Posted by: G. E. S.
DVD Recorder Recommendations? - 01/01/08 09:35 PM
The short version of this question is: Has anyone found a reliable DVD recorder that they're happy with and would recommend as a VCR substitute? If so, what do you recommend and why?
I've already searched the Outlaw Saloon and there doesn't appear to be a recent topic on this matter that addresses the current crop of DVD recorders.
Here's the long version with details:
I've been researching DVD Recorders on-and-off over the last few months. I'm in a quandary since (a) my VCRs are getting old; (b) it's hard to find anyone who repairs VCRs these days; and (c) you can't buy a new, high-quality, stand-alone VCR anymore. Hence I'm looking for a good DVD recorder to take over the VCR's role in my home theater and for dubbing some videotapes to DVD.
I've read the Consumer Reports review in their November 2007 issue and initially focused on a close examination of the top-rated models:
DVD-only: Samsung DVD-AR650, Panasonic DMR-EZ17 and DMR-EZ27
DVD/VCR Combos: Panasonic DMR-E47V, Samsung DVD-VR357
Since then I've also looked at the Samsung DVD-R155, DVD-R160 (both DVD Only) and the Toshiba D-R400 (DVD Only) and D-VR600 (DVD/VCR Combo).
I've downloaded and read all the manuals available (the Toshiba manuals aren't available online).
What has made the choice so difficult is the following:
1. Other than the Toshibas, most get middling to poor reviews. In reading the customer-submitted reviews on sites including Amazon, Best Buy, and Circuit City one finds things like:
I've tried to take all of the customer-submitted reviews with a grain of salt: some are obvious slams from customers who either didn't research the product or can't read a manual, but when one sees multiple, well-written reviews citing things like DOA machines, freezes, and early death after the 90-day warranty, one can't simply brush them off.
2. While the Toshiba's tend to get the better reviews, they don't support recording to DL (dual layer) media. As a result, if you want to record a long sporting event (e.g. F1 races, which sometimes run to nearly three hours) you have to use LP speed. Virtually all the reports I've read indicate that — regardless of make or model — recording at anything less than SP speed results in "unwatchable" video, esp. for sporting events with fast motion. I've been unable to confirm this myself, but the number of reviews complaining about video quality at anything less than SP are compelling. Likewise, the Toshiba's can't record to DVD-RAM. The lack of DL support also presents a problem in dubbing tapes longer than two hours: these would have to be recorded at LP speed.
3. While some of the machines, like the Panasonic and Samsung, support DL media, there's no support (and apparently no media available yet either) for DVD±RW DL (Rewriteable Dual Layer), meaning if you want to use DL media to record a two-plus hour program at SP speed, it has to be DVD±R DL and you're committing a disc to the programming.
4. I went to Circuit City and was able to persuade one of their sales folks to let me "test drive" both the Panasonic DMR-EZ47V and Samsung DVD-VR357, both DVD/VCR Combos. I brought a couple of VHS tapes with me to see how well they'd track (both were recorded in high-end Sony VCRs and played well at home). To my surprise, the Panasonic did a lousy job of tracking the tapes, while the Samsung played them perfectly. I've wanted to test the Toshiba D-VR600 (another combo unit) but these appear be discontinued: they're virtually out-of-stock everywhere except a few places online. Given the number of returns cited for all of the DVD recorders, my inclination has been to buy locally vs. online to avoid the potential hassle of a return via RMA vs. simply taking it back to the store.
5. My initial thought has been to go with a Combo unit as my VCRs are both pretty old. One (Sony SLV-555UC) has been back to the shop three times all for the same repair (it's a good shop, so they're standing behind their work vs. nickel-and-diming me) and the second (Sony SLV-940HF) is now showing signs of its age. However, in consulting with some VCR repair folks, the latest VCR mechanisms are considered inferior to those in my current VCRs. Their opinion is that if my VCRs could be brought back to near-new condition, I'd probably get better tape dubs from them than using a DVD/VCR Combo recorder. Customer-submitted reviews on Combo units have been about as mixed as those for the DVD-only units.
I seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place: go with a Toshiba despite its lack of DL support, or roll the dice with Samsung.
Any advice from the community would be welcomed! TIA!
PS: Apologies for the long post, but I thought the details of my quest might be helpful to others considering a DVD recorder.
I've already searched the Outlaw Saloon and there doesn't appear to be a recent topic on this matter that addresses the current crop of DVD recorders.
Here's the long version with details:
I've been researching DVD Recorders on-and-off over the last few months. I'm in a quandary since (a) my VCRs are getting old; (b) it's hard to find anyone who repairs VCRs these days; and (c) you can't buy a new, high-quality, stand-alone VCR anymore. Hence I'm looking for a good DVD recorder to take over the VCR's role in my home theater and for dubbing some videotapes to DVD.
I've read the Consumer Reports review in their November 2007 issue and initially focused on a close examination of the top-rated models:
DVD-only: Samsung DVD-AR650, Panasonic DMR-EZ17 and DMR-EZ27
DVD/VCR Combos: Panasonic DMR-E47V, Samsung DVD-VR357
Since then I've also looked at the Samsung DVD-R155, DVD-R160 (both DVD Only) and the Toshiba D-R400 (DVD Only) and D-VR600 (DVD/VCR Combo).
I've downloaded and read all the manuals available (the Toshiba manuals aren't available online).
What has made the choice so difficult is the following:
1. Other than the Toshibas, most get middling to poor reviews. In reading the customer-submitted reviews on sites including Amazon, Best Buy, and Circuit City one finds things like:
- The Panasonic models are subject to frequent freezes. The Panasonics all contain HD Tuners, which makes them about $100 more expensive than tunerless models. As I use Dish Network, a tunerless model is my preference.
- The Samsung models seem to last about 4-6 months, then die. There are numerous rants about poor customer service from Samsung.
- Performance of all the models is spotty. In particular, the machines all seem to have a significant lag time between when one presses a command on the remote control and when it is actually executed by the machine. The Samsung remotes seem particularly finicky w.r.t. the angle at which they're used relative to the player. They all appear to be an exercise in extreme patience.
I've tried to take all of the customer-submitted reviews with a grain of salt: some are obvious slams from customers who either didn't research the product or can't read a manual, but when one sees multiple, well-written reviews citing things like DOA machines, freezes, and early death after the 90-day warranty, one can't simply brush them off.
2. While the Toshiba's tend to get the better reviews, they don't support recording to DL (dual layer) media. As a result, if you want to record a long sporting event (e.g. F1 races, which sometimes run to nearly three hours) you have to use LP speed. Virtually all the reports I've read indicate that — regardless of make or model — recording at anything less than SP speed results in "unwatchable" video, esp. for sporting events with fast motion. I've been unable to confirm this myself, but the number of reviews complaining about video quality at anything less than SP are compelling. Likewise, the Toshiba's can't record to DVD-RAM. The lack of DL support also presents a problem in dubbing tapes longer than two hours: these would have to be recorded at LP speed.
3. While some of the machines, like the Panasonic and Samsung, support DL media, there's no support (and apparently no media available yet either) for DVD±RW DL (Rewriteable Dual Layer), meaning if you want to use DL media to record a two-plus hour program at SP speed, it has to be DVD±R DL and you're committing a disc to the programming.
4. I went to Circuit City and was able to persuade one of their sales folks to let me "test drive" both the Panasonic DMR-EZ47V and Samsung DVD-VR357, both DVD/VCR Combos. I brought a couple of VHS tapes with me to see how well they'd track (both were recorded in high-end Sony VCRs and played well at home). To my surprise, the Panasonic did a lousy job of tracking the tapes, while the Samsung played them perfectly. I've wanted to test the Toshiba D-VR600 (another combo unit) but these appear be discontinued: they're virtually out-of-stock everywhere except a few places online. Given the number of returns cited for all of the DVD recorders, my inclination has been to buy locally vs. online to avoid the potential hassle of a return via RMA vs. simply taking it back to the store.
5. My initial thought has been to go with a Combo unit as my VCRs are both pretty old. One (Sony SLV-555UC) has been back to the shop three times all for the same repair (it's a good shop, so they're standing behind their work vs. nickel-and-diming me) and the second (Sony SLV-940HF) is now showing signs of its age. However, in consulting with some VCR repair folks, the latest VCR mechanisms are considered inferior to those in my current VCRs. Their opinion is that if my VCRs could be brought back to near-new condition, I'd probably get better tape dubs from them than using a DVD/VCR Combo recorder. Customer-submitted reviews on Combo units have been about as mixed as those for the DVD-only units.
I seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place: go with a Toshiba despite its lack of DL support, or roll the dice with Samsung.
Any advice from the community would be welcomed! TIA!
PS: Apologies for the long post, but I thought the details of my quest might be helpful to others considering a DVD recorder.