Hard Drive DVD recorder - help please!

[Mel B]

Okay, I know this isn't strictly a motorhome specific item but it is related in that we like to record programmes to take away with us in the motorhome (we have a TV with built-in DVD player). Also, if I put this in the other sections no-one will reply!!! *-)

 

At home we have recently changed to a 32" LCD TV and now are looking to replace the 2 video recorders we have which will become obsolete next year when analogue signal is turned off - I really don't want to have to start pratting around with freeview boxes!

 

Sooooo ... I'm now looking to get a HDD recorder, from what I've learnt so far we need:

 

Twin freeview tuners - to be able to record 2 programmes at the same time (some have twin tuners but you can only record one programme whilst watching another).

DVD - to be able to transfer any programmes from the HDD to the DVDs to take them away with us (ideally a quick one to do this too as some can take an age I believe).

A fairly large hard disc.

Not noisy - I believe some can be due to the fan?

Not difficult to use!

Something with a recognised 'name' but nothing too flashy or expensive - not bothered about full HD.

 

Can anyone recommend anything? Or is there anything I should avoid!

 

:-D

[Klyne]

We are in the same position as our analogue signal get knocked off next year. We already have a hard drive/DVD recorder but its not HD. I was in John Lewis the other day and it seems that just hard drive HD (did not look for ones with DVD recorder in) cost in the region of between £200 and £300. The salesman did mention one with two tuners in, think the name was Humax. It was interesting that they were all a much smaller footprint than normal TV add ons. Just wondered if you would consider taking the HD drive with you rather than copying onto DVD?

 

David

[Mel B]

Hi David

 

Don't want to have to take the recorder with us as when we're on holiday we'll want to set it up to record whilst we're away, plus we are rarely on hook-up so would have to run it form an inverter and store it too. So all in all it's easier to just copy the programmes onto DVD and take them.

[747]

Hi Mel,

 

I record movies off the TV for the van. It is handy for when there is no TV reception.

 

My first point is that if anyone has a TV below 32" screen, there is virtually no difference between HD and non HD. That means it is totally pointless buying a HD recorder solely for recording movies for the van. If you want to watch and tape movies to watch on your +32" TV at home, that`s fine.

 

My second point is, why do you need to record 2 programmes at the same time? You must get channels that I cannot get. Sometimes there are only 2 programmes worth watching among all the channels in one night.

 

Also, beware when buying a new TV. In the shop they play blu ray DVD`s to make the picture quality better. A TV programme can be much more inferior.

 

Rant over. :D

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi, I am not sufficiently knowledgeable to be able to be certain, But I beleive that it may not be possible to transfer a digital recording from the (Humax?)recorder on to a DVD , there may be digital protection built in to prevent pirating. Secondly there may also be an issue with copyright.

 

You need to check whether the dvd machine can take in a digital stream, and also does the Hard drive machine give an output that the DVD recognises.m The standards may not be compatible.

 

tonyg3nwl

[mel wood]

Hi Mel,

My reply may be helpful although the machine I will mention doesn't have a Hard Drive.

 

Three weeks ago I bought a Toshiba dvd/vcr from Argos - £219.99.

It can record directly to dvd - length of time on a 2 hour dvd can be doubled to 4 hours at reasonably good quality - last night we watched such a recording on a 24 inch tv and it was fine. You can also increase the time length even further but I don't know what that quality is.

 

It can record onto video tape for up to 8 hours (assuming you have 4 hour long tapes)

 

It can dub video tapes onto dvd and dvd onto vhs tapes so if you have any videos you particularly want and cannot replace on dvd it is ideal.

 

We have found the machine to be excellent so far. It was very easy to set up and use and quality of recordings has been very pleasing.

 

 

Obviously you won't have the capability of recording anywhere near as much as on a hard drive but for us that is not an issue.

 

Hope this has been of some interest and use.

 

Best wishes

 

Mel Wood

 

 

[PCC]

I've got both a Humax Freeview PVR and a Humax Freesat PVR and both are brilliant but can only transfer to DVD via a computer (I've never tried it though). Both came from John Lewis - they were far cheaper than Comet/Currys and only about £5 more than Amazon. Would certainly recommend a twin tuner - means you can record two programmes or record one and watch another recording at the same time.

 

I get better reception on Freesat than on Freeview (I live in a bit of a dip) and you get some extra programmes that are worthwhile (particularly the +1 channels for ITV and C4) and lots that aren't (although you may enjoy the JML shopping channel). Both recorders are silent and do clever things like record an entire series and pause live TV for when the phone goes.

 

I think I've got 250GB capacity but I've never used more than 30% of that. However, you do notice that HD recordings use substantially more memory.

 

They're relatively simple to use - call up the programme list, highlight the programme that you want and tell it whether you want to record the single programme or the whole series. Having said that, you do have to remember which button does what. Also, they take a little while to boot up: maybe 20 - 30 seconds.

 

The quality of the recordings is superb - as good as the original broadcast. As far as high definition is concerned, I only have a 26" TV but you can tell the difference when watching football and sport or David Attenborough, but for most programmes it doesn't really make a difference on this size TV. You do need an extra cable to the TV for the HD.

 

As I said, neither have got built in DVD recorders which is a shame because Humax make brilliant bits of kit.

 

One problem I had with Freesat HD is that ITV cut to a Hyundai commercial just before England scored against the USA in the World cup!

[Keff]

Hi All

 

We have a Panasonic DVD recorder with a built in hard drive have had it for over five years travel with it all the time, it saves TV or films to the hard drive and you can copy them to the DVD we have never had any copy right issues plug the video camera in and download movies to the hard drive and burn them to a DVD. You can even put your camera card in and download pictures to the hard drive and transfer them to a DVD to keep or send home it also has a USB port to connect to your computer take a look at their website the new ones do lots more as well

 

Hope this helps

[flicka]

Mel

I think what you are looking for is a combined HD/DVD Recorder.

Our Samsung is now 6 year old & records either Analogue or Digital, so the model No. will no longer be relevant & I suspect the Hard Drive capacity will have increased.

Our's can record upto 65 hours on the Hard Drive at standard speed.

 

It can record to the Hard Drive OR DVD, but only one program at a time (you watch another programme whilst recording another)

 

It can also copy from the Hard Drive to DVD, ONCE only - presumably to eliminate multiple pirate copying. This feature allows us to retain the original recording on the Hard Drive also.

This is useful when you know a programme/film is longer than a single DVD's capacity, as you can copy part to one DVD and then continue with a second DVD.

 

When recording Digital, it obviously take longer to scroll through the list of programmes, but no difference in set up between Freeview or Freesat.

 

DVD's are fine on our 15" TV in the Van.

 

 

[Trevor S]

Hi Mel. I wanted to do exactly the same as you, so recently purchased a Samsung hdd & dvd recorder (model 893).

 

For recording to harddrive and playback the machine is great, but I just cannot get it to record to DVD and playback on other dvd players or my computer.

 

I am going back to John Lewis this week to see if they can help - it may be a fault with my machine, but the enquiries I have made so far have indicated that there can be compatibility problems with recording on one machine and then trying to play back on another, so this is something to check before you buy.

 

Flicka, if you have had one for 5 years, have you had any problems playing back on other machines? Do you record to DVD- or dvd+ discs?.

 

Trevor

[nomad]

Hi Trevor, do you not get the opportunity to FINALISE the dvd after finishing the copy. That will make the disk suitable for playing on other dvd players.

Colin

[flicka]

Hi Trevor

We only use standard DVD's, not DVD+.

But as Nomad says, you must Finalise when completing the recording.

If not you will only be able to play the DVD on the same machine, IN OUR EXPERIANCE.

There may be another way, but as this works for us, we have not tried to find any other.

[Guest JudgeMental]

we have the excellent Topfield 500 gig HD unit Agreat bit of kit, but I think they have stopped making it now as sat recorders taking over.