DVD HDD Recorders

Zardoz · **Posted:** Mon May 19, 2008 22:38

Hello!

My dad wants a DVD recorder with HDD, after looking into it a little he'll want one with a freeview tuner, can use all sorts of media, be able to play DIVXs, upscales nicely on his 32 Samsung LCD and IS EASY TO OPERATE - SO EASY IN FACT THAT I WON'T HAVE TO HELP ALL THE TIME, and it needs to cost between £75 - £150. So far I've seen some Sonys that are simple to use but too expensive, and Samsungs that look the dogs knob but have crappy reviews due to being a bitch to use.

Any suggestions Beteozers?

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 8:42

Buy the Sony. The ones ending in 70, whichever is cheapest. My dad is of the "put a four hour tape in on Long Play and press record on the way out" level of interest in programming VCRs and he loves the GuidePlus "press red to record this" thing. It comes with analogue and freeview tuners, and an InfraRed doodad that can change channel on an external Sky/Cable box so you can record any of those channels without having to remember to set them to the right one yourself.

I got one myself. It's brill.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 9:12

Cheers man, I'll have a snoop around for a cheaper sony, maybe tell my Pops to hang on for a while.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16635

We almost bought a PVR the other week but then they launched the Freesat service which will have HD channels and Humax are apparently making a PVR for it, so now I'm all confused about what to do. I really want a PVR but don't want to buy into a new service too early before it all settles down and the vastly superior version two PVRs come out. Hmm

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 9:32

Good grief. Lots more to think about then. Never heard of this Freesat service until now.

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 10:42

PVRs and HDD/DVD recorders are a bit different. PVRs I think are most useful when they incorporate two tuners, for watching something else while recording- assuming your TV doesn't have freeview also, while the snazzy thing about the HDD/DVD recorders is that you can dub your stuff off to discs to keep. The Sony recorder's IR thing is a little like one of those all-in-one remotes to set up- you keep trying codes until it can change channel for you. So long as it can work with a Freesat decoder (already on the shelves in Currys) and GuidePlus covers the channels, it will record them as easily as BBC1. The 120gb Sony has been as low as £150, but if it's not urgent, then waiting and seeing can't hurt.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 11:01

What model is yours AceAceBaby?

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 12:10

Sony RDR-HXD770. £200 from Argos, though may be cheaper elsewhere (and apparently was £150 around last Chrimbo). It is "only" 120gb, but that still accounts for something like 30 E180 tapes in space at good-high quality. Also someone on AVForums has step by step notes on placing any big old SATA drive you like in them, so that will be fun when the warranty runs out. It does cost more, it's true, but I certainly would say to ignore disc size in any comparisons, I think features and quality are more important.

My parents also have a Bush DVD recorder they never use- I mention this because the Warfedale HDD/DVD recorder currently on sale is the same thing, but with the HDD added and a different facia. (It was clear from the Bush manual/remote that it could have a HDD in some models). That didn't have a way to control an external receiver, and an annoying habit of changing the input to analogue TV every time you came out of watching something. What you won't get with the Sony is any way to record HD I think. It basically records from its SCART.

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DVD HDD Recorders
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