Philips 3575/3576 and Magnavox H2160 Features, Setup and Operation

[handyguy]

Why buy a recorder from a company that isn't going to make recorders anymore after 2009?

Cheapest I saw it was circuit city, $244 - $40 coupon =$204 new. Coupons can be bought on Ebay or download & print.

[TBoneit]

handyguy, why should that make a difference? If it had said that the company was going ten toes up, then that would makes a difference.

Why buy? Because there are very few hard drive equipped recorders for sale here in B&M stores, Narrow the field with ATSC & QAM needed and it becomes the choice. I've recorded a few things off of the QAM locals now and they look better than the analog recordings.

Is the interface as polished as a Pioneer 531h which I also have? simple answer is no. The longer answer is maybe, The Philips uses different names for some of the functions which is makeing me read the manual.

With the Pioneer when the TVGOS is working setting a timer is easier. Setting a manual timer on the Philips is easier.

[DVWannaB]

glad I just read you last post wax. I was still considering this unit, but now that I know it cannot tune Dish or DirecTV, that just gives me one more reason not to get it. This is tough because I am trying to find reasons why I should get it My hobby in life is collecting DVD Recorders w/HDD

JVC DR-MH30
Pioneer DVR-520
Sony RDR-HX715
Toshiba RD-XS52, 54 & 55
Toshiba DR-4

sold on ebay:
Toshiba RD-XS32 & DR-5

Glad I could help, but I don't understand why you're collecting those OTHER units that also can't tune a satellite signal?

Pretty much because those units were bought for different reasons and for different functionality. Right now I dont see where the Philips gives me an upgrade over what I already have. That plus I have a a few QAM + OTA tuners I picked from ebay over the last couple years that can give me what the Philips would.

[samijubal]

There never has and never will be a recorder that will directly receive satellite channels, unless a satellite company decides to build one into their receiver, which is highly unlikely. The satellite receiver is needed to power the LNB and receive/decode the incoming signal. Even if a recorder were capable of receiving the incoming signal, it would have to send power to the LNB.

[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

wabjxo, What's the difference between the 3575 & 3576? Best place to buy?

Thanks!

[wabjxo]

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[tac7]

... lowest price, easy return and 2- and 3-yr ext. warranties reasonably priced.

wabjxo - are you aware of any known issues (other than the 3575's flaky tuner) with the 3575/3576 that people have experienced?
I'm still undecided of whether to go for the extended 4-year warranty, or just rely on the extra 1-year warranty provided through VISA. That extra year VISA warranty is paying for my Pio 640 right now which in the shop for repair, so it came really handy.

[handyguy]

wabjxo, What's the difference between the 3575 & 3576? Best place to buy?

Thanks!

I noticed their outlet store has a 3575 for $199, free shipping, refurb.

[wabjxo]

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[davideck]

Thanks for the link, wabjxo. Do you suspect that the the 3576 has the same tuner issue as the 3575?

Update May 2, 2008: One person who has a 3575 that drops digital tuning in his analog cable feed got a new 3576, and it has the same problem. Like me, he can get digital tuning back by toggling the DTV/TV button. A couple of other analog cable users have new 3576's and report no loss of digital tuning, even tho they've tried my "stress test."

[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

wabjxo, What's the difference between the 3575 & 3576? Best place to buy?

Thanks!

I noticed their outlet store has a 3575 for $199, free shipping, refurb.

Thanks, buddy, I already ordered a new one this morning!

Thanks for all of your time and effort on this machine, wabjxo. I archive Television Musical Peformances (Late Night) and concerts such as Austin City Limits, Soundstage, etc. from TV.

Is the time of an HDD recorder really coming to an end?

[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

To be honest, I'm thinking about ordering another. What do those tea leaves tell you about the future of DVD recorders WITHOUT a hard drive?

[orsetto]

According to recent industry trade rags and reports, yes, DVD/HDD recorders are lurching toward their final exit and non-HDD DVD recorders may be headed out the door right behind them. For a number of inter-related market and economy reasons, mfrs cannot support products that don't sell in large numbers anymore, they lose too much $ just by shipping them to USA or Canada where they sit in stores and rot waiting in vain for interested buyers. Because of the dollar/euro drama, and Europeans overall willingness to pay higher prices, the machines will remain available in Europe and of course Asia, but the clock is definitely ticking in North America. Before long DVD recording will be strictly a PC-based activity: standalone recorders are going bye-bye, folks, so if you want one, don't wait.

The DVD recorder has been one of the most spectacular consumer product failures ever marketed in North America, "the island of misfit toys" is overloaded with the returns. Apparently a dvd recorder is about as welcome in the American home as a Hummer at a Prius Owners Rally. Much as I hate to admit it, recording and collecting hard copies of TV broadcasts is now a totally passe hobby. We who post here are a dying breed .

[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

I still have VHS tapes I recorded since 1979! No more recording? Remember how cool everybody thought it was that you could actually archive your favorite programming?

We ARE truly a dying breed!

[DVWannaB]

wab,

Has there been any verification of whether or not the 3576 can connect to Dish Network HD receiver via RG6 coax and not have black borders on top and bottom? I know this is not a problem with DirecTV HR20 HD receiver, as it sends true widescreen via s-video. But Dish sends black borders via s-video. If it does, I think I will get one to replace by Sony which cannot connect to Dish via coax RG6. Thanks.

[wabjxo]

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[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

Should I purchase - or + RW media and which manufacturer do you recommend?

[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

Thanks for the reply, wabjxo. I usually purchase TY media, but could only find Verbatim RWs. Does any other merchant carry TY RWs?

[TBoneit]

wab,

Has there been any verification of whether or not the 3576 can connect to Dish Network HD receiver via RG6 coax and not have black borders on top and bottom? I know this is not a problem with DirecTV HR20 HD receiver, as it sends true widescreen via s-video. But Dish sends black borders via s-video. If it does, I think I will get one to replace by Sony which cannot connect to Dish via coax RG6. Thanks.

On the VIP series of DVR. VIP622, VIP722, VIP612, I connect my VIP622 to a Pioneer DVD recorder via S-Video. I can record WS HDTV as normal which makes everybody look tall and skinny through the DVD recorder however Normal via HDMI or Component unless I hit Zoom on the TV. Or I can hit zoom on the DVR's remote and have it record properly. Option 1 when played on a Philips 5990 upscaled looks good and on a 4:3 SDTV it plays as a 1:1 image.

I haven't tried it with the 3576 yet although I do have one as I bought it to record off of basic cable locals HD channels via the QAM tuner.

[wabjxo]

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[wabjxo]

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[Captain Satellite]

Thanks for the reply, wabjxo. I usually purchase TY media, but could only find Verbatim RWs. Does any other merchant carry TY RWs?

I don't think anyone carries any type of TY... sold only online for some reason.

By the way, if you can ever find 4X TY, I'd check them out... there are many people bemoaning the lack of 4X around, and they claim they got their best burns with those. The 3575/76 would LOVE 4X -R or +R cuz it dubs faster when I use 2-4X RWs vs 16X -R or +R!

I always purchase my media online from rima. I didn't see any TY RWs, did you?

[wabjxo]

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[DVWannaB]

On the VIP series of DVR. VIP622, VIP722, VIP612, I connect my VIP622 to a Pioneer DVD recorder via S-Video. I can record WS HDTV as normal which makes everybody look tall and skinny through the DVD recorder however Normal via HDMI or Component unless I hit Zoom on the TV. Or I can hit zoom on the DVR's remote and have it record properly. Option 1 when played on a Philips 5990 upscaled looks good and on a 4:3 SDTV it plays as a 1:1 image.

I haven't tried it with the 3576 yet although I do have one as I bought it to record off of basic cable locals HD channels via the QAM tuner.

Please let me know how your VIP622 works on the 3576 with analog connection and with the Video > TV Aspect set for "16:9 Wide"?

Edit: I've searched for some info on the VIP boxes and everything I've read so far seems to suggest they won't output 16:9 over S-Video. One post said the only remedy for the "black" bars via S-Video was to change the VIP to "grey" bars! Your test will be esp. interesting after reading this!?

For others interested in widescreen on the 3575/76, here's a post with lots of info.

Interesting, because I have a non-DVR model ViP 211 and if I use the zoom/ partial zoom it zooms everything, thereby cutting off left & right sides, but correcting the black on top & bottom. So that is a win-loss situation. You fix one thing only to break another. My only work around this issue is to record WS program thru s-video on Sony. Burn to DVD-RW and edit on computer by cutting off black. Enocde and Re-author. I would like a short-cut to this method.

Maybe I should just switch to D* and call it a day