dvd recorders

[martha]

Do these things work like a vcr? Do you just hook it up to your tv, press record and "tape" a show to watch later?

 

[anitram]

Essentially.

The "cheaper" ones are DVD recorders (you record on a blank DVD-R). The expensive ones are DVD + DVR recorders which means you can record directly onto a built-in hard drive.

 

[martha]

The expensive ones are DVD + DVR recorders which means you can record directly onto a built-in hard drive.

Tell me why I would want to do that.

 

[bono_man2002]

You would save on Buying DVD's all the time....
Or if you didnt have any on you and were going to miss your favourite show, just record on the hard drive....

my question....can you record to the hard drive and transfer to a DVD disc?

 

[anitram]

Tell me why I would want to do that.

As somebody upthread said, saves you from buying DVDs. Some of the hard drives can store as much as 200-300 hours.

 

[chocky]

Usually DVD recorders without a hard drive can still record on re-writable disks, meaning you can delete and re-record without having to keep purchasing new disks.

You can also edit a re-writable disk but some "editing" actually only hides information you think you have deleted. So if you play the disk on another brand DVD player, the "edited" information magically re-appears.

However, hard-drive DVD recorders give the ability to copy onto disks only the information you want to keep - ie you can edit the ads out permanently etc.

Also, with a hard-drive you could record 10 hours worth of TV to make sure you get the 1 hour show you want, then edit out the rest before burning to a disk. Without a hard-drive you can only record 2 hours TV onto the disk without loss of quality.

Of course hard drives are also useful to record those Seinfeld and U2 Marathons on pay tv !!

 

[martha]

Also, with a hard-drive you could record 10 hours worth of TV to make sure you get the 1 hour show you want, then edit out the rest before burning to a disk. Without a hard-drive you can only record 2 hours TV onto the disk without loss of quality.

Ok. So I could record, say, the whole SNL show, not stay up to watch it, and then only put U2 on the disc? And then put other U2 stuff on that same disc? Like I do with the tapes?

 

[EPandAmerica]

oooh oooh*raises hand*

I have questions also. I was going to save them up for the Best Buy guy, but I'll ask them here.

If I get a dvd recorder with the hard drive, I know I can transfer stuff from VHS to DVD, but can I copy my other DVD+R's also? Is it just like hooking up two VCR's to make dubs?

 

[melon]

You would save on Buying DVD's all the time....

If you buy DVD-RWs, then this won't be an issue. You can just record over the disc like you could a VHS tape. Of course, that assumes that you don't want to permanently keep whatever you recorded last.

Melon

 

[kobayashi]

i have a dvr. its good.

i see no reason to upgrade to a dvd recorder.

 

[martha]

Why not? What's the diff?

 

[kobayashi]

well for my uses, i see no reason to make the content 'portable' on a disc. if i want to save it i just dont delete it.

i havent really looked at the market lately but my impression from when i bought a year and a half ago is that these devices will be very much internet capable (they may serve as the household hub in a microsoft dream world). they will be so central that the recordable disc is a bit of a stop gap.

 

[martha]

M'k.

 

[Mr. BAW]

Yeah, its easy...just ask BAW...

 

[Doozer61]

 

[BAW]

Yeah, its easy...just ask BAW...

*kicks stupid dvd recorder that wouldn't work on ANY of our TV's

 

[martha]

Then maybe the dvd player I have now is just fine.