Seven tips on buying a DVD recorder

By Reuben Lee on 26 November 2007

With so many different models and tons of unfamiliar specifications to consider, finding the right DVD recorder can be quite overwhelming.

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Comments (70)

  • Aus Chris commented on 18/08/2007 18:31

    What a headache shopping amongst the PVR/DVD Burner market is at present. Store to store stock quality is different as is prices for similar or same models. I like the features im seeing in PVRs but i am bound by the device and cannot transport the media from the inbuilt HD's mind you digital signals, HD features, twin tuners make them ideal if you are only wanting your shows on one tv , some offer wirless connectivity i assume for laptop/pc connections network to then go hd to hd and burn from there which seems cumbersome.

    Other side of the coin i like the Dvd recorders and you need to be careful notr to get sold analog units and there are soem digital tuners built in on offer. The one im leaning toward is the panasonic but then in one store found the rex85 and rex87 both almost identical and store owners couldnt determine differences apart from newer v older and cost. I suspect one has upscaling but need to google about to confirm this. This option seems the neatest (clutter wise) replacing the vcr style analog poorer quality and length of media albeit i would like to transfer video to disc and cannot find a single stereo unit to even use as a slave. I have to buy a combo or setlle for mono.

    So then you go combo shopping to get vcr and then you decide do i go cheap and go player only or double up and go burner? So if you go burner which i figure i can get a good top end panasonic for $400 best price do i then get that and a PVR?

    I am seriously confused and bang for buck you cant get all you want in one unit with half decent quality either if you find some close options. Any recommendations?

    I like the DVD HD Panasonics The REX85 and 87 i have seen. These seem to be dual format compat, integrated dig tuners, 250 gb hds, but only offer one digital tuner.

    I am torn because i am thinking to replace my smoked Panasonic which has served me well (VCR) i go Pana VCR/DVD burner and then get either a Pana DVD Burner with HD ... OR... A PVR with Dig tuners and Massive HD?

    Limitations wise i dont know what options would be more flexible in terms of setup as it looks like i got to get two or three units to cover the bases.

    Ideas or a solution would be greatly appreciated, consdering i need a vcr option whether be a slave (dedicated with 6 heads) or a combo.

  • inOz commented on 01/08/2007 22:58

    I recently bought an LG 1888H HDD DVD recorder, with analogue tuner, and have it hooked up to my LG Plasma TV with the HDMI connection. Is it correct that because of the analogue tuner, if I choose to view through the DVD recorder using the HDMI input setting the picture is "stretched out" unless the setting on the TV is set to 4:3 format, even though the DVD recorder is set for 16:9 widescreen. This means that when watching TV or recorded programs through the DVD recorder I am losing the advantage of my widescreen TV, something I am not willing to do! Surely the signal, whether 4:3 or 16:9 should be picked up automatically and displayed correctly as it does with the TV. I am thinking that I must have something set incorrectly as this doesn't seem right. I am getting a little frustrated, I'd like to be watching TV through the DVD recorder input all the time so as to be able to instantly start recording if necessary - otherwise for timeshift function, or unexpected necessity to record, I have to first set the TV to HDMI setting.....time consuming! Any answers.....please....or is this just the way it is and just another glitch with analogue tuners.

  • Thanks Mate commented on 07/07/2007 09:45

    Is it possible to shirt recorded TV from the built in hard-drive on the machine to say a computer or an external/portable hardrive?

  • Sherwins commented on 11/06/2007 23:02

    Can anyone tell me if I would need a DVD recoreder with a tuner if I already have Foxtel digital? Do I need the tuner to record shows in a series on one disc, or to watch one channel and record another? Anyone can help me?

  • AmericanDude commented on 11/06/2007 10:11

    I'm in the United States and I have the same problem as the rest of you folks. It's June 2007 and I want to find a dual-tuner DVR that can tune digital signals as well as analog. Apparently, they don't exist except in some mad scientist's basement. I might consider building a computer with DVR and digital dual-tuners.

  • IAMCANADIAN commented on 17/04/2007 11:30

    I'm from Canada and we have the same problem with digital tuners. I can't seem to find any DVD recorders with DTV tuners even though the U.S. broadcasted channels (where we get more than half of our TV channels) will switch to digital in 2009. I think we're just getting all the old stuff that they can't sell anymore.

  • chris commented on 09/04/2007 21:56

    I have used a topfield PVR now for about 3 years: their first model with dual tuner. for mine, this is a must. dula tuners enable you to record 2 different shows simultaneously, or recor one & watch (or play) another.
    Now considering switching to a pc with dual tuners & looking for massive storage ( terra byte ) & singel remote for recording, playing & music (incl downloanding). Any recommendations?

  • Ewan commented on 29/03/2007 12:04

    I have recently purchased a DVD-HDD recorder from LG which came with a built in HD digital tuner. The problem with this is that you can not record HD signals. I was told by the sales person that anything recoeded would revert back to SD but this was not so, i just recoeded 2 hours of black! i would also like to see a unit that can be preset to record a show(s) and that will allow me to watch another chanel without interrupting the preset recording. I don't like having to turn off the unit to record anything on a timer.
    My input, make sure you know what you really want and then be certin that the device you purchase can do these things and do your own research.

  • gaz commented on 24/02/2007 11:10

    I have a tv with hd tuner and an hdmi socket. Does this mean that if I buy a dvd recorder with hdmi I will be able to record from the tv's tuner ?? None of the retailers seem to know the answer, although most guess it will (in order to make sale).
    Help please !

  • Johno commented on 17/01/2007 16:30

    Like others I have a Digital PVR which does not have an Anologue Input Facility. Does anybody know of a Analogue to Digital converter which would enable an analogue source, eg FOXTEL, to appear as an (unused) Digital TV channel?

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