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  1. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Here's the link to the Polaroid page for it:

    http://tinyurl.com/26rhfp

    Here's the feature set:

    USB port
    SD Card port
    MPEG 4 support
    160GB built-in hard disc drive (HDD) records up to 204 hours of media
    YesDVD enabled indexing, auto chaptering, organization, and sharing of multi-media content
    Built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner
    Front USB and card reader ports
    Real-time recording using DVD+RW and DVD+R recordable discs
    Record in different quality and length (HQ, SP, LP, EP, SLP)
    Easy one-touch recording with auto index creation
    30-second skip lets you jump over commercials for commercial-free viewing
    10-second replay allows you to go back 10 seconds to replay what you missed
    Easy editing on recorded video content
    Simultaneous DVD playback and record movie on hard disc
    Plays DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW
    Plays music CDs, CD-R/RW
    JPEG image compatible
    Progressive scan video output
    Front panel VFD display

    Ok, I just picked this up at Wal-Nuts. 258 bones. They just got them in. Or at least one, 'cuz that's all they had and I got it. 90 day return policy so if this bloody thing doesn't give me a solid DVD Recordergasm I'll just take it back. I'll be toying with it this weekend. A few new features to notice, it seems to do everything the 2001G did and 'dem 'sum:

    160 gig hdd instead of the previous 80 - 'aight.

    360 minute (6 hour) Live TV Time Buffer - That's cool!

    You can plug in a USB stick or USB external hard drive and Play or Copy Movie files including MPEG 4 onto it's hdd - Cool!

    You can plug in an SD card from your digital camera and Play or Copy JPGs or MPEG 4 videos you took with your cam - Way Cool!

    Use HDMI cable from the unit to your TV - Cool (but no more component input like the 2001G, not a big deal)

    A lot more controls on the unit itself and a much better looking and feeling remote with more controls on it.

    Lights on the front of the unit show if you're in TV, DV, USB, or Record mode.

    It's very quiet.

    I will be posting my impressions (or throwing-up) by the end of this weekend. This bloody thing better work, work good and work forever.

    Btw, they now put a sticker on it that says if sticker breaky (as in taking apart and swapping out the hdd) then no Guarantee. So fracking what?! If I have to take it back past the 90 days I'll lose the receipt and get full Wal-Nuts credit. No biggy.

    First Impression:
    I havn't recorded to DVD yet but all the features seem to work fine including playing JPEGs & MPEG 2 files from a digital SD card or USB stick. It also recognizes and explores folders on the external drives. Quality of TV picture through the unit (using S-Video) is almost flawless except a bit of extra color saturation. I don't remember if my 2001G did this but on an HD Channel it slightly zooms and cuts the sides off a little. Not so on an SD Channel. I can't seem to stop it from doing that and I don't like that. Two big pains in the ass is the remote is even worse in transmitting than the 2001G! Idiots! And the manual tells you less of how the features work than the 2001G manual! Imbeciles! You have to figure out how most of the features work on your own.

    Ok, all of a sudden its playing the HD channels correctly and I didn't do a thing or press any buttons. I then pressed the time buffer and the bloody thing froze up so I had to unplug it. Its seems to be working fine now but I don't think I'm going to put up with much BS from this thing without taking it back pretty quick. I swear to God , there just isn't a such thing as QC anymore with anyone! I don't give a frack what company it is there is no such thing as QC! Period! It doesn't exist. Not on this planet anymore. What the frack? They can put a dude on the Moon to take a stroll but they can't make a DVD-HDD Recorder that fracking works right with any reasonable consistancy? You know what that tells me? We never went to the freaking Moon!
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  2. Member
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    Have you tried to copy a copy protected DVD or show from HBO, Showtime, etc.?

    Never mind, I returned the DRA-01601A. Decided it isn't worth the hassle. So back to searching another DVD recorder w/hard drive and firmware upgradeable that can bypass macrovision.
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    If I remember correctly, the previous Polaroid HDD model sold at WalMart lacked a stereo tuner. Does this model have one? I can't find anything that says one way or another in the specs.
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  4. Member zzyzzx's Avatar
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    I'm waiting for the competing Phillips model to come out. If that's no good then I'll try a unit without a HD, like the Toshiba D-VR650 model or the Panasonic DMR-EZ37K.
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  5. from AVS forum

    "I bought one yeaterday.
    I have a Sony 50" HDTV
    I have 2 Sony DHG-HDD250 DVR's
    I also have the older Polaroid 2001g
    As far as the new DRA-01601A

    It will NOT:
    Display wide screen video in wide screen (it letterboxes almost everything)
    It will NOT:
    Play video from my Sony HDD Camcorder properly from USB. It squeezes it and playback is very, very jerky. Jerk is gone through S video, but it is letterboxed.
    It will NOT:
    Display JPEG images from the SD slot properly. It squeezes these to.
    It will NOT:
    Tune the upper frequencey range of QAM channels. Very, very noisy. It appears to fall off around 650000 Khz. I get fine reception at 165000 Khz on cable and on antenna, I can get to 719000 Khz (Channel 55). BUT on cable, I have several QAM channels at 735000 to 741000 Khz and it cannot get these without dropouts.

    It DOES:
    Play Anamorphic DVD Videos in wide screen.

    It IS:
    Going back........

    Some relevant data:
    I am pretty sure this Polaroid is made by Phillips and I bet the Phillips model won't be any different.
    Do not waste your time calling the help line - it's been disconnected.
    On the 2001G, I could output 'squeezed' video from my DHG-HDD250 in the component video in port, then burn it to DVD RW. Then using IFO edit on my PC, change the flag so it played back in wide screen, and then finnaly burn a DVD on the PC. Then I discovered that the Sony DVD Recorders (RGR-GX330 & RDR_GX550) can record wide screen video through the S video port without editing and even though it is S video, the quality is better than the videos produced by the Polo/ifo edit/PC.

    I am hoping Sony will have a DVD recorder that will record from the digital channels (replacement for GX330 would be nice - replacement for the HDD250 with a DVD recorder drive would be even better!) with full screen (anamorphic) recordings "


    http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=839036&page=4&pp=30
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  6. Member
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    Anymore thoughts on the DRA-01601A or have you returned it?
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  7. Member oldandinthe way's Avatar
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    It would be interesting to know who manufactured this unit and what other badges it wears. Polaroid does not manufacture any electronics.
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  8. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    The last Polaroid was a worthless piece of crap. This one is probably the same way. I would avoid Polaroid DVD products.
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  9. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Ok, I was so fracking pissed I don't even want to even talk about it...

    It went back to the store so I could try the new Philips, although the Philips doesn't have the "Yes Video" feature which is totally cool when you see what is does (automatic menu system with chapters and motion thumbnails). I live in Northern AZ and so far the Philips has not appeared yet. Last week I picked up another Polaroid to give it another fracking try while I'm waiting to try the new Philips and the bloody thing works perfectly! I've been trying most features as much as possible the past 5 days and the thing hasn't froze once! USB and SD card works, timeshift and timeshift recording works, record to hdd perfect, record to DVD great, recognizes every blank I put in, picture quality is as clean as could be, quiet as a mouse. Even the remote, although having to face the unit, works 25 feet away and way better than the previous ones! I don't know. Now I'm really pissed. I'm afraid if I keep this thing it will take a dump 4 months from now or something. I know there is no QC so this thing may be a fluke. As soon as Philips shows up I'm going to pick one up and do a side by side comparison. I'm going to benchflow these frackers. In reality the Polaroid's feature set is sweet, if the bloody thing would just work for a year or two. Hell, at this point I'd take 9 months. From anything. The Polaroid bastages obviously don't give a flying rat about anything they themselves don't make. They just import the crap and throw it all up against the wall and what sticks sticks, what doesn't doesn't and the consumer can just grab their package and squeel. No wonder their warranty is 90 days. They're not stupid. I am. However, from most of the forums I've read it seem that most DVD/HDD Recorders have issues of one kind or another. I guess it depends on what features are important to you. Of course it would be of some relative help if the BLOODY THING WOULD WORK CONSISTENTLY FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE WEEKS!! Anyway, that's my take on it.

    Btw,
    It DOES play AND record in 16x9 as posted on the AVS forum. You have to adjust your Picture mode on the TV itself. For example, when viewing an HD channel (without the Polaroid) in my TV's "Normal" picture mode the picture is 16x9 but it doesn't fill up the screen (black bars). As per the instruction manual with my 37" 16x9 LCD TV as well as the manual with the Polaroid unit you have to adjust the picture mode (Normal, Wide, Panoramic, Partial Zoom, whatever) of the TV software to obtain the full screen 16x9. Also, if you have a Satellite receiver it too has to be in the proper Picture mode. When viewing JPGs (there are 2 buttons on the remote to view actual size or reduced or zoom for JPGs) or from an external video scource the principle is the same. Adjust your TVs picture mode (TV brands software varies) and you will view 16x9 full screen, nothing cut off. I've tried every mode including freezing the picture and comparing the different picture modes while frozen and it does play and record in 16x9.

    On another side note:
    When the new Philips showed up on the Wal-Nuts website I checked the Philips website and no mention of it. I called Philips Customer Service rep and they said there is no such model, nothing showing in their information on computer, paper updates or otherwise and they checked with a manager and they suggested it must be a Wal-Mart mistake. Oh yeah? You fracking idiots! I emailed Philips AND used their pop-up survey and asked them why should I ever buy or expect support from a Philips product when Philips doesn't even know what the hell they have?!! A week later it showed up on their website on the page for HDD Recorders with 2 other models that do not have HDDs. I couldn't help but LMAO.
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  10. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Ok, I picked up the new Philips and I just got through playing with both these recorders the past few days doing a side by side and the Philips is out of here, going back to Wal-Nuts. The Polaroid is definitely staying.

    I noticed when viewing and recording with the new Philips on an HD 16:9 broadcast in my TVs normal mode the image was 4:3 and there were horizontal black bars! I'm like, what? I didn't see that on the new Polaroid! I used the picture modes and it filled the screen ok but it just didn't look as good as the polaroid. I looked through the Philips manual and on page 42 there is this statement in a large "Note" box at the bottom of the page:

    "This unit cannot record images as aspect ratio of 16:9. The 16:9 images will be recorded as 4:3."

    Ok, I'm thinking why would the Philips not record proper 16:9 and the Polaroid will. I must be wrong about the Polaroid. So I hooked the Polaroid back up and I realized that, besides the picture being cleaner, sharper and the colors looking better, the black was blacker. So much so that I didn't see that I was, in fact, looking at a 4:3 image with black bars top and bottom! When using the picture mode it filled the screen perfectly and looked way better than the Philips, natural, sharp and clean. It looks like a natural perfect 16:9 image.

    I will say this. After going back and forth with them the Polaroid pissed all over the Philips. I hate to say this because I hate Polaroid. The bastages have no QC and in fact have probably never tried one out themselves. Nevertheless, after returning the first one this one seems to work quite well. The Philips picture was not nearly as clean and sharp as the Polar on an HD channel and on a SD channel it was a bit crappy. The Philips recording quality was not as good as the Polar but the recording looked better than just viewing the channel through it, which is odd. The Polar has better features. With the Philips you can't see where you're at when going back and forward using timeshifting like on the Polar. A lot of functions on the Philips work without showing you that its doing it. The Polaroid shows you almost everything that you're doing with it on screen. The Philips remote worked better but not by a lot. The Polar's USB and SD card slot seemed to work fine. A couple remote keys will play JPGs at screen size and zoom or reduce size. The Yes DVD feature is way cool. I know we all have different needs and wants in this regard. I don't use the tuner since I have Satellite so my main concern is picture and recording quality and timeshift features. I've had Lite-On, Pioneer, Panasonic, RCA, Polaroid and Philips the past 4 years. And I have to say, feature for feature, picture and recording quality, this Polaroid is the best performing unit for what it does that I've ever had. And its as quite as a mouse! This Polaroid has got to be a fluke! The only question for me now, is, how long is this bloody thing going to work properly. Who knows.
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  11. Member
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    The Polaroid may give a better picture, I don't know, I haven't been able to test both myself, but as far as recording 16x9 videos, neither of them is doing it 100% right. They're both recording in 480i, 720x480 but the Philips is filling that entire resolution with the picture, like an anamorphic DVD. The Polaroid is keeping the aspect ratio within that resolution and leaving black bars top and bottom, like a letterboxed video. For the Philips recording to look right on your TV, the TV would need to be set to full or wide screen (whatever your brand calls it). For the Polaroid to look right the TV would need to be set to zoom so that it cuts off the black bars. Problem is not all widescreen TVs have a zoom so some people would never be able to watch a recording from the Polaroid without black bars and the Philips doesn't set the 16:9 flag so anyone watching on a standard 4:3 TV would get a distorted, full screen, image (stretched vertically).

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  12. Member
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    After playing around with the Philips DVDR3575H a bit more here's what I figured out. Changing the Philips setting for TV Aspect also changes how it records a 16:9 broadcast. Setting to 4:3 LB creates a letterboxed recording. When set to 4:3 PS the recording fills the screen but the sides of the picture are cut off. 16:9 Wide creates an anamorphic wide screen recording but doesn't set the flag for it.

    One of the Walmarts near me had a DRA-01601A in stock so I decided to grab it and test that for myself as well. 4:3 LB and 4:3 PS seem to work the same as on the Philips but on the Polaroid 4:3 LB and 16:9 Wide appear to give exactly the same results, both create a letterboxed recording.

    Beyond that I didn't bother testing much because the Polaroid seemed pretty crappy. Just taking it out of the box it looked and felt much cheaper than the Philips. Turning it on it was much louder than the Philips. On the analog tuner some channels looked good, some looked bad and I think it may have had mono sound again like on the 2001G but on the digital tuner absolutely nothing was watchable. I just have basic cable, no box, and my Olevia 537H TV and the Philips recorder both find about 30 digitals which come in very strong, no problems. The Polaroid recorder found 24 digital channels and they were constantly going in and out, mostly out. It's going right back to the store and I don't think I'll be able to test if I just got a bad one because out of 3 Walmarts within 20 miles this was the only one they had and none of them even have a display model out.
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  13. Member
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    still assesing the unit, had it about 3 weeks.
    found clear plastic protection over the mirror like face, once removed it improved the performance of the remote control greatly. Don't know why they didn't put some kind of marking on it to let you know it was there.
    found the remote to be far from user friendly, the hard drive noisy, and the finalized YES DVDs do not work in some of the older dvd players.
    Wish Panasonic had come out with their units with the ATSC tuner!
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  14. Member
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    This is great info. Just this week I was looking at the Polaroid and was wondering if
    the digital tuner would also do QAM. What I have found about Digital cable is you need
    a lot of signal. I have to add an inline amp for it to work on one of my TVs with QAM tuner.

    So before you give up on the QAM add an amp and see it it makes a difference.

    Is there anything else out there besides the Polaroid I should consider?

    thanks
    KenK
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    I just got mine hooked up, but haven't recorded anything yet. I had no problem watching a widescreen movie in widescreen, but I have considerably worse TV picture on some channels. It's easy enough to set recording, but no fancier than a VCR. I may take it back because of the TV reception, but also because the remote offers no option to toggle between channels easily. How hard can that be?!
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    Will this unit play avi videos using the SD card slot?
    My digital camera has a video mode and I would like to be able to
    play the SD card avi files on this unit as well as other avi videos I transfer to
    the card.

    thanks
    ken
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  17. Member
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    Let me begin by saying that I have been very pleased with the 2001G Polaroid with the 80 GB HD. I wanted to purchase another one but didn't realize that one is gone now and replaced by the 160 HD. Is that right? I read a lot of pros and cons when I bought the first Polaroid but because I'm happy with it I'm willing to try this new one. For the price I think the 2001G is hard to beat. Just one person's opinion.
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  18. I have the DRA-01601A. I got it as a gift. It works fairly well. Never had any problems... so far. Just in case you need all the documentation for it I included my personal file on it.

    http://personafile.com/Polaroid-DVD-Recorder-160GB-Hard-Drive-DRA-01601A-P826219000003...?&i=02769BA788
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  19. Member Brain's Avatar
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    I thought I'd check in with this unit since I've had it for 5 months now. I've recorded dozens of DVDs, movies to hard drive, editing out commercials, Yes DVDs, etc. and so far the quality of the recordings either to DVD or to hdd is sweet! Once you get familiar with the editing feature cutting out commercials or just cutting anything out is easy and fairly accurate. I've been using the timer feature the past few months to record my favorite CNN News Babe (Kiran) and my favorite FOX News babe (Megyn) in the wee hours of the morning and the timer feature hasn't failed yet. This bloody thing has been working quite well with one exception:

    If I try using the "Pause" feature while recording half the time it will freeze and need to be unplugged losing the recording. So, instead of using the "Pause", I don't bother it and use the edit feature after recording. Other than that it has only froze a few times when initiating a recording. Otherwise I've been surprisingly pleased with this Polaroid "piece".

    I don't know why Polaroid 'dissed the component input as was on the 2001G. uBid.com just auction about 70 of the 2001Gs (refurb from Polaroid) starting at 65 bones and I got one for 86 bones, free shipping and 90 day warranty from Polaroid. 7 bones more and I added a 1 year extended warranty. For 86 bones I figured "what the hell?"
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    Brain, USA does not use bones for currency. So how were you able to get it with bones? I really wonder what businesses you are dealing with that will let you use bones for currency.
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    Brain,

    Sounds like you know a lot about the Polaroid DRA-01601A and ended up choosing it over the Philips 3575H. Does the DRA-01601A Polaroid allow copying from an inserted prerecorded DVD to the HDD? I have a lot of home movies (90 or so DVDs) previously recorded on a Lite-On LVW-5101 DVD recorder (without HDD, from Samsclub) that I want to copy from my DVDs to the Polaroid HDD to edit and then copy back to new DVDs. I know it can record to DVD and to HDD from the video sources listed in the manual, but can you insert a home movie DVD or other prerecorded DVD, copy it the the HDD, edit it, and then copy the edited version back to another blank DVD? I have not yet bought the Polaroid, and looked at the Philips (since there are not many choices existing for DVD recorders with HDDs anymore), but could not find a definitive answer to my question in the manual or anywhere else online. All my home movies were recorded onto DVDs using the Lite-On DVD recoder from Samsclub, and it is not working well anymore and won't recognize DVDs that were recorded on it.

    Thanks.




    Originally Posted by Brain
    I thought I'd check in with this unit since I've had it for 5 months now. I've recorded dozens of DVDs, movies to hard drive, editing out commercials, Yes DVDs, etc. and so far the quality of the recordings either to DVD or to hdd is sweet! Once you get familiar with the editing feature cutting out commercials or just cutting anything out is easy and fairly accurate. I've been using the timer feature the past few months to record my favorite CNN News Babe (Kiran) and my favorite FOX News babe (Megyn) in the wee hours of the morning and the timer feature hasn't failed yet. This bloody thing has been working quite well with one exception:

    If I try using the "Pause" feature while recording half the time it will freeze and need to be unplugged losing the recording. So, instead of using the "Pause", I don't bother it and use the edit feature after recording. Other than that it has only froze a few times when initiating a recording. Otherwise I've been surprisingly pleased with this Polaroid "piece".

    I don't know why Polaroid 'dissed the component input as was on the 2001G. uBid.com just auction about 70 of the 2001Gs (refurb from Polaroid) starting at 65 bones and I got one for 86 bones, free shipping and 90 day warranty from Polaroid. 7 bones more and I added a 1 year extended warranty. For 86 bones I figured "what the hell?"
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  22. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by jacobian
    Brain,
    Does the DRA-01601A Polaroid allow copying from an inserted prerecorded DVD to the HDD?
    Yes. The S-Video or Composite "Out" of a DVD Player or VCR to the S-Video or Composite "In" of the Polaroid will record to the HDD for editing or straight to DVD. However, its not designed to record store bought DVDs/VHS with copy protection (never tried it). The Polaroid has built in "Video Soap" software. I copied a friends 25 year old VHS home movie that looked a bit trashy and the Polaroid cleaned it up so the recorded DVD looked way better than the original 25 year old VHS. Pretty cool.

    Btw, I received the 2001G a couple days ago and the bloody thing is working flawlessly so far. 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. Too bad the 2001G I bought and returned 8 months ago didn't work this well as I would have never bought the DRA-01601A. If you can make use of it the Component Input is completely wicked! Best 86 bones I've ever spent. Now I don't even need my 258 bone DRA-01601A.
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  23. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    I found the current Polaroid to be as quirky and crappy as the previous model. I'm using a Philips 3575 and will be keeping it. It does not have any of the problems of previous Philips. The menus are easy, and the editing on this unit is the easiest of any that I've seen in 5 years. It's almost frame-accurate too (not quite perfect, but close, 1 GOP max), unlike so many others that seem to be 2-3 GOP off.

    The picture is exceptionally clean in SP mode. I've had no trouble making 16:9 DVDs, just change the machine into 16:9 mode in the setup menu.

    Brain, this is not quite accurate: "The Polaroid has built in 'Video Soap' software." There is no such "software" to be seen in the Polaroid. At best, it still uses a limited LSI chipset (highly likely). While it does clean video of chroma and some degree of grain, the Polaroid has an issue with luma being a tad too light, and the macroblocking is pretty crunchy on fast scenes, even at SP mode, because it's uses CVBR encoding. It's a lot like the latter-generation LiteOn recorders, being a RW Alliance machine. Philips was like that too, as recent as January 2007. But the 3575 is not displaying any such problems, which surprised me.

    I've not yet tried a VHS tape on the Philips, not have I taken the cover off to examine the mainboard. But there's a good chance it's still using the LSI chipset too. If so, it will also clean up VHS.

    The Magnavox is similar to the Philips, only it has no MPEG-4 playback and only 80GB HDD.
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  24. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by lordsmurf
    Brain, this is not quite accurate: "The Polaroid has built in 'Video Soap' software."
    I know, otherwise it would be in the menu to adjust it and turn it off like in other video editing software I have. I always use the phrase "video soap" for any software or hardware encoding that cleans video up a bit.

    I've learned that the quality of HDD DVD recorders, especially the Chinese made, are consistently inconsistent. I had a Lite-On 3 years ago (non-hdd) that had features that worked well except at fast scenes the rippling and blocking was so bad it was useless. I exchanged it for another Lite-On model and what a difference! 5 months ago I had both the new Philips and the new Polaroid models I got from Wal-Mart. I figured I'd compare them together side by side and return the one I liked less. The Polaroid was just a tad dark and a tad saturated and the Philips was just a tad light. No big deal, but the picture quality and recording quality through S-Video of the Polaroid crapped all over the Philips. So I took the Philips back. But that don't mean dick regarding which brand or model is better. I could have had a bad Philips or just an unusually good Polaroid. I popped them both open and the Polaroid showed the LSI Logic Chip clearly marked. The Philips had no Chip marked as such. A few months before I got them to test I went through 2 Polaroid 2001Gs that were total pieces of crap. This 2001G I just got from uBid is the sweetest recorder I've ever had! I havn't tried the S-Video input but through the Component input there is no fast scene blocking at all and when switching between inputs the picture quality is (for all intents and purposes) identical to Satellite to TV as through the Polaroid to TV (less than a tad bit dark). And absolutely NO horizontal noise lines that sometimes show up on my model 1601. I'm totally blown away with this thing (using the Component input). The recorded DVD quality is the best I've ever seen. I can even point the remote at a 90 degree angle toward the wall and it still works. I noticed the diode looks different than on my other Polaroid remote. I just hope this thing doesn't take a crap on me.
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    Gotcha. Yeah, that probably does explain it to the masses better than anything else would do. "Video Soap" is an ATI MMC plug-in, but as a general term, it does sound good. Firmware in chips also tends to confuse the crap out of people.

    "I just hope this thing doesn't take a crap on me." Sadly, it's very likely on Polaroid products of the present. Good luck! That's why I can't in good faith recommend them to others.
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  26. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Yeah I've been using ATI MMC (TV tuner cards) for several years. If bloody Polaroid isn't going to give any real support for their crap it would be nice if the company (whoever they are) that actually makes these would, as in firmware updates and the like.
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    Brain,

    Thanks for the help. What I was asking you was this. Can you record from a prerecorded home-movie DVD (not something copyrighted) inserted into the Polaroid DRA-0160A and copy that to the HDD drive. The earlier Philips would not let you do this. You could only copy to the DVD or HDD from an outside source, as you describe, like an external VCR or external DVD. I realize that you can copy from an outside source like an external DVD player or VCR to either the DVD recorder or the HDD. I realize that you can copy from the HDD to the DVD in the Polaroid, but what I would like to know is if you can copy a home-movie DVD inserted into the Polaroid to the HDD. In other words does it allow you to copy both ways -- from the inserted DVD to the HDD. The earlier Philips would not let you copy a home recorded DVD (not copyrighted stuff, just home movies, pictures, or whatever). What I want to do is be able to insert a home-movie DVD into the Polaroid and record what's on that DVD to the HDD drive, then edit it on the HDD, then take out the home-movie DVD, put a blank DVD into the Polaroid, and copy the edited version from the HDD onto the blank DVD.

    Thanks.

    Jacobian
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  28. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by jacobian
    Brain,

    Thanks for the help. What I was asking you was this. Can you record from a prerecorded home-movie DVD (not something copyrighted) inserted into the Polaroid DRA-0160A and copy that to the HDD drive.
    Sorry, I even quoted your question and it still didn't register in my "Brain".

    Yes, you can copy DVD video in the unit direct to the hdd and then do editing. You can also copy from the USB or SD card slot to hdd. Both the old and new units have way cool function features. Its just too bad its a hit and miss whether you find one that actually functions properly.
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    Brain,

    Thanks for the info. You are correct when you use the phrase "hit or miss". I just ordered the DRA-01601A from Walmart.com and paid for overnight shipping ($24.97) and it took 4 days to get it. And when I opened the box up, which looked like it had been beat up, the unit was damaged. The door to the DVD tray was hanging off crooked by one hinge and the springs were broken or disconnected. The front of the unit had scratches all over it. It looked like someone had taken it back in that condition and Walmart repackaged it to send the trouble onto someone else. After ranting to Walmart.com customer service about the obviously pre-shipment damage and them shipping a knowingly damaged unit, Walmart.com quickly and graciously agreed to refund my overnight shipping charge of $24.97 (after me noting how much I have spent over the years at Walmart and how this could all come to a screeching halt). I am returning the unit to the store and will try once more with free site to store shipping and see if I can get a good fluke like the one you got. This happened when I got my first Lite-On DVD recorder (no HDD) at Samsclub a few years ago. The first one did not work. I exchanged it for another one and it worked fairly well for a couple years (100+ DVDs recorded), but now it's at best just a DVD player. I just cannot figure out why more people don't want DVD recorders with HDDs anymore and why there's no selection anymore.

    Jacobian
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  30. Member Brain's Avatar
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    Bastages! I'm a marketing rep for Sam's Club and company policy for both Sam's and Wal-Nuts is whenever an electronics product like that is returned because of customer complaint of defect its supposed to be sent back to Manufacturer/Distributer with note of customer's complaint which requires paperwork and faxing. The problem is some lazy dog in the claims dept. will sometimes skip it and just throw it back on the shelf - so they can go home early or some other lazy ass reason.

    Here's a trick: If you purchase with credit, just buy 2 or 3 and you'll have a better chance of getting a good one and use Wal-Nuts liberal return policy and return the other one or two. Hey, what the hell? I do that all the time. Sometimes I'll buy 2 or 3 of different brands or models to do side by side comparisons and keep the one I like the best. Then I just rebox the others like they havn't been hardly touched and return. If any are defects I let them know otherwise I tell them I just didn't like it, but its in perfect order. Its too bad Sam's doesn't carry the same models as Walmart.com because Sam's return policy on electronics (Computers, TVs, DVD Players, etc.) is 6 months.
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