

If we took your approach to describing an automobile you'd never want to own one of those either. They can even kill you!

I'm impressed with the progress made to make standalone DVD recorders usable, affordable and flexible. They can be a challenge to learn how to use, but it wasn't that easy to learn how to drive either.

There will be better machines available next summer and better ones again the following summer. Meanwhile you missed out on all this good stuff while you wait.

[clisi]

Thanks for the two responses. I still don't have the answers I want, but I will buy one when one of my VCR's goes. Until then, I'll give the industry a bit more time to supply one with all the features I'm looking for.

[verchad]

Thanks for the two responses. I still don't have the answers I want, but I will buy one when one of my VCR's goes. Until then, I'll give the industry a bit more time to supply one with all the features I'm looking for.

If you wait on the industry to create a standard, it will be a long time. They are now arguing over what the next "standard" will be for HD DVD. Go through your research, find whatever format and units offer the most of what you are looking for and get it.

I had an uncle who for three years kept asking me, " is this a good deal on this computer package?" It was going to be his first one. I finally told him to realize that as soon as he pays for the computer, there is already something bigger, better, and faster in the pipeline. And don't be surprised if within 6 months what he bought is already "old".

[canadateck]

why care what works for other peolpe. There will never be a perfect piece of hard-ware, most problems come from how the "user" uses it. If i prefer to record in one mode which some user says he had probelms with, most if not all the of the time the user didnt know what he was doing. If my DVD player plays DVD-r why would i need a PVR to record to DVD+r, some may say well my moms player doesnt play DVD-r. well nothing is perfect. Just buy something that works for "YOU"..The only way to get close to perfect or for what you want would be to make a Pc PVR. if you keep waiting you will be left behind.

[clisi]

All: I realize that I could be waiting forever and that there will always be something new, but I can't find a unit that has all the features I want (+-R/RW, EPG, VHS-DVD copying with good quality results) that is affordable. Sony's new unit has most of it, but it's in the $900 range. I remember we bought one of the first VHS recorders (Panasonic) for my parents when they came out and we paid $900 for it. Witin a year they price dropped dramatically. I would love to get one of these units, but until the features are right and the price is right, I will have to hold off. I will not wait forever, but I'm frustrated with the manufacturers. And when you write or call, the customer service staff don't even know what how to answer my questions because they're not knowledgable either! It's very frustrating. I will surely visit this site prior to purchase to see what the reviews are for the unit I pick.

[Frobozz]

Okay. You want want one that burns to both - and + media, has an electronic program guide, and has a full-featured built-in VHS deck (that possibly defeats Macrovision for dubbing commercial VHS to DVD?). And you want it to cost maybe $500 or so. The ones you can afford fall so short of this you're happier keeping the money and using your VCR until it breaks.

I'd say you're making the right choice for you. By the time the one you want is available you'll probably be upset that it doesn't do High Def recording or burn dual-layer media. Then there is DivX. Darn, just as the machine of your dreams is available the broadcasters have copy-protected their programs so they can't be copied from hard drive to DVD. Why can't they make these things right in the first place?!

[NightWing]

The current state is 2x better than the last. Built in cooling and better quality chipset while dropping the price.

Been recording with a computer for the last few years and was shocked at what these box's can and do do.

I can say there wont be a unit that matches 100% of any ones list. It may take two units to do it.

If you are skiddish you may want to look at the selection at Target, Wallmart, Sam's or Costco. Each has a return policy.

I have a friend that got one of the cyberhomes 1500 nightmars. He just got a Liton 5005 and could not beleve the improvement of operation and functions.

Any item that has a short generation cycle like these units will have next generation modles cheeper with more functions. I bought a 2mb Olympus 2020 a few years ago for around 600. For 600 today can get something 4 to 8 times better. But the 2020 still fills the need I have for it. Sam with a mp3 player. Payed 200 but today can get over 2x. But it fits the need. Neither are 100% but fit the task as hand.

Good luck on your hunt!

[broadway]

I'm glad I jumped on and bought a dvd recorder. Have no regrets even with the JVC's "LOADING" problem which [knock wood] seems to have abated.

Recording from regular cable to DVD is just great. Much better picture quality compared to my VCR.

And I love being able to transfer from my Panasonic minidv camcorder directly to DVD-RW on my dvd recorder.

[lordsmurf]

You will probably NEVER .. repeat NEVER ... find a combo unit with both a GOOD VCR and GOOD DVD recorder TOGETHER. Just won't happen.

[samijubal]

Once you have used one you'll scrap that VCR and never look back, period.

[zleepy]

My main concern for clisi is her need for a decent VCR.

Get one NOW as only the very cheap VCR's are going to be
made from now on. My local news says it's dead and no major
stores will carry them in 2005 in usa.

I read the post in another fourm here, about a store in UK that
announced it will no longer sell VCR's.

[lordsmurf]

My main concern for clisi is her need for a decent VCR.

Get one NOW as only the very cheap VCR's are going to be
made from now on. My local news says it's dead and no major
stores will carry them in 2005 in usa.

I read the post in another fourm here, about a store in UK that
announced it will no longer sell VCR's.

Good VCRs were never sold in stores anyway. They've ALWAYS been bought from mail-order (now net-order), and will remain as such for many years to come.

[clisi]

Thanks, zleepy. Truthfully, I have 3 VCR's in my home, but my need is for a DVD recorder that will transfer my existing VHS home-videos to DVD with good quality. I can't seem to get any answers on that issue, even from manufacturers. They don't even know their own products.

[samijubal]

The tapes will look considerably better on DVD. I've used 2 Panasonics and the JVC, as long as you buy a decent recorder you'll be surprised at how much better the videotape stuff will look on DVD.

[Frobozz]

Truthfully, I have 3 VCR's in my home, but my need is for a DVD recorder that will transfer my existing VHS home-videos to DVD with good quality. I can't seem to get any answers on that issue, even from manufacturers.

What question won't they answer? Get a DVD recorder with a hard drive and dub your tapes to it in real time. Edit and burn to DVD. The Pioneer units allow for some picture-quality adjustments before you record and I suppose some other brands do this as well. I'd forgo the units with built-in VCR because those are sold to people wanting lower-end units. The manufacturers presume the higher-end customers will have their own higher-end VCRs, so the better-quality DVD recorders do not have a built-in VCR.

[edDV]

Get the minimal that will work for you now. Assume you will junk it in a year for a better one that is far cheaper.

[zleepy]

clisi

VHS home-videos to DVD with good quality.

VHS has 1/4 the sharpness (pixel per sq. inch) than a DVD_VR recorded in 2 hour mode.
So most name brand recorder would be more than adequate for VHS to DVD.

VHS images get fuzzier every time it is played. Passing of time does the same.
So a good 4hr mode (LP) recorder would be perfect for home made VHS to DVD.

lordsmurf has tested major recorders in this mode and has found JVC DR-M10
to be the best at LP.

FWIW
I have many copy protected VHS and not having a TBC, I was forced to buy
LiteOn 5001 as a 2nd recorder.

[vcdforme]

Life is short, g'ahead down to your costco and buy a nice
little Lite-on 5005 for $149.
If you hate it (I don't), Costco has the best return policy.

Don't wait for those corporate &#&$^# to give you what you want,
they won't, jump in and get your feet wet. It's fun handing a DVD
to a friend.

[drumdad]

Clisi,

I'm in the same boat as you. This is way more confusing than I ever anticipated. These units are like night and day compared to one another. Then there are the "bug" issues. I may go to Wal-Mart and at least look at the Liteon HD. I appreciate the vast amount of knowledge the posters share.

Doug

[NightWing]

Actualy the new units are ok. Most are being based off of the new LSI single chip recording. And are working more like a VCR.

PS: Wallmart is going into heavy sale mode tomorrow.

[edDV]

Actualy the new units are ok. Most are being based off of the new LSI single chip recording. And are working more like a VCR.

PS: Wallmart is going into heavy sale mode tomorrow.

I noticed that Wal-Mart has more versions of these units than any other store but they aren't being effectively marketed there. I suppose people are being trained.

[tipstir]

I've own a couple VCRs since 1982 and only have 3 in use today. I too was like you when deciding on what to go with Home DVD Recorder or buy DVD Recorder for the PC. So that's what I did I got one for the PC I had built, of cost I needed to buy a DVD-ROM also so you can dub from one to the other. Now that's okay but what about recording from CATV or from a VCR?

Next Video Capture card comes into play for the PC. These have TV tuners and allow you to capture audio and video in stereo or mono depends on what you buy. I did get a Stereo dbx one from Pinnacle and it hasn't been easy to get a decent picture under viewing and recording. The problem was Pinnacle WDM audio and video capture drivers and their TV/VCR software. Replace that with Third-party WDM drivers and DVR software Intervideo Win DVD Recorder Platinum 5 which allows you do AC3, Stereo audio and CATV, ANT, Standard Video, and Super-Video recording to the HDD or PC DVD/CD Recorder. The program uses the free EPG (electronic program guide service on the internet called Titan TV) works very nicely.

Connecting the PC to your VCR is very easy and using the Win DVD Recorder to save the video to MPEG1 or MPEG2 file DVD 720x480 is very simple. Or you can let the program burn a DVDR or DVDRW instead of recording to the HDD. Now this is just one in many ways to do DVD Recording.

But there will be times you just don’t want to burn DVDs and might want to just record and watch the stuff you made on your PCTV and play them on say your large screen living room TV. To do that you need a Media network device, if you already getting Cable or DSL in your house then you can add a switch, hub or router and have a small network running in the house to stream audio and video to different parts of the house.
This process works very well, it’s like using a DVD player except you can take any PC in the house and send movies, pictures, music, and web radio to 12 different TVs, right now I only have two TVs using theses small devices called Hauppauge Media MVP.

Finally I decided to purchase the Sam’s Club version of Liteon LVW-5101 DVD Recorder to replace one aging VCR. Home DVD Recorder so far has given me two problems one with the Tuner interference and turning itself off completely where you have to unplug it to get it back on. I had fixed the Tuner problem with wavy lines (replacing R59 to R6 Quad 2.3GHz coax cable and changed splitters to 2.5GHz) and updated the firmware and did a complete factory reset twice on it. So far it working like it should. Picture quality at SP 2 hrs is excellent!

At LP 4 hrs as good as recording off the PCTV at SP 2 hr mode and the unit has so much inputs and outputs which I like, you never know what you need later on down the road I say!

My next move it to take the aging VCR Hi-Fi Stereo and connect it to the Liteon to dub 20 years plus of music videos and other stuff I have collected and transfer them to DVD+R before I loose the aging VHS media.

Should be fun!