Anyone have a DVD Recorder??

[marcb515]

We're looking to supplement out Tivo with some other recording device, and a DVD Recorder comes to mind, so we're looking for +/- comments on a decent DVD recorder.

Thank you,....marc

[lastdeadcat]

What are you looking to do with a DVD recorder? Do you want to record programs from off the air or cable or satellite? Do you want transfer TiVo recordings to DVD? Just need more information to give any answer.

[JohnBrowning]

I've had a DVD recorder for several years. I think I've recorded something twice. I bought it with the intent of saving old VHS tapes to DVD. The quality largely sucks and the whole process was a PITA. I blew it off.

[gastrof]

I'd suggest getting a DVD recorder with a hard drive. It'll be more secure. Recording directly to DVD is a chancey thing. Better to record to a hard drive first and then transfer to a DVD. This usually also gives the option of editing out portions....like commercials. TiVo had several models like this (no longer made), but they couldn't edit.

Magnavox and Philips make such machines, and can be found at both Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs.

[gastrof]

Try these links-

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10104532

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8054241

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10059151

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=390656

Oh...

And recording from VHS to these machines is as easy as pie.

[Adam1115]

Get a DVD Burner for your computer, use TTG to transfer and burn them.

Nobody wants to have to wait two hours to record a two hour show, and hope nobody changes the channel on the TiVo...

[JimSpence]

With the upcoming shutoff of the analog OTA, make sure you get one with a digital OTA tuner. I have the LiteOn 5045 with a 160GB hard drive (it does have a NTSC tuner). I'm currently transferring shows off my deactivated DirecTV Tivos (T60 & DSR6000) to its hard drive. Then I edit out the commercials before burning to DVD.

[gastrof]

The four above units all have digital tuners.

As I understand it, no television device made in the U.S. now can have only an NTSC tuner. A digital tuner is a must if there's any tuner at all. (I've seen a few sold at Target with a disclaimer warning there's only an NTSC tuner, so I guess sales are still alright if there's a warning.)

There are also some DVD recorders sold that have no tuner at all, to get around the law.

[mattack]

I'd suggest getting a DVD recorder with a hard drive.

Yes, definitely. The original poster should also read the DVD Recorder section at avsforum.com

[samo]

As I understand it, no television device made in the U.S. now can have only an NTSC tuner.
Is there ANY television device made in the U.S? :)
Would love to see "Made in USA" on anything CE.

[gastrof]

Is there ANY television device made in the U.S? :)
Would love to see "Made in USA" on anything CE.

I thought the same thing too, but if the law has to do with sales, then how is Target getting away with it, warnings and all? Maybe the law affects devices "made for sale in the U.S."?

[gastrof]

Get a DVD Burner for your computer, use TTG to transfer and burn them.

Nobody wants to have to wait two hours to record a two hour show, and hope nobody changes the channel on the TiVo...

Changing the channel on a TiVo during playback of a recording?

Also, the above mentioned hard drive recorders with DVD burner can create the DVDs at high speed. You don't have to wait two hours. Closer to 30 minutes to create a full disc.

[RonDawg]

Changing the channel on a TiVo during playback of a recording?

Perhaps by not changing the channel, but there are other ways to ruin an in-progress recording off a TiVo, such as bringing up a menu or even selecting a different recording off the NPL. Or even going to Live TV.

Also, the above mentioned hard drive recorders with DVD burner can create the DVDs at high speed. You don't have to wait two hours. Closer to 30 minutes to create a full disc.

That's fine when the DVD burner, and the hard drive containing the program to be burned, are part of the same machine.

Except when using a TiVo/DVD burner combo unit, the only way to output a TiVo's program to DVD is to either transfer it to a PC with DVD burner using TTG, or else play back the program in real time with a DVD recorder connected to the output. Hence Adam's comment about taking two hours to burn a two hour program onto DVD when using a standalone DVD recorder.

[RGM1138]

I have a Panasonic EH50 that I bought a couple of years ago, and I love it. It has a hard drive. Unfortunately, they no longer make units with a HD.

I use it to record show conflicts when my cable DVR is already recording other programs. I only use RAM discs to record on, so I can edit if I want or discard and re-record up to 100,000 times. :)

Although it only has an analog tuner, CableOne will still be sending out an analog feed after Feb. so I'm good to go.

Bob

[mattack]

Hence Adam's comment about taking two hours to burn a two hour program onto DVD when using a standalone DVD recorder.

So start it before you go to work, or go to bed. There's plenty of 'dead' time to start these time consuming operations.

[gastrof]

Or, since the recommendation was to get a DVD recorder with its own hard drive, DON'T do it during the night. Do it any time and fill up a whole DVD in about 30 minutes with as much as 6 hours worth of recordings.

[RonDawg]

So start it before you go to work, or go to bed. There's plenty of 'dead' time to start these time consuming operations.

I've done it numerous times myself, and I've mentioned it in other threads.

I was specifically referring to gastrof's rebuttal of Adam's comments.

[gastrof]

...I was specifically referring to gastrof's rebuttal of Adam's comments.

The thing is, especially with regards to the second point, the OP was looking for a second recorder, and wondered about a DVD machine. It was suggested getting one with a hard drive, which will allow a high speed burn once you've gathered enough episodes of a show to fill a disc. (You could create a disc before that, but you'd either be wasting space, or just having it sit around while you wait to get other episodes on the hard drive.)

Getting a plain DVD recorder to take a feed off a TiVo isn't what he's looking to do. He's looking to have a second recorder, and the suggestion was to GET one that's got both hard drive and DVD burner in one unit since having a DVD be your sole means of preserving a recording is awful iffy.