DVD Recorder

[Seafarer]

Sorry to bother you again as i have asked before but,I've just seen a
DVD recorder in ALDI with full spec.so much I can't tell you for 229
pounds.
The name[Tevion] is new to me except for the wireless keyboard and
mouse I have from them.
Point is,it has a 160GB HARD DRIVE so what are the advantages of
having a HDD.
I'm guessing you can record on HDD and transfer to DVD disc when you
want but that's just a guess and if a disc holds 8 hours of recording
on it I don't see the advantage for the extra cash.
I also assume that if the HDD is like a computers one it will struggle
after a year with bad sectors but we can easily replace a computer one
I'm not sure re. a Recorder one.
Lots of questions I know but it will help me thanks a lot.

 

[Dave D]

Sorry to bother you again as i have asked before but,I've just seen a
DVD recorder in ALDI with full spec.so much I can't tell you for 229
pounds.
The name[Tevion] is new to me except for the wireless keyboard and
mouse I have from them.
Point is,it has a 160GB HARD DRIVE so what are the advantages of
having a HDD.
I'm guessing you can record on HDD and transfer to DVD disc when you
want but that's just a guess and if a disc holds 8 hours of recording
on it I don't see the advantage for the extra cash.
I also assume that if the HDD is like a computers one it will struggle
after a year with bad sectors but we can easily replace a computer one
I'm not sure re. a Recorder one.
Lots of questions I know but it will help me thanks a lot.

Recorders with hard drives are definitely desirable if you are into a lot of
timeshifting. You don't have to worry about sorting out a disc for
recording, you just hit record and it stores the program on the drive. If
you later decide to make a permanent copy you just transfer it to DVD. Some
models allow you to real-time delay a program like a TIVO, IOW if the phone
rings you can 'pause' a live program then resume when you like, even if it's
still recording.

Sure, eventually the drive will wear out, but then so will the laser if you
do a lot of DVD writing. I don't know if the drives can be replaced with
different models than the original, I'd be interested to know that myself.

If you go for an optical-only unit, I'd get one which supports DVD-RAM, it's
the next best thing to Hard Drive recording.

Dave

 

[Arfa Daily]

Sorry to bother you again as i have asked before but,I've just seen a
DVD recorder in ALDI with full spec.so much I can't tell you for 229
pounds.
The name[Tevion] is new to me except for the wireless keyboard and
mouse I have from them.
Point is,it has a 160GB HARD DRIVE so what are the advantages of
having a HDD.
I'm guessing you can record on HDD and transfer to DVD disc when you
want but that's just a guess and if a disc holds 8 hours of recording
on it I don't see the advantage for the extra cash.
I also assume that if the HDD is like a computers one it will struggle
after a year with bad sectors but we can easily replace a computer one
I'm not sure re. a Recorder one.
Lots of questions I know but it will help me thanks a lot.

Recorders with hard drives are definitely desirable if you are into a lot
of timeshifting. You don't have to worry about sorting out a disc for
recording, you just hit record and it stores the program on the drive. If
you later decide to make a permanent copy you just transfer it to DVD.
Some models allow you to real-time delay a program like a TIVO, IOW if
the phone rings you can 'pause' a live program then resume when you like,
even if it's still recording.

Sure, eventually the drive will wear out, but then so will the laser if
you do a lot of DVD writing. I don't know if the drives can be replaced
with different models than the original, I'd be interested to know that
myself.

If you go for an optical-only unit, I'd get one which supports DVD-RAM,
it's the next best thing to Hard Drive recording.

Dave

In theory, Dave, the drives can be replaced with any that conform to the
same spindle speed specs etc - see lots of entries regarding changing /
upgrading the drives on British Sky + boxes.

However, it's been my experience that if you want it to work as soon as you
drop it in, and to carry on doing so reliably, you should use only drives
from the original manufacturer, and from the same series. This goes for
audio HDD recorders as well.

I would agree with everything that you have said regarding timeshift
recording etc. It is my belief that optical only recorders will have a short
lifespan, and HDD PVRs or HDD + optical units, will rapidly take over as the
household VCR replacement. As you say, the HDD recorder is so much more
convenient to use, and has many more useful features like live pause and
live rewind. I often set a program that I am going to watch, to record, then
delay starting to watch it for 5 mins. You can then FF through every
commercial break, still finishing watching the program at its normal finish
time. Can't do that with a VCR or optical ...


Arfa

 

[Dave D]

In theory, Dave, the drives can be replaced with any that conform to the
same spindle speed specs etc - see lots of entries regarding changing /
upgrading the drives on British Sky + boxes.

However, it's been my experience that if you want it to work as soon as
you drop it in, and to carry on doing so reliably, you should use only
drives from the original manufacturer, and from the same series. This goes
for audio HDD recorders as well.

I can see a market for hard drive recorders with removable caddies where the
user can use their own drive, and transfer movies to their PCs!

I doubt the copyright owners would be thrilled though.

Dave