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  1. Member
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    Originally Posted by Brain
    Originally Posted by paulvu2
    I copied some AVI files to an external USB hard drive then pluged it to USB port of the DRA-01601a. The Polaroid only show the directories and ignore all the video files (I already set the display to video). Did that happen to you or my unit is defected.
    Could anybody please help.
    Thanks.
    The unit only reads Mpeg4 and JPG files. The AVI files must be Mpeg4 (XviD, DivX) to be able to play them. I can play them on both an SD card and USB stick as well as copy them to the hdd.
    The unit did not display the FILE NAMES of the movie files with extension .AVI even if these AVI files are DivX or XviD movies. I tried movies with extension .MPG. All of the .MPG file names were displayed regardless the codec of the MPG files (mpeg1, mpeg2 or mpeg4).
    My question is: Is there any way to make the unit display the files with extension .AVI.
    Thanks.
    No One
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  2. I don't think the DRA-01601a handles either Divx/Xvid or .mp4 files (can't see it in file manager). It has limited raw mpg video capabilities (mpeg2 maybe?) and does not seem to recognize SVCD or VCD discs except in file manager. I can't get either format to play. I put in a query at Polaroid support about the playback of various file formats but have not received an answer.
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    The DRA-01601a can play files converted to ntsc-vcd format using the Linux utility ffmpeg.
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  4. It will play a VCD compliant mpeg1 file with .mpg extension but will not play a standard VCD disc where video file is in package with .dat extension (won't see it in file manager).

    https://www.videohelp.com/vcd#struct
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  5. I have problems with the timers.

    I tried to record suvivor season finale. Well it tuned to the wrong channell and didn't record the right show.

    I went into the timer menu and checked, it changed channels on the timer itself.

    I deleted all my timers and recreate 2.

    The crazy thing is, if I create more than one timer, all timers change to that channel.

    I called tech support, they had me reset to factory defaults, (which I already tried) and it had no effect. They offer me a return replace but don't want to risk it being worse off than this one.

    I unplugged the thing overnight hoping it would fix, but no luck. It still has the same timers and memory channels and the clock is even correct!

    Where is it saving all the channels, clock time and timers with no power? On the hard disk or something? It must have a battery to keep the clock running. Should I do the "reformat hard drive" in setup?

    Besides format, maybe there is some secret place in the menus to really reset everything to initial factory state? Or perhaps it has internal jumper pins to short out to reset everything?

    I really want to get it working.
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  6. [[I set my HD Satellite receiver to HD 480i and connected it to the HD Component input of the Polaroid and I'm getting full Widescreen with incredible picture quality from the HD 480i signal. Recording quality to HDD or DVD is freaking incredible.]]

    I appreciate the input offered here by all contributors. VERY helpful in try'n to sort features for a HD recorder.

    Am confused by "Brain's" comment about recording in 480i and "getting ...incredible quality from the HD 480i signal." As I understand video resolution, 480i is NOT HD. 480i is the old Standard analog resolution, and I definitely do not want that on my $1,900 HDTV. 480p is only ENHANCED Definition digital resolution. You do not get HD until you have 720p. I understand that SOME recent DVRs will "up-convert" a commercial DVD signal to "near HDTV" 1080i image quality, but that is upping from 540 lines to simulated 1080i, I believe. Does this POLAROID up the signal from 480i to near 1080i???

    Can somebody clarify?
    ArtChee
    Sarasota FL
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  7. Member tumbar's Avatar
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    ArtChee

    I've had the machine for a couple of weeks...its quirky, takes a while to figure out.

    Not bad for 99 from woot.com which is where I got mine.

    It does not upcovert to 1080.

    regards, Jim
    Jim
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    I should have listened..Polaroid looks like a bad choice. Every DVD I play is the same...the sound drops out every 2 minutes or so for no reason....VERY irritating. Its like a zap of interference of some kind ..doesn't happen when I hook up my $30 player and watch a movie in the same system. Looks like I've got a lemon!!! Also I read where someone else bought theirs and the door was hanging loose...mine was the same. Maybe I got yours???
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    Brain:

    I recently purchased the last remaining Polaroid DVR Recorder: DRA-01601A from the local WallyWorld. While you seem the expert, I'm a dummy on this one. I have a video camera connected to this recorder for church broadcasts. I want to record to the recorder's HDD then copy to DVD. In playing with this recorder before I start using it in the production room, I've encountered a problem. The problem is I can't read the DVD's in my computer or DVD player. I turned off the YESDVD feature as I don't need that (from what I could read from the manual). All I need is to copy to the HDD, then to a DVD. I then take the DVD into a video editing program and edit it for broadcast.
    Not sure what I'm missing in where the DVD's won't play. Seems there needs to be a finalization or something but I don't see it happening anywhere. I use DVD+R media.
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    Got mine at Woot at the end of 2007, and it just died. It was working great, but yesterday I went to use it and nothing, only the fan in the back is running, no display, and none of the buttons work. Unplugged it and back in, then the power led come on for a bit and goes out, leaving just the fan running. Anyone have similar issue?
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    Hello,

    I am new to this forum.

    My remote control is no longer working, does anyone know where I could get one?

    Regards!
    Daniel
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  12. I just bought one of these as a referb. The picture is too dark and show signs of oversharpening. The manual says you can press the "SYSTEM" button on the remote to adjust the colors but there isn't such a button on the remote.

    Does anyone else know how to adjust the colors?
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    If you don't have any luck here you can try this AVS thread. Lots of people seem to be purchasing the 01601A as a refurb from Tigermart recently. I think J&R out of NY also has the Polos as refurbs.
    http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=839036
    If you're using HDMI you might want to see if their is some sort of enhanced setting and try playing with that. With some DVDRs that will lighten the picture a little. Also some TVs seem to be more susceptible to a dark picture than others. I could never get a particular DVDR to look correctly on 2 of my HDTVs no matter how much I played with brightness, contrast and color.
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  14. Thanks jeff,


    I looked up the link but no one is talking about the display. That is a great new thread to monitor though (thanks again). The picture does look better when playing a DVD but I'll never use it for that. For now, here is what I did to improve the picture for recordings:

    1. I reset my device to factory defaults. This seemed to improve the picture slightly.

    2. I changed my connection from HDMI to SVideo. My LG TV has a much better upscaler so the picture was smoother with less noise and less ringing.

    3. I set the TV type on the Polaroid to 16:9 and set my TV to "Zoom1". This eliminated the gray bars on the sides without some of the distortion of the other stretching methods.

    4. I downgraded the recording quality from HQ to the one below. This reduced the ringing effects in the recordings and live TV.

    Over all, the picture is fine now. When watching a recording, I turn up the brightness on the TV a bit. This looks as good or better than my Tivo ever did but not as good as DVD or HDTV
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    Hi -- I got my DRA-01601A the other day at J&R after my beloved Panasonic HDD/DVD recorder conked out. I used that one to record from my cable box, and plugged in an IR blaster to change the cable box's channel for timer recording when I was out. I don't see any input for IR on my new DRA-01601A, so... is there a way to reliably timer-record the right channel from a cable box on this thing? I can't plug the cable directly into the recorder (it's scrambled), and if I can't get the thing to tune to the right channel for a programmed recording then there's no point in me keeping it. Any help would be greatly appreciated -- thanks!
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    IR blasters(like on your Panasonic) are very rare, the Polo does not have one. The only way to record unattended with the Polo is to leave your STB on the channel you want and only record from that channel. A few STBs have a feature where you can program the STB to automatically change channels at a time you preset but that feature isn't normally very well documented and is NOT on the majority of STBs. IMO cable/sat. companies don't want people to easily use a VCR or DVDR. They'd much rather we spend money and rent a DVR for $10+ a month!
    If you could get buy without a HDD(severely limits your time) you could get a new Panasonic EA-18(tunerless, ~$180) which does have a IR blaster. Other than that(and the combo EA-38v) I don't believe anyone else makes a IR blaster DVDR anymore.
    You could look for a used '03-'06 Panasonic w/HDD (and TVGOS) but since it's used you wouldn't know it's life.
    BTW do you know you can send your Panny in for a $130 flat rate repair? The $130 covers shipping back to you and any parts and labor required to fix your Panny. It's really the best thing going, here's a link to a thread talking about the flat rate repair.
    No one really makes anything like your older Panny and fixing it may be your best bet.
    http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14451738#post14451738
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  17. Member Seeker47's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by jjeff View Post
    A few STBs have a feature where you can program the STB to automatically change channels at a time you preset but that feature isn't normally very well documented and is NOT on the majority of STBs. IMO cable/sat. companies don't want people to easily use a VCR or DVDR. They'd much rather we spend money and rent a DVR for $10+ a month!
    I always thought it was considerably more than a few. (But maybe past is the operative tense.) I made heavy use of that feature on Motorola cable boxes from Time Warner for several years. It was not a feature they mentioned much, it was buried in the skimpy manual for the box. I had to insist on the critical importance of it to me, if I was going to remain a customer, and this yielded some extra, separately printed instructions that actually made it usable. I don't know what their current status is, but there have been reports here to the effect that the TW hardware and software is now much worse than it was. However I can also tell you that the DirecTV (non-DVR) boxes I've seen also can be programmed ahead to change channels, allowing a standalone recorder to do its thing, and I'm pretty confident that DISH is the same way.
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    Yes I think the Dish/Direct boxes are more apt to have that feature than cable companies. I really believe cable cos want people to rent DVRs as a source of revenue. From what I've read basically none of the free DTA(free digital tuner boxes given to people that used to have analog cable) have event timers. They also only have RF outputs, for the worst possible PQ, for those who want to record it oh and even though the boxes are digital, forget about 16:9 WS, their 4:3 output only.
    I think the timer option, while it used to be more common, is slowly disappearing.
    The OP could try and request a box with a timer feature, if available. Hopefully they'll get a hold of someone who actually knows what that feature is
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    dup
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  20. I have had dish for a number of years
    In the days of VCRs I could program [Flag] A specific Program on any Chanel to start at a specific time regardless of what was on the satellite box .
    When started it sent out a IR signal TO my VCR that was set up and would statr it if the unit used was on the dish setup list A Panasonic was.
    The Recording Was Done
    Direct TV was the same also some but not many cable
    Now comes DVD recording It doesn’t work that way. Many have tried with no luck.
    I can still flag the program I want. It won’t start a DVD recorder but I will set the DVD timer record to about 10 min prior and 15min after the program. than edid it on the HDD [More diffucult with disk only unit]
    Oh a DVR unit supplied by the Service provider would
    If you want to pay the rent for it I don't belive they sell the units
    The satellite and cable companies don’t want you to do this with any equip but there own and much the same for remote control’s for DVD or TV Some remote companies have made claims but failed to produce
    Not learning or units that do [some] functions
    If anyone comes up with an answer Please pot it

    PS
    The so called Blaster on some DVD units Did Not Do the Above
    The dish remote will operate SOME major functions On the TV I use
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  21. Member Seeker47's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by jjeff View Post
    Yes I think the Dish/Direct boxes are more apt to have that feature than cable companies. I really believe cable cos want people to rent DVRs as a source of revenue. From what I've read basically none of the free DTA(free digital tuner boxes given to people that used to have analog cable) have event timers. They also only have RF outputs, for the worst possible PQ, for those who want to record it oh and even though the boxes are digital, forget about 16:9 WS, their 4:3 output only.
    I think the timer option, while it used to be more common, is slowly disappearing.
    The OP could try and request a box with a timer feature, if available. Hopefully they'll get a hold of someone who actually knows what that feature is
    The Motorola boxes I had were digital, and supported every common type of connection, including component as well as composite and SV for legacy gear. Had redundant Aux OUT as well, I think. They had Event Timer functions. I no longer have them, but probably have a record of the model #.

    I've been hearing first-hand reports from others that the TW DVRs in their current boxes suck big boulders. Even some of the field techs they send out are (confidentially) advising customers to ditch them in favor of cablecard + the latest gen. Tivo-HD units. More expensive, but if you want something that actually works . . . .
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  22. jjeff ---wrote

    From what I've read basically none of the free DTA(free digital tuner boxes given to people that used to have analog cable) have event timers. They also only have RF outputs, for the worst possible PQ, for those who want to record it. oh and even though the boxes are digital, forget about 16:9 WS, their 4:3 output only.
    I think the timer option, while it used to be more common, is slowly disappearing.
    The OP could try and request a box with a timer feature, if available. Hopefully they'll get a hold of someone who actually knows what that feature is.
    unquote---------------------------------------------------------

    Might be correct for some cable boxes but not correct for satellite receivers that always were all digital
    I still use satellite receivers that are a good 5 or 6 years old They have both RF output and composite output. Some newer boxes my have additional outputs . They all output what is fed in [16x9--- 4x3--- 2:35] etc. As said they can be flagged or timer record by the day, week, etc. to once only , every week etc.
    That is for older and newer units
    --------------------------------------------------------
     
    Seeker7 wrote

    The Motorola boxes I had were digital, and supported every common type of connection, including component as well as composite and SV for legacy gear. Had redundant Aux OUT as well, I think. They had Event Timer functions. I no longer have them, but probably have a record of the model #.

    I've been hearing first-hand reports from others that the TW DVRs in their current boxes suck big boulders. Even some of the field techs they send out are (confidentially) advising customers to ditch them in favor of cablecard + the latest gen. Tivo-HD units. More expensive, but if you want something that actually works . . .
    unquote------------------------------------------------------


    Very true

    Sorry about the type size
    Last edited by LCSHG; 6th Apr 2010 at 00:09. Reason: wrong type size
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    My very old Panasonic DMR E85H finally died and looking to replace it with newer technology. I am NOT an expert but one feature I like on the Panasonic is HIGH SPEED DUBBING TO DVD. I could copy a 2 hour video to DVD in about 12 or 13 minutes.

    Does anyone know if the Polaroid DRA-01601A has high speed dubbing?

    Thanks....
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    I'm sure it would (I haven't heard of DVDR w/HDD that lacked HS) but coming from a nicer Panasonic the Polo would probably be a big disappointment. I tried one for a day but promptly returned it.
    I'd suggest a international Panasonic ($300-400) available from places like Worldimport.com or B&HPhoto.com or a cheaper more mainstream model would be the Magnavox 2160a or newer MDR513H both available at walmart.com for ~$200. The Panasonic will be region free and similar build quality as your E85H but limited to line input recordings (no US tuner). The Maggies will have a NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner.
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