Need advice in getting standalone DVR to replace ageing DVD HDD Recorder

[caix]

Hi all, this forum has been of great help in solving many of my video-related enquiries over the past years when owning a camcorder / HDD recorder.

I have owned the following DVD HDD recorders over the past decade:
- Toshiba RDXS32 (Retired)
- Panasonic DMR EH55 (Retired)
- Panasonic DMR EH59 (Still in use)

However, it has come to a point that my DVD HDD recorder has started to age and the burning capabilities and quality has dropped significantly. Over here in Singapore and in asia, DVD HDD recorders have been phrased out and extinct and getting one is virtually impossible. On the other hand, Singapore is most likely not importing Blu-Ray HDD recorders from the UK/Japan as there is no such demand. (People here prefer to record in cable TV boxes, but I dislike them as there is no way of getting the files out or burn them into disc).

Thus, may I humbly seek your opinions here as to what are good alternatives as compared to a DVD HDD recorder?

- My primary means is still to record (Cable) TV programs, dramas, documentaries... etc
- Continue to archive / digitatise old VHS & analogue stuffs
- Prefer to have standalone recorders without needing a PC to operate
- Would love my new recorder able to record HD videos (I know of a need to purchase a HDMI decryptor to hook it to the cable TV box)
- Can choose preset / customised bitrates for recording for added flexibility
- However, I'm able to do away with disc burning from the recorder directly as I can burn it from my Blu-Ray writer from my PC

I have come across a device from Hauppauge and only their PVR Rocket model operates standalone without a PC. However, I am still worried about the recording bitrates as well as playback directly as there is no interface unlike the DVD recorders. I particularly love the option of attaching an external portable HDD for recording of videos.

Are there any other devices out in the market that can satisfy my above needs?
Thanks for your replies in advance!


Edit 1: Found the Magnavox MDR865, 867, 868 High-Def (HD) DVRs, it seems to be an excellent replacement with HD recording and external HDD capability, but one thing that breaks - it is in NTSC and does not support PAL systems. Therefore I can't get this anymore.

[orsetto]

I find your report that the Singapore recorder market is almost exactly like the North American market fascinating: I would not have thought there was such huge penetration of cable TV service (and related PVRs) in Singapore. Thus far, cable service complications seemed exclusive to North America. Unfortunately this means you are now stuck with the same lack of options we have here : 90% of the populace is satisfied with renting a PVR from their TV service, and has zero interest in offloading or archiving anything permanently. So, not much in the way of third party recorders available to buy.

Perhaps others more familiar with Singapore cable signals will jump in with suggestions, I have no idea what you would need for compatibility when looking for a PC PVR accessory or standalone HDTV hard drive recorder. Offhand, I'd suggest looking at some of the many HD recorders you can import from Hong Kong: some offer every feature imaginable, but may not operate on your TV frequencies. A few offer HDMI recording from connected HDMI devices, which may be workable for you.

But I'm afraid your most compatible options would need to be imported from Europe or Australia, with all the shipping fees and import duties that entails. Those are the only countries where Panasonic PAL BluRay/HDD recorders still have any significant market presence, or that might still have new Panasonic EH59 dvd/hdd units for sale. They also have a wide variety of standalone HDTV PAL hard drive PVRs, with or without built-in BluRay players, but I'm not sure these models would have tuner frequencies supporting your Singapore cable (they were designed for European DVB-T digital broadcasts and satellite signals, possibly lacking analog frequencies at all). The majority of these recorders have no way to transfer recordings to a PC, so in essence would be no different than renting a cable PVR from your local provider.

If you can somehow post specifics of your Singapore cable service (digital? analog? frequency band/type?), perhaps one of the gurus here can match you up with the most compatible recorder or PC accessory.

[usually_quiet]

There are a few stand-alone HDMI capture devices which have been recommended in various threads at VideoHelp for recording the HD output from a cable box. None include storage. You must buy an external hard drive to use with them. Also since the recorders can't control the cable box, you have to turn on the cable box and make sure that it is tuned to the channel you want to record. They have good/better/best quality settings but do not allow specifying a precise bitrate. I doubt that any of them would be a good choice for digitizing VHS.

I have recommended this one from AVerMedia. It records h.264 video and two-channel AAC audio. It can use the NTFS file system, and each recording is in one file. It has just one timer.
http://avertv.avermedia.com/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=593&tab=APDriver

Someone else recommended this one. It records h.264 video and two-channel MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. It uses the FAT32 file system, and recording are split into multiple 4GB files if they are longer than 4GB. It allows setting multiple timers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDTV-Digital-Video-Recorder-HDMI-1080-DVD-Blu-ray-USB-HDD-Reco...4AAOxykmZTMbq9

A few people have recommended this, although it has no timers: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDML-Cloner-Box-No-need-PC-Capture-game-and-HD-streaming-video...MAAOSwAKxWZl6p

However, I suspect that in the Asia-Pacific region there are additional options which aren't available to N. America. For example in Australia, they have these: https://beyonwiz.com.au/

[godai]

australia looks with pretty good stuff .

[tonypeter]

Panasonic Singapore still shows DMR-EH69 and -EH59 as still available there.

http://www.panasonic.com/sg/consumer/audio-video/dvd-recorders-players.html

Check it out.

[caix]

I find your report that the Singapore recorder market is almost exactly like the North American market fascinating: I would not have thought there was such huge penetration of cable TV service (and related PVRs) in Singapore. Thus far, cable service complications seemed exclusive to North America. Unfortunately this means you are now stuck with the same lack of options we have here : 90% of the populace is satisfied with renting a PVR from their TV service, and has zero interest in offloading or archiving anything permanently. So, not much in the way of third party recorders available to buy.

Perhaps others more familiar with Singapore cable signals will jump in with suggestions, I have no idea what you would need for compatibility when looking for a PC PVR accessory or standalone HDTV hard drive recorder. Offhand, I'd suggest looking at some of the many HD recorders you can import from Hong Kong: some offer every feature imaginable, but may not operate on your TV frequencies. A few offer HDMI recording from connected HDMI devices, which may be workable for you.

But I'm afraid your most compatible options would need to be imported from Europe or Australia, with all the shipping fees and import duties that entails. Those are the only countries where Panasonic PAL BluRay/HDD recorders still have any significant market presence, or that might still have new Panasonic EH59 dvd/hdd units for sale. They also have a wide variety of standalone HDTV PAL hard drive PVRs, with or without built-in BluRay players, but I'm not sure these models would have tuner frequencies supporting your Singapore cable (they were designed for European DVB-T digital broadcasts and satellite signals, possibly lacking analog frequencies at all). The majority of these recorders have no way to transfer recordings to a PC, so in essence would be no different than renting a cable PVR from your local provider.

If you can somehow post specifics of your Singapore cable service (digital? analog? frequency band/type?), perhaps one of the gurus here can match you up with the most compatible recorder or PC accessory.

australia looks with pretty good stuff .

Thank you for your reply!
In red: Actually none of the DVD HDD recorder ever in sale in Singapore ever had an in-build tuner. Most control comes from the cable box itself. It is really sad that both Singtel and Starhub cable TV companies in Singapore never bother to integrate tuning capabilities into the recorders. Therefore, I have been surviving having to turn on the cable box as well as the recorder together. So no worries about having an in-build tuner although I am very much in envy for countries like in UK and Japan where TV guides and stuffs can be viewed directly from the recorder. Can't have those functions here in Singapore

I would somehow like to get a recorder with HD capability so I dun think I wanna go back to the Panasonic EH59 anymore. Looks like indeed I have to get Australia Blu Ray recorders such as the DMR-BWT740.



Nevertheless, some specification of Starhub Cable TV Service:

- The Cable Box that I am using (HD Interactive Set-Top Box CISCO 4586DVB) : http://www.starhub.com/content/dam/starhub/2015/support/tv/products/pdf/hdibox-userguide061010.pdf

- The wall socket of Singapore household carries 2 types of signals currently.

Analog signal: Relay (Local TV MediaCorp's FTA channels, RTM TV1 & SuperSport Arena
- Viewable with TVs that has analog tuner

Digital DVB-C signal: Digital channels for StarHub Cable TV
- (a) Unencrypted: MediaCorp's 7 FTA channels + HD5 (viewable with TVs that has a DVB-C tuner)
- (b) Encrypted: StarHub's Pay TV channels (viewable with StarHub's DVB-C set top box)

[caix]

Panasonic Singapore still shows DMR-EH69 and -EH59 as still available there.

http://www.panasonic.com/sg/consumer/audio-video/dvd-recorders-players.html

Check it out.

Haha yes, these two are the last two models that Panasonic Singapore is still providing supports and after-sales service. However, last check on the Harvey Norman and Best Denki local electronic stores, they have phrased all DVD recorders including other models from LG, Phillips and Toshiba. So my only hope is those H.264 recording boxes or venturing into overseas model already

[caix]

There are a few stand-alone HDMI capture devices which have been recommended in various threads at VideoHelp for recording the HD output from a cable box. None include storage. You must buy an external hard drive to use with them. Also since the recorders can't control the cable box, you have to turn on the cable box and make sure that it is tuned to the channel you want to record. They have good/better/best quality settings but do not allow specifying a precise bitrate. I doubt that any of them would be a good choice for digitizing VHS.

I have recommended this one from AVerMedia. It records h.264 video and two-channel AAC audio. It can use the NTFS file system, and each recording is in one file. It has just one timer.
http://avertv.avermedia.com/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=593&tab=APDriver

Someone else recommended this one. It records h.264 video and two-channel MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. It uses the FAT32 file system, and recording are split into multiple 4GB files if they are longer than 4GB. It allows setting multiple timers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDTV-Digital-Video-Recorder-HDMI-1080-DVD-Blu-ray-USB-HDD-Reco...4AAOxykmZTMbq9

A few people have recommended this, although it has no timers: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDML-Cloner-Box-No-need-PC-Capture-game-and-HD-streaming-video...MAAOSwAKxWZl6p

However, I suspect that in the Asia-Pacific region there are additional options which aren't available to N. America. For example in Australia, they have these: https://beyonwiz.com.au/

Hi there, thank you for your recommendations! Yes i have indeed viewed these products already in the various threads here! Nevertheless, my major concern is having a standalone recorder (box) without needing a PC to run, as my parents are not so IT savvy, they prefer the convenience of a HDD recorder where there is an UI and able to playback recordings directly.

I'm pretty used to having the cable box and recorder running simultaneously as there is no in-build tuner for past DVD recorders in Singapore. So not a major concern for me
No worries about external storage as i welcomed them wholeheartedly! Past DVD recorders are constrained with fixed HDD and firmware installed in it. Once the HDD crashes, there is no way to replace them without having the firmware on hand and exact same HDD models.

[usually_quiet]

The DMR-BWT740 won't be of any use to you for recording cable TV in high definition. The only way to record HD programming is via the tuner, which is a DVB-T tuner, not DVB-C. The only in-going connections available for recording from a cable box are composite/CVBS and analog stereo.

There are a few stand-alone HDMI capture devices which have been recommended in various threads at VideoHelp for recording the HD output from a cable box. None include storage. You must buy an external hard drive to use with them. Also since the recorders can't control the cable box, you have to turn on the cable box and make sure that it is tuned to the channel you want to record. They have good/better/best quality settings but do not allow specifying a precise bitrate. I doubt that any of them would be a good choice for digitizing VHS.

I have recommended this one from AVerMedia. It records h.264 video and two-channel AAC audio. It can use the NTFS file system, and each recording is in one file. It has just one timer.
http://avertv.avermedia.com/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=593&tab=APDriver

Someone else recommended this one. It records h.264 video and two-channel MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. It uses the FAT32 file system, and recording are split into multiple 4GB files if they are longer than 4GB. It allows setting multiple timers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDTV-Digital-Video-Recorder-HDMI-1080-DVD-Blu-ray-USB-HDD-Reco...4AAOxykmZTMbq9

A few people have recommended this, although it has no timers: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDML-Cloner-Box-No-need-PC-Capture-game-and-HD-streaming-video...MAAOSwAKxWZl6p

However, I suspect that in the Asia-Pacific region there are additional options which aren't available to N. America. For example in Australia, they have these: https://beyonwiz.com.au/

Hi there, thank you for your recommendations! Yes i have indeed viewed these products already in the various threads here! Nevertheless, my major concern is having a standalone recorder (box) without needing a PC to run, as my parents are not so IT savvy, they prefer the convenience of a HDD recorder where there is an UI and able to playback recordings directly.

I'm pretty used to having the cable box and recorder running simultaneously as there is no in-build tuner for past DVD recorders in Singapore. So not a major concern for me
No worries about external storage as i welcomed them wholeheartedly! Past DVD recorders are constrained with fixed HDD and firmware installed in it. Once the HDD crashes, there is no way to replace them without having the firmware on hand and exact same HDD models.

The devices I mentioned in my post do not require a computer to work and cannot even be connected to a computer. However, if you feel your parents will be unable to operate them, then they are not a good solution.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that the Beyonwiz T4 has the ability to record from an HDMI input, but according to the manual, timer recording and timeshift are not available, although they may be added someday. [Edit]According to a post in this thread, timer recording for HDMI was added:http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2416205 Of course, there are likely to be reasons why it would not be a good solution for you.

[caix]

The DMR-BWT740 won't be of any use to you for recording cable TV in high definition. The only way to record HD programming is via the tuner, which is a DVB-T tuner, not DVB-C. The only in-going connections available for recording from a cable box are composite/CVBS and analog stereo.

There are a few stand-alone HDMI capture devices which have been recommended in various threads at VideoHelp for recording the HD output from a cable box. None include storage. You must buy an external hard drive to use with them. Also since the recorders can't control the cable box, you have to turn on the cable box and make sure that it is tuned to the channel you want to record. They have good/better/best quality settings but do not allow specifying a precise bitrate. I doubt that any of them would be a good choice for digitizing VHS.

I have recommended this one from AVerMedia. It records h.264 video and two-channel AAC audio. It can use the NTFS file system, and each recording is in one file. It has just one timer.
http://avertv.avermedia.com/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=593&tab=APDriver

Someone else recommended this one. It records h.264 video and two-channel MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. It uses the FAT32 file system, and recording are split into multiple 4GB files if they are longer than 4GB. It allows setting multiple timers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDTV-Digital-Video-Recorder-HDMI-1080-DVD-Blu-ray-USB-HDD-Reco...4AAOxykmZTMbq9

A few people have recommended this, although it has no timers: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDML-Cloner-Box-No-need-PC-Capture-game-and-HD-streaming-video...MAAOSwAKxWZl6p

However, I suspect that in the Asia-Pacific region there are additional options which aren't available to N. America. For example in Australia, they have these: https://beyonwiz.com.au/

Hi there, thank you for your recommendations! Yes i have indeed viewed these products already in the various threads here! Nevertheless, my major concern is having a standalone recorder (box) without needing a PC to run, as my parents are not so IT savvy, they prefer the convenience of a HDD recorder where there is an UI and able to playback recordings directly.

I'm pretty used to having the cable box and recorder running simultaneously as there is no in-build tuner for past DVD recorders in Singapore. So not a major concern for me
No worries about external storage as i welcomed them wholeheartedly! Past DVD recorders are constrained with fixed HDD and firmware installed in it. Once the HDD crashes, there is no way to replace them without having the firmware on hand and exact same HDD models.

The devices I mentioned in my post do not require a computer to work and cannot even be connected to a computer. However, if you feel your parents will be unable to operate them, then they are not a good solution.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that the Beyonwiz T4 has the ability to record from an HDMI input, but according to the manual, timer recording and timeshift are not available, although they may be added someday. [Edit]According to a post in this thread, timer recording for HDMI was added:http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2416205 Of course, there are likely to be reasons why it would not be a good solution for you.

Ah my bad, I've actually overlooked what the cable TV box is able to offer for input signals into DVR/PVR...


So I guess overseas Blu-Ray recorders are kinda out for me until the cable TV box offers some kind of HDMI in-going connections into the recorders. I will continue to research on the alternatives. Thank you for your help!

[usually_quiet]

So I guess overseas Blu-Ray recorders are kinda out for me until the cable TV box offers some kind of HDMI in-going connections into the recorders. I will continue to research on the alternatives. Thank you for your help!

Your cable box has HDMI out. (It is shown in a different illustration in the manual). ...but overseas Blu-Ray recorders won't allow you to record cable TV in high definition.

A Blu-Ray recorder from Australia or the UK could only record HD programming from over-the-air broadcasts received via its tuner. Blu-Ray recorders don't have a tuner that will work for cable TV and don't have component video inputs or an HDMI input for recording the HD output from a cable box. Their only video input is composite/CVBS. If you can only record from composite/CVBS, you might as well stick with a DVD recorder.

Either get a new DVD recorder and do without recording in HD or get a DVR from the cable company to record in HD and do without copies of its recordings on Blu-Ray.

[caix]

Your cable box has HDMI out. (It is shown in a different illustration in the manual). ...but overseas Blu-Ray recorders won't allow you to record cable TV in high definition.

A Blu-Ray recorder from Australia or the UK could only record HD programming from over-the-air broadcasts received via its tuner. Blu-Ray recorders don't have a tuner that will work for cable TV and don't have component video inputs or an HDMI input for recording the HD output from a cable box. Their only video input is composite/CVBS. If you can only record from composite/CVBS, you might as well stick with a DVD recorder.

Either get a new DVD recorder and do without recording in HD or get a DVR from the cable company to record in HD and do without copies of its recordings on Blu-Ray.

Ah i see, thank you for your clarification. I initially thought that there was a HDMI input provided in the blu-ray recorders. Looks like I'm out of luck with such overseas blu-ray recorders. Most likely I will be getting other boxes that support HDMI input.