Polaroid DRM-2001G problems/questions

[lordsmurf]

I tried to replace the Polaroid DVD burner with my Pioneer 109. It still will not work. This DVD recorder is a giant piece of dog shit. This unit has so many functional/hardware flaws it's not even funny.

[trhouse]

I know you are running tests on the RCA as well. I just tested a neighbor's 8030N and posted the results to the sticky you set up.

Does your unit show both an IRE error and color shift? This one produces images that tend towards yellow and the recorded image is lighter than the original per the THX black level test. I tried IRE = 0 and 7.5 from the source and neither matched the original.

[chadbjx]

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.

Thank you, Bridge. I took your advice and searched through my stash of cables & wires & actually found a couple extra sets of Composite cables and an old Radio Shack RF Modulator with Composite inputs and RF-In & Out --This works because my TV only has an RF-Input. I hooked every thing up ...
RF-In from the Dish is still to the Dish Receiver-In, Composite Video-Out from the Dish Receiver to the Composite Video-In on the Polaroid. Composite Video-Out from the Polaroid goes to the Composite Video-In on the RF-Modulator, then RF-Out from the Modulator goes to the TV.
... and I got the Polaroid 'Welcome' screen, and finally got into the setup. Next problem, the channel scan does not pick up any channels. After having read what some people in the Video Help Forum have said about other units not finding channels, or not finding all the channels, I ran the scan several times and it never found any channels.

Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Chad

[lacywest]

I tried to replace the Polaroid DVD burner with my Pioneer 109. It still will not work. This DVD recorder is a giant piece of dog shit. This unit has so many functional/hardware flaws it's not even funny.

What about putting the Polaroid DVD burner in a USB external enclosure and let our computers find out what it is actually ... or mount it directly to a computer and let DVDinfo ... find out what it is ... and then from there ... do some research.

[next]

I tried to replace the Polaroid DVD burner with my Pioneer 109. It still will not work. This DVD recorder is a giant piece of dog shit. This unit has so many functional/hardware flaws it's not even funny.

What about putting the Polaroid DVD burner in a USB external enclosure and let our computers find out what it is actually ... or mount it directly to a computer and let DVDinfo ... find out what it is ... and then from there ... do some research.

Best advice is to stick to LiteOn. The Sony I use is a LiteOn rebadge. I've posted in the past that a Pioneer won't work (another forum). The LG that I use with Toshiba also works but I can't remember the model number at the moment.

[next]

LordSmurf - here's the Toshiba RD-KX50 for $179.99. No guide = no fan running. Factory renewed by Toshiba with a warranty which is better than used off of ebay any day. Here's the link:

zzzhttp://wegotbetterdeals.com/products.asp?cat=68

3-year extended warranty $14.99
5-year extented warranty $21.99

Not a bad deal. One of the best recorders going for the price of a lower tier recorder.

This is not a spam post but it may get deleted. Take the "zzz" out of the link.

[lordsmurf]

Well, I could try an older NEC, a BTC, and I could maybe swipe the LiteOn burner from a LiteOn recorder. It figures that after I shed myself of excess hardware I need one back.

My only worry is screwing up the LiteOn drive.

[next]

I did test a BTC and it worked. It was older too. Something like 2002.

[lordsmurf]

I did test a BTC and it worked. It was older too. Something like 2002.

It's probably a BTC 1004IM from 2003, their first drive. I have two of those still, great readers, okay burners, I'll try that tonight. Thanks for the tip.

[Bridge]

The reason you are most likely not getting any stations is the hookup. In order to get the Polaroid to find standard cable channels or over the air channels you have to run an RF cable from your main cable (not the cable box) into the Polaroid RF input or rabbit ears into the Polaroid RF for over the air broadcasts. Then you choose cable or antenna and it scans. The reason you are not getting any stations is because you do not have anything going into the Polaroid RF input for it to see in order to scan channels. The way it is set up now is that it sees your Dish TV box, stataions and guide channels. Everything your Dish box sees it sends the same picture to your Polaroid. I don't have Dish network so I'm not sure if it works like cable or if it has a TV line up that you can look at.

I have cable and I'm using the Polaroid to see standard cable TV. Then I have some extra cable going into the other inputs so that the Polaroid sees the digital cable and the digital cable box.

If you had cable and wanted the channels this is how I have it hooked up but with Dish I'm not sure if this would work.

1) Cable line from the wall into the Polaroid RF input via a splitter. This way it sees basic cable and scans for channels.

Seeing how you only have RF input on the TV maybe try this as an experiment. If it works then you might need to get a splitter like I did but for this experiment you don't need a splitter. You can just unplug the Dish main line that is going into your Dish box and plug it into the Poloroid's RF input. For me, after my cable comes out of the wall I split the signal. One part goes into the digital cable box and the other end goes into the Polaroid RF input.

So, I would try this:

1) Unplug the main Dish cable going into your Dish box and plug it into the Polaroid RF input.

2) The most important. Keep all the rest of the things you just did the same. Composite out of the Polaroid into the RF converter box and then into your RF input of your TV. You need that setup so that your TV will see the signal that is coming out of your Polaroid.

3) Go to the setup screen and tell it to scan for cable channels. You will either see it scan and bring in all kinds of channels or nothing will happen.


This hookup is just an experiment to see if the Polaroid RF input can see your Dish main input and start scanning channels. It might, it might not because it's not cable TV. If it does see the channels and works then you can either keep that setup or not. Like I said I run my main cable line into a splitter. One part goes to the digital cable box and the other part goes into the Polorid RF input. It's important that no Dish box is going into the the Polaroid because if it is then all it will see is the Dish box.


The main thing is this. If you can put your Dish main cable into a VCR and the VCR can start scanning for channels then the Polaroid can do the same thing to. If you have a VCR at home and you hook up your main Dish line into that VCR and the only channel it sees is channel 3 or 4 (which ever one you have set up on your VCR) and all the other channels get a blue screen then the VCR does not understand all the channels being sent to the VCR. It only sees channel 3. The Polaroid works the same way. Basic channels have say 70 channels where you don't need a cable box. Anything more it needs a cable box to be seen. The Polaroid sees only those channels that does not need a cable box. Your Dish box might be the only thing that understands the signal being sent from your main wire into that box. If you hook it up to any other RF connecter it might only see one channel. If that's the case you have to use it the way it is now. You can't scan for other channels. The only way to get other channels in that case I would think would be to plug in some rabbit ears into the RF connector of the Polaroid and get over the air broadcasts.

Your problem is two fold. One is that you couldn't see the signal coming out of the Polaroid because you only have RF input and the Polaorid needs an RF converter box for your TV to see it.

Now, the problem is that in order to get the Polaroid to see basic channels and scan for them it has to get a signal from your Dish wire into the Polaorid RF input. Once you do that it will either see a bunch of channels and scan for them or it will only see one channel and not scan for the rest.

Personally, I'm thinking that it will not see your channels. Like I said after a so many channels cable goes beyond simple RF input and you need a cable box to see the rest. I think your Dish will need that box to see ALL the channels. I think it will work like a digital cable box if you have cable. So, personally, I think if you had cable TV you could get other basic channels but since you are using Dish will will not get any channels and the Polaroid will see only one channel but no others. Try the experiment and see if it works.

[gshelley61]

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.

So, just like the XS32 and XS52, the KX50 is fixed to expect 0 IRE sources on the input side (with no setting for 7.5 IRE sources)... right? That's a little disappointing, but not surprising since they are all from the same model year. Toshiba added the recording input black level settings the following year... "Standard" for 7.5 IRE sources, "Expanded" for 0 IRE sources.

The Picture Mode settings on the input side are still present in the newer models, too. These seem to shift the whole video scale up or down a bit to compensate for source variations. Mode 4 boosts the luma and black level the most, while Mode 1 reduces the luma and black level. These appear to be linear shifts rather than gamma curve adjustments. I use Mode 3 or Mode 4 when I have a source that is a little too dim or dark.

Toshiba uses the same two terms for the analog video output black level settings on all these DVD recorders, too. "Standard" for 7.5 IRE black level setup added for US/Canada NTSC standard output, "Expanded" for 0 IRE output black level (no setup added) to take advantage of DVD's enhanced video dynamic range.

[davideck]

So, just like the XS32 and XS52, the KX50 is fixed to expect 0 IRE sources on the input side (with no setting for 7.5 IRE sources)... right?

7.5 IRE sources end up with a 15 IRE setup when recorded to DVD and played on another player. The Toshiba itself will maintain a 7.5 IRE setup when playing back its own recordings (HDD and DVD) and when used as a passthrough device.

[lordsmurf]

I did test a BTC and it worked. It was older too. Something like 2002.

It's probably a BTC 1004IM from 2003, their first drive. I have two of those still, great readers, okay burners, I'll try that tonight. Thanks for the tip.

This worked, by the way.

BTC 1004IM drive swaps for the crappy stock Polaroid drive.

But I'm still not keeping it. It's an obnoxious machine.

[majel]

I have the Polaroid 2001G and I really like it. I agree the manual is bad. This is the first recorder I purchased and it does a good job for me. Every DVD I've played has been fine and I burn on everything +R, -R, +RW. All good.

[grantsoo]

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

I would not give up on this unit easily. I started out (last August) very frustrated with the remote and the poor documentation, but I just bought my second one yesterday because I'm so impressed with it.
If you have a few hours, you can find out just about anything you want to know about it at:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=675487&page=58&pp=30
Start at page 1 and enjoy.
I did get a Sony VL-600 universal remote to use with it.

[lordsmurf]

Got my refund from Walmart. Very thankful to wash my hands of this machine. Had enough of that.

Still undecided on the RCA vs the Toshiba.