Can anyone recommend a good standalone DVD Recorder? I need something I can record to straight from the TiVo when I'm in a hurry and don't feel like taking the time to wait for it to download, encode, etc, etc. Simple, and fast, but good quality. I was originally thinking of just going with a Terapin VCD Recorder, but I figured I might as well go all the way to DVD if I'm going to be spending the money anyway. So, I was looking at this instead. I remember reading a few reviews of DVD Recorders in the past, but I can't seem to find them now. Any insight, or personal experiences will be appreciated. I will be buying something; I'm just trying to weigh my options and get some opinions from people I trust before splurging and buying something on impulse, only to regret it later.

*edit* d'oh! I hadn't seen that player you linked. that looks like it could be good, and it is cheap in comparison to most.*edit*


By the way, I am getting rather annoyed that all the DVD recorders that are out or coming out seem to think we want them all to be DVR's as well. NO! None of these even come close to a Tivo or Replay unit, so just cut out the TV tuner (which will save money), and just make a damn DVD player with a record button. Sheez...

Just posting another option.

This DVD±RW drive looks like a killer deal. It's basically a Sony DRU-500 and you can flash it to Sony DRU-500A to get 4x recording on +RW media. See this thread.

I have a Pioneer A04 and am considering dumping it in favor of this.

Yeah, I've been waiting a while now too, but I'm getting impatient. I just want something that will get me by for now, but that doesn't lack in quality and features too much. I looked at the Philips before, and I have definitely kept it in mind, but right now I'm looking in the < $500 range just to get something in my hands. <Checks pricegrabber, just for the hell of it> Well, actually, it looks like the DVDR985 might be the one I go with, it's sitting right around $500 according to pricegrabber.


BTW, I started this reply before you edited your post.

By the way, for some reason Panasonic is still trying to get DVDRAM in there as a common media type. Can someone tell me what the advantage is to this format? No normal DVD players can play them, can they? It doesn't seem to make much sense.

BTW, I started this reply before you edited your post.

hehe, sorry about that. I just wanted to ask if anyone else was having problems with ricin's avatar and signature thing. They're not coming up for me.

Very interesting. I'll have to look into getting one of those to replace the A04 I have.

For recording from the TiVo, though, I'm looking for a standalone recorder. Mainly because I don't have the time to spend getting the video off of the TiVo. More often then not, I just need to record something off of it quickly to take to a friends house because they missed it earlier in the day. This, of course, will only work if I don't have to spend a few hours fussing with downloading from the TiVo and encoding, etc.

I need all the free time I can get so I can work on things like LRCdb, which, BTW, I am still working on, just a whole hellava lot slower since I started my new job.

...problems with ricin's avatar and signature thing. They're not coming up for me.

Yeah, the server is dead right now. The place where my box is co-located has been having power and network equipment problems.

I have the Panasonic DMR-HS2 stand-alone recorder, and I couldn't be happier with it. I use in concert with a ReplayTV for archival of shows when I am in a hurry, and I am pleased with the results. I also use it in conjunction with a <ahem> "modified" Panasonic DVD player (CGMS and Macrovision stripped on the outputs) so that I can make backups of the DVD originals movies for my kids so they don't get scratched, etc. Works like a charm.

The HS2 has an integrated 40GB drive, so it's perfect for dumping a source to the internal hard drive, and either archiving it to a DVD-R or DVD-RAM or just dumping it entirely.

If you want more info, just let me know. I think it is the best stand-alone burner out there right now. It has firewire also, for direct dubbing from a DV Cam, etc. It was kinda pricey ($799.00) but it is oh so flexible.

Rob

Those specs are certainly impressive. That's a little more than I wanted to spend at the moment, but those features are tempting. It also sounds more in line with the feature set I would be looking for when I decide on a more permanent recorder. So, maybe I'll wait another week or so and just get that one as my permanent unit and skip the whole "i-don't-care-i-want-it-right-now-even-though-it-may-be-lacking-features" step.

I'm so indecisive....<shaking head>

Thanks for the info. I'd love to hear more if you have it.

I'm so indecisive

It's not entirely your fault I still say the right products are not out there yet. Here is what I'm hoping will come along someday:

-Start with a regular, nice, high-end DVD player
-add a record button
-add some special recording features, create an intuitive way to time record things (for people who have difficulty with that)
-add a hard drive
-add editing features for video stored on the hard drive so you can remove commercials, extra film, etc.
-add a firewire port (I don't care now, but if I ever got a DV cam, I would

That's all. Everything. No TV tuner, no VCR Plus. I would think this would have been the first product to get made, instead of something with a TV tuner in it. I would have thought it would have been easier and cheaper without it.

Oh, and I would prefer DVD+R/W. So, anybody have connections with the big electronics manufacturers?

But that's missing out the point (for the manufacturers) of these devices. I was just in Tokyo, and it's very clear that (a) DVD recorders are being set up for this year's home electronics purchase for the general public, and (b) they are intended as VCR replacements. That means all the same features as a VCR, including a TV tuner. I can see the non-tuner units becoming professional use only, like a VCR deck with no tuner would be.

Regards

Mark

I understand. That wasn't my point, though. I'm merely saying what I want After all, most of the features I mentioned aren't VCR-like features.

Besides, most people don't even know how to use their VCRs. I'd be amazed if they could use one of these.

Exactly. You've pretty much pointed out everything I want as well. The ability to do some minor editing (remove commercials, add title with episode description for episodes, maybe even a very simplistic menu designer, etc) before the final burn is a major feature I am looking for, firewire being another.