DVD Recorder's

[volinbham]

Originally Posted by USAF_Vol

WOW Volinbham. HArd drive. That was not brought up. Thanks for the info. I really don't want commercials and editing it sounds the way to go.

Tell me, can I play the VHS tapes to the hard drive, edit, then record to disc??

Yes. Technically you can edit with just the DVD drive but it's much more complicated and prone to mistakes. With the hard drive you can store about maybe 30 hours or so of video and the included software lets you edit on the screen of your TV - you basically play it and fast forward to a commercial, put in a cut at the beginning of the commercials and another at the end then poof it goes away. You can split the program into Chapters or whatever.

As for old videos that works too (I did the same). Just play them like normal on your TV then record whats on your TV to the hard drive. It's the same as recording a live program. I did it at night, I'd start the tape, hit record on the hard drive (you can set the record time on mine in 30 minute increments). In the morning, the content from the tape is on the hard drive. Voila!

[volinbham]

Another thing - with the hard drive you can generally record one channel while watching another (like a DVR or TV). You can program them to record at a certain time, etc.

[USAF_Vol]

Originally Posted by rwemyss

It is pretty standard these days, but be sure it has "firewire input" to get those videos off your miniDV cam without any loss in quality.

Originally Posted by volinbham

GET ONE WITH A HARD DRIVE!

That's what I needed guys. You guys are awesome. Thanks a ton.

[vol_freak]

Great advice from volinbham.

I thought I had a panasonic but after looking, I also have a pioneer. I have the dvr 531h.

Amazon.com: Refurbished Pioneer DVR-531H Digital Video Recorder/DVD Recorder with 80 GB Hard Drive: Electronics

I have been very happy with it but it does not have a firewire port (which I don't use but it sounds like you would) and it does not have component out. I still can't figure out why this is an advantage since you aren't sending the output to another device unless you watch your DVDs on it, which I don't.

The commercial editing features are what makes the hard drive worth while. You figure for football games the entire broadcast with commercials and halftime might be 4 hours long. After you edit all that it is probably under 2.5 hours. You can burn 2.5 hours at much higher quality than you can 4 hours. Make sense? I didn't really think of that when I was shopping.

I bought this model for around $250 from Walmart last June? maybe. Sounds like you have two votes for pioneer. After looking around on a couple of websites, they may be the best bang for the buck.

You can also get great reviews from:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=106

I usually check what they are saying before I by anything audio or video related.

[volinbham]

Ditto on the AVS Forum -- very detailed info and helpful folks.

It can be overwhelming at times but if you have an AV question, the answer is in there.

That's how I found mine - someone posted an alert that Costco online was selling the one I have for half price. I joined Costco just to buy it!

[GVF]

In a semi-related fashion...Circuit City has its own brand in some things. I bought their brand in a portable DVD player, 7", for under $80. Best one I've owned all-around. Don't know if they have thier own brand in recordable DVD, but worth the look. Also, CC website has consumer reviews on eveything from customers. Gives a good idea of what to look at or overlook.

[RockyTopEmpire]

I know I am a little late, but if you want just get a video card for your computer that has TV in and you can record the game as you are watching it, then just burn it with the DVDr on your computer.

[bigorangefan]

Hey guys while you are on this subject. I've got another question for you. I've been looking into buying a new surround sound with a dvd recorder. LG makes one with surround, dvd, vhs all in one, but does not have hdmi outputs. I don't have hd tv right now, but will be my next purchase after surround sound. Do you have to have hdmi outputs to get the best video quality. If so, any recommendations would be appreciated.

[rwemyss]

Originally Posted by bigorangefan

Hey guys while you are on this subject. I've got another question for you. I've been looking into buying a new surround sound with a dvd recorder. LG makes one with surround, dvd, vhs all in one, but does not have hdmi outputs. I don't have hd tv right now, but will be my next purchase after surround sound. Do you have to have hdmi outputs to get the best video quality. If so, any recommendations would be appreciated.

My dad has the exact unit you are asking about. What you are REALLY asking about doesn't have anything to do with the player, but more to do with HDTV inputs. There are basically three standards.

1) Component- this is the most common one. Most people recognize it as the red, green, and blue RCA connections. This is an ANALOG connection. The quality is exactly the same as the two digital connections, but it doesn't support the AACS encryption that is likely to be required by HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. The most interesting thing is, the XBOX 360's only HD output is via component.

2)DVI- DVI is a digital video connection that was originally designed for computer video output to LCD monitors to remove the analog connection of S-VGA. Many LCD and Plasma TVs have DVI inputs, and they are becomming more standard as an output on DVD players. Since it is digital DVI can support AACS.

3)HDMI- HDMI is the latest digital A/V connection standard. HDMI combines both the digital video and audio in one connector. The connector looks similar to a USB port. Again, HDMI can support AACS.

So the question is... "Am I ok getting a regular DVD player that only has component out for quality?" The answer is YES! DVD is NOT an HD standard. DVD videos are in 480p. The HD standard is 720p/1080i. Even S-Video is good enough for you to not see a loss in quality from a DVD source.

The real place where you need to be concerned about your HD connectors is when you go to buy an HDTV. Mine is a tube HDTV, and only has component in. It can't support AACS, and so there may be HD-DVD or Blu-Ray discs that I can't watch.

Did this even come close to answering your question?

[volinbham]

So the question is... "Am I ok getting a regular DVD player that only has component out for quality?" The answer is YES! DVD is NOT an HD standard. DVD videos are in 480p. The HD standard is 720p/1080i. Even S-Video is good enough for you to not see a loss in quality from a DVD source.

The real place where you need to be concerned about your HD connectors is when you go to buy an HDTV. Mine is a tube HDTV, and only has component in. It can't support AACS, and so there may be HD-DVD or Blu-Ray discs that I can't watch.

My .02 on this is that it depends on the HDTV too. I have a plasma that is fixed resolution. As a result, the DVD signal must be upconverted to display on the TV. That said, the connection does make a difference in how the signal is deliver to the TV. Rwemyss is right that the DVD is 480p. In my case, component still delivers a better "picture" to the TV than S-video. Further, I bought a cheap DVD player that upconverts and uses HDMI. While the signal is technically still 480p (based on the original source) but it definitely looks better than a standard DVD player hooked up via S-video or component.

Hows that for muddying the waters?

When it doubt, spend a few hours at www.avsforum.com.

[rwemyss]

Originally Posted by volinbham

My .02 on this is that it depends on the HDTV too. I have a plasma that is fixed resolution. As a result, the DVD signal must be upconverted to display on the TV. That said, the connection does make a difference in how the signal is deliver to the TV. Rwemyss is right that the DVD is 480p. In my case, component still delivers a better "picture" to the TV than S-video. Further, I bought a cheap DVD player that upconverts and uses HDMI. While the signal is technically still 480p (based on the original source) but it definitely looks better than a standard DVD player hooked up via S-video or component.

Hows that for muddying the waters?

When it doubt, spend a few hours at www.avsforum.com.

Very interesting. That is part of the issue with digital technologies (ie. LCD and Plasma). Since mine is a tube, the signal is converted to analog somewhere in the pipeline, might as well be using component or S-Video. In the case of LCDs, plasmas, LCD projection screens, DLPs, etc. it is best to keep the signal digital throughout and not leave it up to possible problems with poor up/down converting. ???

[bigorangefan]

Thanks for the responses and info guys. I'm still kinda new to all this hdtv stuff. Rwemyss, does your dad like his system? any problems? Volinbham, I'm looking at a 37" LG lcd hdtv.

[rwemyss]

He likes the system. It has an optical in, so if you have an HD cable box, or the HD A/V pack for the xbox, you can use it for 5.1 from those sources.

The controls seem simple enough. I dunno that he's played with it enough to really give you much about how well the recording works.

[bigorangefan]

Thanks for the info and quick responses!

[GVF]

The way I look at this is that I have a good old standard JVC 27" TV. A Zenith VCR/DVD combo. Wired the new den for surround when we added it on and put cover plates on it. Pre-wired the screen porch for outside speakers. Have a Techniques Stereo w/o dolby. Have 2 bose 301 bookshelf speakers behind the ET Center that still blow the windows out after 20 years. If I don't go to trying to upgrade, I really have no clue what I'm missing. And until they standardize all this stuff and quit pulling scams over HD stuff, then I won't spend my money on something to go WOW the first time I get it hooked up right, then sit back as normal making payments. Last time I had that much time to enjoy watching and listening to stuff of that calibur and expense, I was unemployed and couldn't afford it.