Polaroid DRM-2001G problems/questions

[chadbjx]

I sort of 'inherited' this from someone who gave up on it after reading the directions. She didn't even try to hook it up. I think I have it all connected properly but he Setup Menu won't display. Previously I had a DVD Player & VCR and the TV, all using Dish Network. I've disconnected everything but Dish Network, the DRM-2001G and TV. The on-screen Setup will not display.

The Dish cable connects to IN on Dish Receiver(of course), OUT from Dish Receiver goes to RF-IN on DRM-2001G, RF-OUT from DRM-2001G connects to TV RF-IN. Satellite TV plays normally, DRM-2001G appears to power on, and the message in the little display window on the DRM-2001G will change, but it will not interact with the TV. I even replaced the batteries in the remote and tried the remote 5-6 feet in front of the unit. The TV is a 27'' Sharp, about 4 years old. I'm probably just making a dumb mistake somewhere. Any suggestions?

Thank you,
Chad

[lordsmurf]

Operationally, the Polaroid is a big piece of garbage. Mine is more dud than not, and I'm now seeing why there was a high return rate on these units. It hates most discs (blank, burned, commercially pressed, whatever), the DVD burner thrashes, the hard drive is noisy (typical of a cheap hard drive), the fan is loud yet pushes little air, ventilation is not good enough for the heat, the remote is dodgy at best, and the menus and options on the unit move at a snail's pace. I've not seen a machine act like this since the earliest of Panasonics, certain older Philips units, and the first Sony.

Image-wise, it's got a good encoding chipset (LSI), and even decent settings (CVBR), but there is a lot of noise in recorded images, even on SP mode. Something not right here, and it may simply be heat. I didn't open it to inspect the chipset and heating precautions.

It locks up A LOT! I've had to unplug it several times per day lately. I've read about this happening to many others, including some reviewers.

Mine's going back to the store as soon as I can remove what I recorded (and that is an adventure itself, given the drawbacks of the recorder).

Good luck!

[chadbjx]

Thank you for the reply, lordsmurf.
That's a major bummer though But since it didn't cost me anything can anyone suggest some DIY tinkering that might get it working? I think I read that someone replaced the bulb in the remote with a much stronger bulb from Radio Shack, but I don't think that's the problem. When I press the Setup button on the remote, the word Setup shows in the unit's display window. Basically, all I want to do is copy some old VHS home movies to DVD before the tapes degrade too badly, copy video from my DV camcorder to the harddrive then to DVD, and basically use the thing like a VCR that can make more permanent copies of stuff I want to save.
Thanks in advance for any advice or input.
Chad

[InXess]

Operationally, the Polaroid is a big piece of garbage.

Looks like you have abandoned Polariod project... are you switching to RCA?

[gshelley61]

Operationally, the Polaroid is a big piece of garbage. Mine is more dud than not, and I'm now seeing why there was a high return rate on these units. It hates most discs (blank, burned, commercially pressed, whatever), the DVD burner thrashes, the hard drive is noisy (typical of a cheap hard drive), the fan is loud yet pushes little air, ventilation is not good enough for the heat, the remote is dodgy at best, and the menus and options on the unit move at a snail's pace. I've not seen a machine act like this since the earliest of Panasonics, certain older Philips units, and the first Sony.

Image-wise, it's got a good encoding chipset (LSI), and even decent settings (CVBR), but there is a lot of noise in recorded images, even on SP mode. Something not right here, and it may simply be heat. I didn't open it to inspect the chipset and heating precautions.

It locks up A LOT! I've had to unplug it several times per day lately. I've read about this happening to many others, including some reviewers.

Mine's going back to the store as soon as I can remove what I recorded (and that is an adventure itself, given the drawbacks of the recorder).

Good luck!

I had a 2001G on hand for a few days a couple of weeks ago... I thought the image quality was pretty crappy despite it being based on the LSI encoder and having component video inputs. No FR mode, and not very easy to use. And it was cheaply constructed.

I'm sticking with my Toshiba RD-XS34 units. I have not found anything that beats them yet.

[lordsmurf]

I'm sticking with my Toshiba RD-XS34 units.

And this really is the best option, and the best advice.

The only reason I did not go this route was because of the fan. For me, it's a safety and cost issue. The fan runs 24/7 using 15W of power. With as much as I travel, I'm not comfortable knowing something is "running hot" all the time (which causes need for the fan), as well as fans being such a leading cause of house fires. I'd hate to burn down my new home because I wanted to watch CSI when I got back home.

If you've got a well-vented location for the unit, the house tends to be occupied more than not, and you can unplug it while away for extended periods, I'd jump all over a Toshiba, hands down, no contest.

Image and build quality is there. It's just that silly fan that would be a concern for some.

Looks like you have abandoned Polariod project... are you switching to RCA?

Possibly. I want to monitor it's behavior for another few weeks before making up my mind (and attempting a 320GB hard drive upgrade).

[davideck]

I'm sticking with my Toshiba RD-XS34 units.

And this really is the best option, and the best advice.

The only reason I did not go this route was because of the fan. For me, it's a safety and cost issue. The fan runs 24/7 using 15W of power. With as much as I travel, I'm not comfortable knowing something is "running hot" all the time (which causes need for the fan), as well as fans being such a leading cause of house fires. I'd hate to burn down my new home because I wanted to watch CSI when I got back home.

If you've got a well-vented location for the unit, the house tends to be occupied more than not, and you can unplug it while away for extended periods, I'd jump all over a Toshiba, hands down, no contest.

Image and build quality is there. It's just that silly fan that would be a concern for some.

You should consider a Toshiba RD-XS52/KX50. No TVGOS. The Fan shuts off in Standby with a power consumption of less than 1 watt. They even have an HDMI output!

[samijubal]

I'm sticking with my Toshiba RD-XS34 units.

And this really is the best option, and the best advice.

The only reason I did not go this route was because of the fan. For me, it's a safety and cost issue. The fan runs 24/7 using 15W of power. With as much as I travel, I'm not comfortable knowing something is "running hot" all the time (which causes need for the fan), as well as fans being such a leading cause of house fires. I'd hate to burn down my new home because I wanted to watch CSI when I got back home.

If you've got a well-vented location for the unit, the house tends to be occupied more than not, and you can unplug it while away for extended periods, I'd jump all over a Toshiba, hands down, no contest.

Image and build quality is there. It's just that silly fan that would be a concern for some.

You should consider a Toshiba RD-XS52/KX50. No TVGOS. The Fan shuts off in Standby with a power consumption of less than 1 watt. They even have an HDMI output!

Add to that 720p and 1080i upconversion, a Seagate HD, and a Matsushita burner. The best DVD recorder ever made.

[lordsmurf]

If I can find one in good condition in the $200-250 total range, I'll pull the trigger. It's just a matter of finding one.

[samijubal]

http://cgi.ebay.com/TOSHIBA-DVD-RECORDER-WITH-HDMI_W0QQitemZ270088215620QQihZ017QQcate...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Toshiba-RD-KX50-DVD-Recorder-HDD-Recorder_W0QQitemZ140083419087QQi...QQcmdZViewItem

There's a few that say for parts for $10. There is one drawback to the KX50, it doesn't do RW, only R and RAM. Not really a big deal on a HD recorder.

[Justin42]

Keep in mind the XS52 is the XS32's big brother, meaning while it shares many of the good aspects of the 32, it also shares the black level issues. Ignoring that, though, I think the 32/52 is a little more solid unit than the 35, since the TVGoS is so pervasive and so bizarrely designed.

I do wish the XS35 would shut the fan down, I'm at work all day and now Lordsmurf has me worried about burning my apartment building down... :/

[masochrist]

CHADBJX--If you haven't yet tried toggling the input button located below the power button, try using the composite video connections between your receiver and the Polaroid. And then from the Polaroid to the TV if it still doesn't work. Once you get to the setup menu you can choose which inputs to use. The Polaroid is a pretty good product despite the bad PR in this thread. I believe most of the locking up problems are caused by impatience. Use the remote within a few feet pointed directly at the machine and if nothing happens wait at least 5 sec. before pushing another button. Sometimes the polaroid is a little slow at doing things.
I hane had no problems at all with mine after learning how things work and having a little patience. Be willing to experiment and keep going back to the manual and eventually things will start making sense. I've found PQ to be excellent. It's is much quieter than my DISH PVR-501. The remote can be fixed. Easy HDD upgrade ability. And you got it FREE!

[lordsmurf]

The Polaroid is a re-badged DVR-3000 recorder:
http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00uCntcBrSAaqyM/DVD-Recorder-DVR3000-.jpg
The boards inside it are marked DVR-3000.


Doesn't the Toshiba RD-KX50 have black level expansion?

[FulciLives]

Most of the older Toshiba models had the "black level bug" which is why they were mostly avoided for so long. I'm not sure exactly when that was fixed exactly i.e., I don't know where the old models ended and the new models (with selectable black level) began.

The Pioneer DVR-640H-s allows for selectable black level on input and output which is nice if you don't like 0.0 IRE BLACK output (which I don't care for myself). I always set the output to 7.5 IRE BLACK. I don't care for the so-called "blacker than black" look of 0.0 IRE BLACK output.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[InXess]

the bug was eliminated when they went from XS32 to XS34 (and higher HDD capacity models respectively).

[chadbjx]

CHADBJX--If you haven't yet tried toggling the input button located below the power button, try using the composite video connections between your receiver and the Polaroid. And then from the Polaroid to the TV if it still doesn't work. Once you get to the setup menu you can choose which inputs to use. The Polaroid is a pretty good product despite the bad PR in this thread. I believe most of the locking up problems are caused by impatience.

I haven't tried the composite connections yet, mainly because my TV doesn't have those connections. I have tried the different input options on the remote just below the power button. The information on the Polaroid's little display does change, but nothing except Dish Network's normal programming shows on the TV.
Thanks,
Chad

[trhouse]

I looked at the boards pretty carefully in the 2001G but found only the power supply board has DVR-3000 labelled on it. Other boards are labelled PVR-1000 including the one with the LSI processor.

Also, the link below to the specs for the DVR-3000 show it is a non-hdd recorder. I do believe many of these recorders are made in the same factory and it would not be a big surprise to see parts from several models being cobbled together to create a new one.

http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/sinotek/product-detailRbCxcorSZJVy/China-DVD-Rec...-DVR3000-.html

In terms of construction, it appeared to have some nice manufacturing touches, but was physically larger than I would have expected from a newer design. The Pioneer 531H is much smaller by comparison.

[next]

I sort of 'inherited' this from someone who gave up on it after reading the directions. She didn't even try to hook it up. I think I have it all connected properly but he Setup Menu won't display. Previously I had a DVD Player & VCR and the TV, all using Dish Network. I've disconnected everything but Dish Network, the DRM-2001G and TV. The on-screen Setup will not display.

The Dish cable connects to IN on Dish Receiver(of course), OUT from Dish Receiver goes to RF-IN on DRM-2001G, RF-OUT from DRM-2001G connects to TV RF-IN. Satellite TV plays normally, DRM-2001G appears to power on, and the message in the little display window on the DRM-2001G will change, but it will not interact with the TV. I even replaced the batteries in the remote and tried the remote 5-6 feet in front of the unit. The TV is a 27'' Sharp, about 4 years old. I'm probably just making a dumb mistake somewhere. Any suggestions?

Thank you,
Chad

It might be set up for progressive scan. There is a PS/IS button on the remote that toggles between interlaced and progressive. The button is lower right hand corner on the remote. Second row up.

[next]

Operationally, the Polaroid is a big piece of garbage. Mine is more dud than not, and I'm now seeing why there was a high return rate on these units. It hates most discs (blank, burned, commercially pressed, whatever), the DVD burner thrashes, the hard drive is noisy (typical of a cheap hard drive), the fan is loud yet pushes little air, ventilation is not good enough for the heat, the remote is dodgy at best, and the menus and options on the unit move at a snail's pace. I've not seen a machine act like this since the earliest of Panasonics, certain older Philips units, and the first Sony.

Image-wise, it's got a good encoding chipset (LSI), and even decent settings (CVBR), but there is a lot of noise in recorded images, even on SP mode. Something not right here, and it may simply be heat. I didn't open it to inspect the chipset and heating precautions.

It locks up A LOT! I've had to unplug it several times per day lately. I've read about this happening to many others, including some reviewers.

Mine's going back to the store as soon as I can remove what I recorded (and that is an adventure itself, given the drawbacks of the recorder).

Good luck!

You got a bad unit - return it. I read an earlier post from you where you were commenting about how the drive was having problems. I was going to post then that you should return it. I've got a couple of the Polaroids and they will burn to anything I throw at them (no Ram or DL though - not part of the specs).

The machine itself isn't dodgy - the remote is. It is painful to use the original remote. I use a universl learning remote and the machine flys. Extremely responsive.

The machine was designed using the LSI development kit. As a result it shares many characteristics of other machines that are based on this design kit. User menu structure for example. Not the greatest but for a lower tier recorder it is not bad at all. I find using it for movie recording to be very easy. Easier than anything else I have. Trim off the front and back end and it's done. Very fast.

I record from an HD source (480i) via component inputs because this is the only way I can record full widescreen 16x9. The Polaroid 2001G is the only DVD recorder sold in North America that has component inputs and a hard drive. There are no others. So I really don't have a choice. But I am running two terabytes of HDD storage becuse it can be so easily upgraded. Things could be worse.

I've called it one of a kind. It is. Literally. But it does have its drawbacks. Like all others.

[samijubal]

Doesn't the Toshiba RD-KX50 have black level expansion?

It does. It can be set on the input/output side both.

[next]

Doesn't the Toshiba RD-KX50 have black level expansion?

It does. It can be set on the input/output side both.

I've got a couple of the RD-KX50's and I agree. I've never really thought of them as having a black level bug. It can be adjusted on both sides.

[chadbjx]

You got a bad unit - return it. I read an earlier post from you where you were commenting about how the drive was having problems. I was going to post then that you should return it. I've got a couple of the Polaroids and they will burn to anything I throw at them (no Ram or DL though - not part of the specs).

The machine itself isn't dodgy - the remote is. It is painful to use the original remote. I use a universal learning remote and the machine flys. Extremely responsive.

The machine was designed using the LSI development kit. As a result it shares many characteristics of other machines that are based on this design kit. User menu structure for example. Not the greatest but for a lower tier recorder it is not bad at all. I find using it for movie recording to be very easy. Easier than anything else I have. Trim off the front and back end and it's done. Very fast.

I record from an HD source (480i) via component inputs because this is the only way I can record full widescreen 16x9. The Polaroid 2001G is the only DVD recorder sold in North America that has component inputs and a hard drive. There are no others. So I really don't have a choice. But I am running two terabytes of HDD storage becuse it can be so easily upgraded. Things could be worse.

I've called it one of a kind. It is. Literally. But it does have its drawbacks. Like all others.

Hi NEXT,
Exactly what Universal Remote are you using, where did you get it, etc? I may give that a try.
Thanks,
Chad

[gshelley61]

Doesn't the Toshiba RD-KX50 have black level expansion?

It does. It can be set on the input/output side both.

I've got a couple of the RD-KX50's and I agree. I've never really thought of them as having a black level bug. It can be adjusted on both sides.

Yes, starting with the D-R4, RD-XS34 and RD-XS54 models, Toshiba included black level settings for both the inputs and outputs on their DVD recorders. This allows proper recording of US/Canada analog NTSC 7.5 IRE black level sources, and the option of either 7.5 IRE or 0 IRE output.

Their earlier models don't have this feature.

[lordsmurf]

I don't think this is a bad unit as much as an average unit with flaws. I jumped on the testing wagon with this one pretty late, and without knowing what fellow reviewers were doing. I'm apparently not alone in finding the build and encoding quality seriously lacking overall.

I have 80 days with this RCA, before it's too late to return it. I'll either decide to keep it, or it will hold me over until I can find a Toshiba I want, at a price I'm willing to pay for it.

I've honestly just considered putting together an ATI AIW HTPC and forgoing this DVD recorder with HDD madness. It's crazy how crappy this HDD stuff is in 2006-2007. Pay more, get less.

Anybody with a Polaroid problem can either replace parts (new burner, new hard drive), or just take it back. I suggest taking it back. I have my Polaroid on the floor, guts-open, while I try to temporarily use another burner. It's a real pest.

I looked at the boards pretty carefully in the 2001G but found only the power supply board has DVR-3000 labelled on it. Other boards are labelled PVR-1000 including the one with the LSI processor.

Mine says PVR-3000 on the mainboard. The power board said DVR-3000.

[trhouse]

Mine says PVR-3000 on the mainboard. The power board said DVR-3000.

Here the numbers from three boards I looked at. Looks like Polaroid has made some changes, maybe not for the better.





Sorry that the unit has been such a disappointment for you.

[Bridge]

Maybe the problem is using the RF input/output of the Polaroid? Aren't just about all recorders using just a pass though with RF connection? If the little window is showing things then things are working. The TV isn't picking it up. If you are using RF out from the Polaroid to the RF in of your TV a change might have to be made there. You might just be getting a cable pass though and that's it.

If that's the case you need to find some way to get the component, s-video or composite output of your Polaroid into your TV. If you don't have these connections then a RF converter is needed I would think.

So, I would think it would be something like this:

Dish out from your Dish box to the Polaroid input using either composite, S-Video or component cables. Don't use RF output from your Dish box to the RF input of the Polaroid.

Second, run either a composite, component or S-Video cable out of the Polaroid into your TVs component, composite or S-Video input. I don't know what your TV has. If all you have is an RF input on your TV then the Polaroid cable that is coming out of it has to go into an RF converter box that has component, composite or S-Video input. Again, don't use an RF cable from the Polaroid to the RF cable input of your TV.

I'm thinking if using the Polaroid RF input/output is just a pass though then you would see the Dish cable on your TV and the little window changes but you shouldn't see anything on your TV.

Maybe I'm reading the post wrong and you tried this already but if not then try this.

[davideck]

Doesn't the Toshiba RD-KX50 have black level expansion?

The KX50 has an Output Black Level selection along with a set of Proc Amp Controls. They do not affect the HDMI output.

On the input side, the KX50 has 4 choices for "Picture Record Mode" plus a Standard (auto) setting. This provides a Video Input Gain selection prior to Record. It affects the overall IRE range.

Input Black Level selection was included on later models.

[Justin42]

Hrrm, if those Picture Modes are the same as the XS32's picture modes, they do NOT correct the IRE setting. If anything, they make it screwier (not linear)-- it's been a few years since I dug into that but it was a joke. The KX50 probably is just an XS52 with some tweaks...

I think it is the 34/54 that's the safe bet if you want input black level settings. (which are explicitly called that)

[davideck]

I cannot speak for the XS32, but I have made test recordings of all the KX50 Picture Record Modes, played them back in a separate DVD player, and compared the analog output on a scope. Mode 1 provides the lowest gain (less than 1). Mode 4 provides the highest gain (greater than 1). The results look linear on the scope.

I agree that the Picture Record Mode is not the same as an Input Black Level control. A Black Level control should provide an offset without appreciably affecting the Gain.

[lordsmurf]

My 2002 Toshiba DVD player has "picture mode" controls too, but those are for playback. I'd be suspicious of anything called "picture mode" on a recorder, especially Toshiba, since that is their player naming convention.

It sounds like the KX50 has adopted the same method as Panasonic. Panasonic has never fixed their IRE error, they just screw around with the overall image quality (usually resulting in luma and chroma problems being added). However I would guess it's not anywhere near as bad as Panasonic, since you never hear about Toshiba visually having these same problems.