DVD players – so much for your money!

Been after a recordable DVD player for archiving stuff off my Pace Twin, copying VHS on to DVD, putting camcorder stuff on to DVD etc.

Wasn’t going to go for one with a hard disk in it but then came across this little beauty:

Toshiba RDXS34. All the usual features (including DV in for camcorders and progressive scan) but also with a 160GB hard drive – useful for copying stuff to, editing (e.g. removing adverts) and then burning to DVD.

The price? Well, multi-region and including delivery: £283.66!! That's from RGB Direct.

Now that’s a lot of gear for the money and it’s supposed to be a fine player/recorder to boot.

Just need to get that lead to copy pre-recorded VHS tapes (that you can’t get on DVD) now.

Matt.

 

Nice one Matt, been looking to replace the VCR with a DVDR but didn't know wht to go for, was going to go for the Panny cos it used dvd ram discs, not sure if the Tosh does. Can the newer ones record on Dual layer media yet?

 

I think the pan's use DVD R- which means copies will only work on a compatible machines. The R+ variety are much more common. Saying that, my dad got a panasonic dvd recorder last year and its a blinding machine.

 

OK, you prompted me to think about upgrading my dvd player!

see
http://www.avforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1800674

 

Don't know about the dual layer issue but the Tosh covers the following formats:

HDD, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW & DVD-R

To be honest I can't imagine using more than the hard disk and then burning to DVD-R if I want to keep something.

More details here: http://www.home-entertainment.toshi...vdrecorders-dvdrecorders-rd-xs34?opendocument

I did look at the Panny but the one at this price or thereabouts doesn't offer DV in which I need.

Matt.

 

i'm waiting for the panasonic eh60 - same as tosh above but with integrated freeview (i.e. no more programming 2 boxes to record, now just the one)

 

That will be good Robert. From my perspective however I already have a Pace Twin Freeview box that has it's own 20GB hard disk so all recordings will initially go onto that and only be archived off on to the Toshiba if I want to keep them.

Matt.

 

Hopefully we'll shortly have a PVR with freeview, a massive hard drive, coax digital output, DVD-R drive and upsampling on the video to 720P via DVI.
Then I'll be interested in buying one.

 

Those days can't be far away.

However, on the upsampling side, I'm given to believe that (certainly with Plasmas/LCDs) it is often better to feed the display device a non upsampled image and to let the device do its own upsampling.

Also, I have heard talk (from a professional installer) that DVI is known in the industry as "Dodgy Video Interface" and that it is always best to compare it with a progressive scan output through component video as the latter can often give a better picture! Maybe this will change as DVI/HDMI evolves.

Matt.

 

Hi Robert,

If you can wait a little more you will see the new Panasonic CTH-100 Freeview enabled PVRs coming out.

rgds //lamboy

 

i'm waiting for the dvd/pvr/hdd to be integrated with a multichannel amp / speaker package and then i can ditch my 2 box ht solution for a single box and be doen with it. that said the tosh dvd ram player / recorder / panasonic 1 box decoder i use does everything i need and isn;t too offensive looking.

btw. be careful with some legit pre recorded vhs tapes if they are macrovisioned - my tosh won;t dub them as it detects the protection. if you find a way around this i'd be very interested in the solution.
cheers


julian.

 

Apparently this does the job:

http://www.sonel.com/

Matt.

 

Shame they don't support dual layer, would be able to get a lot more onto one disc then, you can buy dual layer recorders for your pc, wonder why seperate units are taking so long to catch on.