Are HDD recorders lost to the U.S.?

[lacywest]

Someone suggested a HTPC ... at my home ... I have all kinds of methods to record TV shows.

I use the Panasonic EH50s and I have one E85H. On Ebay a Ebay Seller ... sells repair service for Panasonic DVD Recorders ... $130 dollars. For one of my EH50s ... my tray wont open ... he told me that one can be repaired with a "kit".

But I've got one EH50 that has bad video output ... this just suddenly happened while a family gathering was going on at my house a few years ago ... this happens whether ... a DVD is being played or just watching a TV show through the tuner. Since I had extra EH50s [bought on Ebay] stashed away ... I put another one on the entertainment shelf but ... I took it off and replaced it with a normal DVD Player ... reason is ... I was no longer hanging out in the living room anymore and I didn't want to shorten its life by it just being used to play DVD videos.

For the one with the video problem ... the guy said ... might be a problem ... finding the parts.

My idea is ... combine the two and make one working one ... remove the Disk carriage from the one with bad video and put it in the unit that doesn't want to open the tray. Shouldn't be that hard.

As for my Panasonic E85H ... it is in the garage hooked up to the system I have out here ... [I am out here right now].

What I have been doing for several months now and works just fine ... I use my PC ... I have a Dual Boot on all my PCs ... WIN XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Windows 7 Ultimate ... with a Digital Tuner card inside ... I use a external USB 2.0 500 GB drive to record the TV shows I want to keep or hang on to.

Plenty of Software programs to convert DVR-MS to DVD Videos or to Divx/Xvid Videos.

[TimeLine50]

nina96, might I suggest you visit the forum via the link below, if you have not already been there, yes, the thread is about the Magnavox (Funai), but if you read the thread you will see it is not a bad, relatively inexpensive DVD/HDD Recorder. The current available model, Magnavox MDR513H/F7 has a 320GB hard drive and many useful features. It is one of the few choices you have available today in the U.S.A. I won't try to debate how good or bad it may be as compared to some of the other DVD/HDD recorders other posters have referred too, that is why I say read the thread and draw your own conclusions. The Mag 513 is available both new and as a refurb, I have included links for that also. If you choose to do so, happy reading, and good hunting in your search for a recorder you find acceptable..

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657: Mag 513 Thread

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magnavox-MDR-513H-F7-320GB-DVR-and-DVD-Recorder/14291489 New Mag 513 (Walmart)


http://www.jr.com/cat/pe/MAG_MDR513H_hy_RB?JRSource=linkshare&SiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-9zwKG...vp8UMcfhPXZ4Hw Refurb Mag 513 (JR.com)

[handyguy]

There are a lot of other topics on HD recorders you can read in the forum. You can also create your own with a computer very easily. Build Your Own PVR; byopvr.com

[xxiangg]

These are the two recorders I am using now.

1. DTVpal DVR (amazon has it for $289).
Pro. Record OTA digital stream directly to its internal HD. Have
two tuners.
Con. Does not work with cable. Does not work with analogy. Fairly
expensive.

http://shopper.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr/4014-6463_...-33485090.html
From the link goto amazon.

2. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822720013
Pro. Record analogy signal to its internal HD. It is also a media
player with limited support of format. But it plays DVD file
with full feature support.
Con. 720x480 only. 2-channel audio only.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822720013

I am using (1) record shows I am interested. I will backup some of the
recorded shows to (2) to save for a longer time. I do not want to pay
any fees for any program. So I do not have cable in my place.

[samijubal]

I can get a new Philips 3455 from a local listing. Anyone know what they are worth? There's no box but he says the recorder is still wrapped in the plastic unopened.

[lordsmurf]

Doesn't the 3455 have the LSI chipset in it? I believe it does.
That means it could be quite decent.

[samijubal]

Doesn't the 3455 have the LSI chipset in it? I believe it does.
That means it could be quite decent.

Your previous post in this thread:


Philips DVDR3455 160GB HDD DVD recorder / HARD Drive = this was a good one.
One of the few truly excellent machines.
An LSI Logic machine:



I use Toshibas, I'm definitely not switching to Funai. I just wondered what it's worth. The guy has it for a pretty decent price.