Lite-On DVD Recorder Model: 5101 at Sams for $139 any good?

Looking to get a good DVD recorder to replace my SVHS JVC VCR. Saw this cheap at sams, cant find any info on this model though. Is it as good as the one Best buy sells for $279? Heres the link: http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?n=0&oidPath=0%3a-23542%3a-23589%3a-243...cfkjdgoodflg.0

Hi Pirate_King;

No! A *much* better recorder is the iLO DVDR04 sold by Wal-Mart for about $150. For a more detailed answer see the topic thread on this forum titled
"To buy lite on 5101 or ilo dvdr04???".

So with the ilo I could hook up my PC to it via iEEE 1394 and record my AVI's and such to DVD? If so does it take into account for overscan? I ask cause I watch a lot of fansubed anime.

From the other threads it must be a camera source. A computer does not seem to work.

Pirate_King;

The iLO and LiteOn recorders can't be connected to the PC via firewire to do what you want to do. If you want to play your AVI files on your TV I suggest buying a Philips DVP642 player, it will play most AVI files after you burn them to CD or DVD. I got mine at Wal-Mart for about $70. I don't work for Wal-Mart, I just shop there a lot.

etcallhome;

I haven't used a 220S so I can't comment on it, but I own both a LiteOn 5001 and a iLO DVDR04 and both of these units record and play back exactly what the source feeds them; no color or brightness changes. I've had a problem with playback on a APEX AD-1100W where the black-level showed as a dark green, but that is the APEX's fault. My 5101 had a *horrible* picture; I couldn't recommend this recorder to anyone.

dvd recorder comment section is under dvd writers, left column

Dont have the liteOn but have a DVDR04 and a 220S Desided to do some comparasons. The iLO does not handle dark ares well. Almost grays out so to speak.

Forgot: The recording were done with SVideo in and the orginal pull directly from the disk.

Left side is orginal - Right is recorder.

ORG vs DVDR04


ORG vs Pioneer DVR 220S


ORG vs DVDR04


ORG vs Pioneer DVR 220S

No problem.

I did notest that a daylight shot come out about normal between the Source and the iLO. Strange. The catch with the iLO is poor dark levels and TV tunner. Have notest it add strange stuff when viewed through the tunner but get rid of most of it when it records.

OOPS! Knew I forgot something.

Feed each recorder from a Sharp 600.
Recorder these in SP mode via the SVideo jacks on each.

For each "Video track"
DVD Disk -> DVD2AVI -> d2v -> VFAPIConvEN.exe -> AVI -> Primiere 6.0.

Ploped the "orginal" on Video line 1
Ploped the DVDR04 on Video Line 2 [ Set to split ]
Ploped the "220S" on Video Line 3 [ Set to split ]

Hid the track I did not want to compare. Then use Output timeline to single frame.

Will work on the EP comparason. When I did the capture test. I did one on each mode.

Wont try through the RF since the 220S has a lot better stereo tunner than the DVDR04. Just no comparason.

Oh Video was from Video Essentials DVD (1997) release.

May take a day or two. The 04 really does some strange thing with the files. It combines record modes together driving DVD2AVI up the wall when you hit a different rez than 720x480. Its a mess. But the 220 put them in seperat tracks. Go figure!

EDITED:

The one that get me is the tree! Now I need to get some sleep.

Org vs R04 EP


Org vs 220 EP


Tree zooming in...
Org vs R04 EP


Org vs 220 EP


Org vs R04 EP


Org vs 220 EP

Glad it helped.

Off a frame or two.

Lordsmurf is correct. The 1 & 2 hour mode are good on most of these units. Its the lower speed that fall a part. Proabbly wont change untill the dual layer stuff gets worked out or have a multi disk burnner.

Like the "Tree". I use to use the rain logo from one of the Japanies Anime disk. It starts off with a slab of granit etched with Japanies words. Tthen a few drops of rain. Then a torent . Then abates into English version of the logo. The test is when wound the encoder go blockey.

Broke so many Mpeg 1 encoder trying that out untill TMPGE came out.

One last item. I noted that the orginal disk had a few frames of fade transision. Bother machine never picked it up!

I got the LD also. But used the DVD since I could compare the org video strate off the disk.

Got a bit of sleep.

The real party stopper is the tunner on the DVDR04. Wow its cheep! No Stereo and add it own fun stuff to the input signal. At least the "cleanup pipeline" toss about 95% out. Well some times.

Proabbly one more generation in the low end before it gets good. For the price range of 130 to 175 these units like the 5101 and the DVDR04 do a decent job. Not greate but most bargan basement VCR are in the same area. It does record but not to the level of a 500 dollar machine.

Looking forward to compare it also! Tnks! As soon as it pops in will post.

Off topic....

You get a lot for 100 dollars more. Very stable. Auto clock. Good picture. Stereo tunner. Prameters for recording preset and user define. Lables shows. VCR+, Full remote with normal used feature on it. The record format in Video is pritty close to a real disk over the strange one produced by the DVDR04. Matches pretty well what comes in to it compared to the R04. Front display clear and sharp to read. And a tunner that does NOT add stuff to the signal.

They have had the 220 at that price for a while. It makes the 320 a bit pricer just for the firewire input.

Returning you now to the topic already in progress.....

Tnks to Xyscaling here are some comparasons between the orginal disk and a 5101! Sorry it took so long but it been a bit crazy around here!

Before I get started. I need to add one extra tool to the stream to compare and that was run it through TMPEG author to extract just that segment. Due to how it mashes the video together DVD2AVI had some reall problem unless I just did a clean vob. If wrong shoot me!

All are in EP mode

Org vs 5101 EP



Org Vs 5101 EP



Org vs 5101 EP



Org vs 5101 EP



What gets me is the Lady! Wow!

My brother has three Liteons from Sams and has had no problems. My Wife and I have one and have had to return it twice already to get it repalced and now the one we have powers off and will not come back on, so we will have to return it now.

Just our luck!