Set Top DVD Recorders

[p0lish]

My friend recently bought a set top dvd recorder by pioneer. Let me just say - if a movie is 3 hrs long, it takes 3hrs to copy it. What a freakin waste.

[TiG]

Heh Of course it does a SET top DVD recorder which are actually very cool are designed to replace VHS, they rock, a Mates got them, they ARE NOT for copying films, you're mad if you even think that, they are designed to record the telly and its easy to do,

Oakey is damn right with what he says, FloppyBootStomp there is no need to wait the Set top DVD recorders fill your mum's requirements fine, and as for using RW disks, Ofcourse they do, VHS is re-writable without a computer why can't they make DVD set top recorders do the same. Simple answer is they do.

TiG

[Oakey]

Oakey, thanks for reply, apreciated.

But, as I pointed out earlier, my Mum won't subscribe to Sky and she doesn't have a PC.

She's just looking for a digital alternative to VCR that's user-friendly.

And, contrary to your opinion, I believe that prices will fall this year.

I mean, look at DVD recorders, I bought the Pioneer (PC) recorder for £120 after it dropped from £180.00. And now it only costs £80.00. As do better models from MSI and others.

I've persuaded her to hang on for six months or so, then review the market. If prices haven't dropped by then, she'll probably fork out the £800.00.

Remember we're talking about somebody here who's not computer savvy but who can programme a timer and insert a blank DVD.

The PC hardware market in no way reflect the Home AV market. Check AVForums for proof of this. It's generally accepted that DVD-R is most favourable amongst PC users, yet DVD+R is more favourable in the set top box market (apparently DVD-R take longer to finalise than +R and various other things).

The Philips model at RS (or ANY DVD+RW recorder) is probably the best way forward at the moment. DVD+RW is simple, just stick it in, program starts, hits record. Don't want that program? Go to the nice menu screen with the preview of your programs and hit erase.

I don't see the point of a HDD / DVD recorder for your mother as it seems pointless. Why bother with DVD recording if you can copy to HDD? And if you're going to keep a program on DVD then why bother with HDD recording? And if you're archiving on HDD with the plan to copy to DVD at a later date, isn't this just more hassle?

Seriously, this is a hardware site, as a PC user you should know it's silly to play the waiting game, all you'd ever be is waiting.

Prices won't come down significantly, the DVDR75 that RS have for £220 is upwards of £280 elsewhere. It's possible we get some really cheap recorders in the next few months, but it'll probably no name brands like the type seen in Asda or Tesco or clearance of old stock of current models.

As for the other comments earlier on Blu Ray, you need to do some research, there's another format, AOD, that's recently been made a standard by the DVD Forum so you can expect another format war between AOD and Blu Ray. Also, Blu Ray recorders are available in Japan, at a cost of $4000. So yeah, you keep waiting, in the meantime, I'll continue recording my favourite shows in DVD quality.