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Post by Mogol on Aug 11, 2008 11:49:49 GMT -5
Does anyone have a good DVD recorder they can recommend? Basically, I'm looking for a VHS/DVD combo, so it'll be easier to transfer my VHS tapes to DVD. But I also want to be able to record straight to DVD. My cable requires a digital cable box, so if push comes to shove I don't think I have to have a tuner in the recorder itself (correct me if I'm wrong here.) I probably want 1080p upconvert too, since that doesn't seem to cause much of a price jump. I thought I had found one I liked, but then a customer review said it has "security features" that prevents you from recording TV. The review doesn't go into detail so I don't know if there are actual lock-out features for copyrighted shows, or if this person was thrown by the lack of tuner.
I have next to no knowledge about DVD recording (other than what you do on the PC) so any tips or advice are welcome.
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Post by Chuck on Aug 12, 2008 19:16:13 GMT -5
mogol, we've got a Samsung, and it's a terrific little piece o'machinery. No problems like we've had with the dvd recorders only. (Some of them won't let you record films on cable because of copyright issues.) Steep learning curve for using it. They break easily. VERY easily.
We also have a Samsung wide-screen, high-def large set in the living room, and a small version in one of the bedrooms.
Samsung's pretty durable.
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Post by mylungswereaching on Aug 12, 2008 19:57:36 GMT -5
I'm using a Mitubishi hs u747. It's a cheap dvd recorder that I picked up at Walmart on clearance. I've read bad things about it on line but I've been using mine for over a year and I've burned over 400 DVD's on it without any major problems. It does tend to be touchy, like you can edit and remove commercials but you've got to do it in the right order or it messes up.
The burner I use comes with the burner, a tuner and a 40 gig harddrive so you can use the drive like a TIVO. I copy TV programs onto the Harddrive, edit out the commercials and then burn them. I'd recommend getting one with a larger hard drive if you use it that way because even though 20 hours sounds like a lot, you can fill it up pretty quickly if you want to record enough episodes of a show to fill up a DVD. You can set up to 20 recordings in advance like a VCR. This only works if you can hook the cable directly to the box. I've only got basic cable so it works fine for me. If I had HBO and had to use the box it wouldn't work as well.
I have to use a seperate VCR to make copies but that only requires a decent set of patch cords. I like it that way because some of my MST3k episodes are close to 20 years old and they don't play properly on every VCR. I have a couple of old VCR's that I keep for dubing purposes.
I've transfered the years 1,2,3 and 8 onto DVD and the DVD's look exactly the same as the source tapes as far as I can tell. I recorded most of the episodes myself. I will need to upgrade a few of them but that was the fault in the original recordings. I'm currently working on year 4 and the last couple in year 8.
I'm planning to start trading once I've got everything on DVD so I know which ones that I really need to upgrade. I'm always on the look out for really good copies that aren't yet offered by Rhino and all.
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Post by Mogol on Aug 15, 2008 12:11:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips. Chuck, do you know the model # of your Samsung? The one I was looking at originally is a Samsung VR375. And is there any way to tell which recorders block out certain shows? Or is it all of them?
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Post by mylungswereaching on Aug 15, 2008 21:59:04 GMT -5
My burner has never refused to tape a broadcast program. It won't record a copyrighted tape or DVD. I don't have HBO if that makes any difference.
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Post by Chuck on Aug 23, 2008 8:11:43 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips. Chuck, do you know the model # of your Samsung? The one I was looking at originally is a Samsung VR375. And is there any way to tell which recorders block out certain shows? Or is it all of them? Mogol, they blocked out every film on cable. INCLUDING Turner Classics. (We have digital RCN.) (When I say "Blocked out", I mean we got a message on the screen saying what we were trying to record is copyright protected.) We have the Samsung DVD-VR357. And it's a little workhorse. HOWEVER, I'm getting a new computer and got the digital tuner to go with it, so I'll be able to plug cable into it, and record on my hard drive, and then burn directly to DVD. Handy little thing to have.
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Post by mylungswereaching on Aug 23, 2008 19:19:21 GMT -5
Is that block out only on digital cable or on certain channels? I've never seen it on anything I've tried to record.
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Post by Mogol on Aug 24, 2008 14:47:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips. Chuck, do you know the model # of your Samsung? The one I was looking at originally is a Samsung VR375. And is there any way to tell which recorders block out certain shows? Or is it all of them? Mogol, they blocked out every film on cable. INCLUDING Turner Classics. (We have digital RCN.) (When I say "Blocked out", I mean we got a message on the screen saying what we were trying to record is copyright protected.) We have the Samsung DVD-VR357. And it's a little workhorse. HOWEVER, I'm getting a new computer and got the digital tuner to go with it, so I'll be able to plug cable into it, and record on my hard drive, and then burn directly to DVD. Handy little thing to have. The more research I do, the more it looks like I'll just have to roll the dice, buy one I like and hope for the best. Some things I've found make it sound like different recorders have a different sensitivity to the signal block. I really appreciate all the help.
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Post by mrcleveland on Aug 26, 2008 13:34:49 GMT -5
I'm looking for a good one too. I have so many tapes and I would like to convert my movies on DVD.
Any that can record shows as long as tapes? (6-8 hrs.)
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Post by mylungswereaching on Aug 26, 2008 16:35:41 GMT -5
I'm looking for a good one too. I have so many tapes and I would like to convert my movies on DVD. Any that can record shows as long as tapes? (6-8 hrs.) If you get one that has a harddrive, a burner and a tuner, you can record the entire tape onto the hardrive, then cut it into three 2hr pieces and edit and burn. I'm assuming that you want to keep the quality as high as possible or why burn a DVD. I've copied most of years 1-4 and 8 so far and its worked really well.
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