Any tips and/or hints for buying a DVD recorder?

[dflour69]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a DVD recorder to use with my SKY+HD box. I don't often record HD content on my SKY box (takes up too much space), so I wouldn't be saving HD content to DVD. I'm mainly be burning music programs from SKY arts channels.
I haven't a clue about buying a DVD recorder and would appreciate some advice. My TV is a Sony Bravia 32inch.

Thanks in advance.

[Scubbie]

Could I suggest searching the web?

There is a huge variety out there and they are forever changing.

DVD recorders start at £69, whereas Blu-Ray recorders start at around £300. The Blu-Ray recorder might be considerably more expensive, but it would help to future proof things a little longer.

You could also look at a combined FreeView PVR/VCR/DVD recorder. A friend has one of these and he occasionally burns off something from FreeView to a DVD.

[Isitme]

Rather than a vanilla DVD recorder, I would advise getting one with a HDD. This allows you to record to the HDD, edit the content, then burn it to a DVD. I have a Liton HD-A740gx which has served me well and a LVW 5045 which I have been using to record my security camera output 12 hours a day for several years. Lite-On have now pulled out of the consumer electronics market so these are no longer available. Panasonic look to be highly recommended.

[dflour69]

Actually, I have already searched the web and I just found it confusing. I had zeroed in on a particular bit of Sony kit, which was inexpensive and was being praised to the heavens. However, in amongst all the glitter and gloss, I found a small mention of the fact that it's recordings could only be played on that machine (and presumably it's brothers and sisters) and no other DVD player. Not a prospect for a long term solution

[Isitme]

Have a look at WhatHifi reviews - DVD recorder reviews and DVD recorder Best Buys - from the experts at whathifi.com

I too wouldn't touch anything that can't be played on any DVD player

[Scubbie]

My DVD recorder is a few years old now, and it too can have the issue of any recordings made on it will not be watchable on any other device. However, once the recordings have been 'fixed' you can watch them on any DVD player.

I would suggest that you write down a few things that you consider to be important. Take a look at the recorders around and see if you can find out if they have those features. This research may require that you search for the actual manual for the device, but many of them are available on-line now, so you can find this out without owning the item.

I've recently found that typing 'manual for make model' in Google works pretty well for a lot of things.

You'll find a lot of features are fairly standard. For example Audio out, S-VHS out, optical sound output, etc. will be on the majority of players. Most of these aren't what you need to concentrate on IMHO.

I am sure that many others will have other factors that they wish to consider, as every person will have their own wish list, but here are a few that I might want to add for your requirements:

2 Scart sockets (DVD) - Some Sky boxes now only have one, this will allow you to have a 'pass through', enabling you to connect the Sky box through this and on to your TV

Ability to burn on DL (dual layered) discs - Standard discs only record 2 hours at Standard encryption. Picture quality soon drops for longer recordings

FreeView Tuner - Essential now as many areas don't have analogue broadcasts now and next year see the last of them being turned off. I know that you mentioned that most of your plans are around a Sky channel, but at least this way you are better able to change in the future.

Built-in editing facilities - makes it easier to chop out the ads & trim the beginning & end of a timed recording

Built in HDD - Just like with the Sky STB, you could record FreeView content and then transfer onto your DVD if you wish. Some also have VCRs built in which allow copying straight onto DVD, even pre-recorded

Easy integration into existing equipment - If you have a surround sound system, will it work? Does the TV remote work with it? Some people find that this is important

This is also quite a nice look at some of the features that you can get on different recorders:

What is a DVD recorder?

Finally, this is your choice. What works for me and all the other members, may not be what will work for you. Looking around and reading may help, but its your money.

[deadman1984]

you could ditch the dvd player and go for a blu ray player instead much better pic quality than dvds

[Isitme]

He wants a recorder, not a player. and Bluray writeable disks cost much more than DVDs. When you can't record HD, and you can't from the Sky box, it just not worth the extra cost.

[deadman1984]

yea true i supose but hey you get what you pay for thease days if you buy cheap you get cheap

[Isitme]

While on the subject of cheapness this might be worth considering -
Emprex ME1-V2 Hi Def Media Player Recorder V2: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics It is not a DVD recorder but would make moving programs from the Sky box to your PC fairly easy. This one comes complete with HDD. - Emprex ME1-V2-500GB 500GB HD Media Player Recorder: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics