What DVD recorders do you recommend?

[dr.technical]

My Magnavox MdR533H/F7 DVD recorder (2013) is no longer working. I want to record a few network TV shows a week and watch DVDs. Is there a DVD player that you recommend?

I see there are some new DVD players without tuners or hard drives. I don't know if those are inconvenient to use.

[hech54]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that......what you are looking for no longer exists I'm afraid.

[dr.technical]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that......what you are looking for no longer exists I'm afraid.

I believe I have seen such a DVD recorder on Amazon, but it was expensive.

Would a recorder without a tuner or hard drive be a hassle to use?

[usually_quiet]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that......what you are looking for no longer exists I'm afraid.

I believe I have seen such a DVD recorder on Amazon, but it was expensive.

Would a recorder without a tuner or hard drive be a hassle to use?

The DVD recorders that are offered for sale now are usually refurbished. Nobody makes DVD recorders for the N. American market anymore

Yes it is harder to use a DVD recorder without a tuner and a hard drive than a DVD recorder with a tuner to record over-the-air TV.

Before I bought a DVD recorder with a digital tuner and an HDD, I recorded TV with an older DVD recorder that only had an analog tuner and a DVD drive. The older DVD recorder was connected to the composite video and stereo audio outputs on an ATSC converter box. The ATSC converter box needed to allow users to schedule on/off times and automatically channels. Not all ATSC converter boxes had that ability.

[Alwyn]

I might be missing something here but Ebay and Facebook marketplace are awash here with used DVD+HDD recorders with digital TV tuners. I'd be surprised if that's not the case in the US.

Or are you after something that is brand new?

[cholla]

If you are looking for brand new they will be expensive.
If there are any.

What you want is a DVR.
Your old one was a good model.So look for a used or refurbished one of that model on ebay for example.

You did not say has your old one completely failed or only the DVD player part?
If you just need a DVD player & your old model still records OTA to a HDD then use it for that & a new dvd player to play DVDs.

[Subtitles]

Assuming your DVD Recorder with ATSC tuner does not work and repairing it would be very costly, then your best option would be to buy two separate units
1 - ATSC tuner with recording feature like
https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Recording-Multimedia-Mediasonic-HW250STB/dp/B0CQR1FTT...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

If you search AliExpress you might find even the same model (under a different brand name) at a cheaper price.

2 - If you have a working standalone DVD Player then use it to play DVD disks.
If not buy one it should be still available these days or buy a cheap used working one

This unit costs only $44
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Players-Region-Player-Control/dp/B0C9RY2D7S/ref=sr_1_1_...27JKMQM26&th=1

[cholla]

I have some Magnovox H2160MW9's Manufactured in 2009.
On their circuit board Is a reset micro switch.
One of the small square kind with a black button.
I have had to reset my units a few times over the years.
Usually after a power outage or brownout.
(Not just unpluging).
Of course this requires the case top be taken off.
No big deal for me as I also replaced the smaller HDDs in these with 500GB HDDs.
It would be worth a look inside your Magnavox MdR533H/F7 to see if it has the same reset switch.

[dr.technical]

Assuming your DVD Recorder with ATSC tuner does not work and repairing it would be very costly, then your best option would be to buy two separate units
1 - ATSC tuner with recording feature like
https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Recording-Multimedia-Mediasonic-HW250STB/dp/B0CQR1FTT...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

If you search AliExpress you might find even the same model (under a different brand name) at a cheaper price.

[/url]

Have you used an ATSC tuner? Do they work well? The customer reviews on it are mixed. What about getting a Tablo DVR instead?

[dr.technical]

If you are looking for brand new they will be expensive.
If there are any.

What you want is a DVR.
Your old one was a good model.So look for a used or refurbished one of that model on ebay for example.

You did not say has your old one completely failed or only the DVD player part?
If you just need a DVD player & your old model still records OTA to a HDD then use it for that & a new dvd player to play DVDs.

I am concerned about whether a used recorder will last very long.

[dr.technical]

[/QUOTE]
The DVD recorders that are offered for sale now are usually refurbished. Nobody makes DVD recorders for the N. American market anymore

Yes it is harder to use a DVD recorder without a tuner and a hard drive than a DVD recorder with a tuner to record over-the-air TV.

Before I bought a DVD recorder with a digital tuner and an HDD, I recorded TV with an older DVD recorder that only had an analog tuner and a DVD drive. The older DVD recorder was connected to the composite video and stereo audio outputs on an ATSC converter box. The ATSC converter box needed to allow users to schedule on/off times and automatically channels. Not all ATSC converter boxes had that ability.[/QUOTE]

Is it easy to use the ATSC converter box? The customer reviews that I saw for one particular model were mixed, good and bad.

[Subtitles]

Assuming your DVD Recorder with ATSC tuner does not work and repairing it would be very costly, then your best option would be to buy two separate units
1 - ATSC tuner with recording feature like
https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Recording-Multimedia-Mediasonic-HW250STB/dp/B0CQR1FTT...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

If you search AliExpress you might find even the same model (under a different brand name) at a cheaper price.

[/url]

Have you used an ATSC tuner? Do they work well? The customer reviews on it are mixed. What about getting a Tablo DVR instead?

No I haven't used ATSC tuner because in my country we use the European standard DVB-T2 (Terrestrial) or DVB-S2 (Satellite)
I use several terrestrial and satellite receivers and they work fantastic. Your Magnavox ATSC tuner from 2013 is probably too old compared with the new ones available today and you might get better performance.

The one on Amazon (or similar) have the advantage that you can return it within 30 days and ask for a refund if you are not satisfied with it.

[usually_quiet]

Is it easy to use the ATSC converter box? The customer reviews that I saw for one particular model were mixed, good and bad.

The problem is that the ATSC converter box needs to be switched on and tuned to the desired channel for recording. Not all ATSC converter boxes have VCR-like built-in timers that allow the converter box to turn itself on and off at specified times and switch channels. Without the timer feature it is hard to use the converter box for recording TV, unless you have a great memory and are at home to turn on the converter box and change channels with the converter box's remote.

[cholla]

This is a YouTube different model than either of us have.
The reset button is in the same location on my units.
So give it a try the unit already does not work.
https://youtu.be/rCVDYIKlbeg

The ATSC tuners in mine work well & scan to all local stations.
For OTA a good outdoor antenna works best.

Your Magnavox ATSC tuner from 2013 is probably too old compared with the new ones available today and you might get better performance.

My units are late 2009 & receive all local channels even the low power ones.
I do have an outdoor antenna.
The one unit I have on an indoor antenna sometimes will not receive the low power channels.

On the converter boxes.
They were OK when the switch to digital was done so an older analog TV could still be used this way.
I have a few.
The RCA had the best reception
But had no time set for programs.
I can not remember if it was the Artec or the TR 40 that did have a time set function.
You had to set both the converter box & recording DVD unit to match the time of a TV show.

[Subtitles]

The Amazon unit supports EPG (if the broadcast TV channels send them) which means you can do recordings usually up to 7 days by selecting what you want it to record.
See features:

Additional Features

Clear QAM function can be used with cable provider to watch unscrambled cable channels.
TV Tuner Function: Add additional Tuner to your TV, some TV does not have built-in tuner, this can be an add-on to your TV. eg: compatible with VIZIO TV
12 hr. AM / PM time display
EPG (Electronic Program Guide) and program information.
Favorite Channel List
Parental Control Function
Closed Caption
EAS (Emergency Alert System) to alert you any emergency information from TV station
Real Time and Schedule Recording

[dr.technical]

This is a YouTube different model than either of us have.
The reset button is in the same location on my units.
So give it a try the unit already does not work.
https://youtu.be/rCVDYIKlbeg

The ATSC tuners in mine work well & scan to all local stations.
For OTA a good outdoor antenna works best.

Your Magnavox ATSC tuner from 2013 is probably too old compared with the new ones available today and you might get better performance.

My units are late 2009 & receive all local channels even the low power ones.
I do have an outdoor antenna.
The one unit I have on an indoor antenna sometimes will not receive the low power channels.

On the converter boxes.
They were OK when the switch to digital was done so an older analog TV could still be used this way.
I have a few.
The RCA had the best reception
But had no time set for programs.
I can not remember if it was the Artec or the TR 40 that did have a time set function.
You had to set both the converter box & recording DVD unit to match the time of a TV show.

It sounds like converter boxes can be difficult to use.

I am no longer getting a signal from my DVD recorder. Could resetting it help? Thanks anyway for the video.

[cholla]

I am no longer getting a signal from my DVD recorder. Could resetting it help?

When I have used the Reset button the unit was completely off & the power button would not turn it on.

If that is not what your unit is doing I don't know if this type Reset will help.

I believe there is another type Reset using the Remote Control & unit buttons that could help.
If your unit works that way.
I know some do & I would have to search for the procedure.

If the DVD player works at all you could try a "Cleaner Disc" in your unit.

I found this:

To perform a reset on your Magnavox MDR533H/F7 HDD/DVD Recorder, unplug the power cord, wait at least an hour, then press and hold the power button on the unit while plugging it back in, and continue holding it for another 60 seconds.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Unplug the Power Cord: Remove the power cord from the outlet.
Wait: Allow at least 60 minutes (or longer) for the unit to fully power down.
Press and Hold Power Button: Locate the power button on the front of the recorder (not the remote) and press and hold it.
Plug Back In: While still holding the power button, plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.
Continue Holding: Continue holding the power button for another 60 seconds after plugging the unit back in.
Bypass Power Strips: When plugging back in, go directly to the wall outlet, bypassing any power strips or surge protectors.

On my units using the remote control : Setup/General Setting there is a "Reset All" option.
This is a factory reset.

[dr.technical]

I am no longer getting a signal from my DVD recorder. Could resetting it help?

When I have used the Reset button the unit was completely off & the power button would not turn it on.

If that is not what your unit is doing I don't know if this type Reset will help.

I believe there is another type Reset using the Remote Control & unit buttons that could help.
If your unit works that way.
I know some do & I would have to search for the procedure.

If the DVD player works at all you could try a "Cleaner Disc" in your unit.

I found this:

To perform a reset on your Magnavox MDR533H/F7 HDD/DVD Recorder, unplug the power cord, wait at least an hour, then press and hold the power button on the unit while plugging it back in, and continue holding it for another 60 seconds.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Unplug the Power Cord: Remove the power cord from the outlet.
Wait: Allow at least 60 minutes (or longer) for the unit to fully power down.
Press and Hold Power Button: Locate the power button on the front of the recorder (not the remote) and press and hold it.
Plug Back In: While still holding the power button, plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.
Continue Holding: Continue holding the power button for another 60 seconds after plugging the unit back in.
Bypass Power Strips: When plugging back in, go directly to the wall outlet, bypassing any power strips or surge protectors.

On my units using the remote control : Setup/General Setting there is a "Reset All" option.
This is a factory reset.

I might give that a try. Thanks!