Decent DVD Recorder

horsenailbucket

Hi all,

I was looking for a decent DVD recorder after buying 3, yes 3, Philips ones all with faults. I'm now on number 4, a SONY-RDRGX300S (region 2 but all recording formats other than DVD-RAM - that's betamax anyway) and the best deal I found was with https://www.empiredirect.co.uk at £259.79. The high street stores have the same model for £349.99.

Now I don't know why but I also got 3 DVD-Rs free separately, and on the Sony box is an offer to join lovefilm.com with 12 rentals free!

So far this Sony has been brilliant!

George_Bray

Is the playback more or less indistinguishable from the original broadcast and miles better than VHS?

horsenailbucket

Hello m8,

I am not an expert and I've not had the unit that long but I would say the pic quality was excellent.  This Sony has a extra high res setting to record for 1 hour only - this should equal broadcastable standard.

Being DVD you get automatic chapters generated and it will also record the title from Teletext.

The setup was simple and the basic controls are easy to follow, but I think you need a degree in electronics to fully digest the manual!

The only downside I've noticed is that when I've played a RW disc on another machine every now and then you get a sort of ghosting in movement, but this could be due to using an RW disc.  The DVD spec is pretty wide and changing all the time, it might be if I viewed an R disc (which I haven't got round to yet) I wouldn't see this.

joeo2000

Richer sounds do panasonic dvd recorders under £200 and other brands from £119

I believe dvd-r discs are generally more compatible
I think you can bittsett a dvd+r to a -r

checkout the forums,dvd recorder compatibility,media compatibility at;
http:www.dvdrhelp.com

hollie.weimeraner

Hi all,

(region 2 but all recording formats other than DVD-RAM - that's betamax anyway)

If anyone requires a balanced and informative reply regarding DVD RAM rather than an ill informed throw away comment then have a look at https://www.avforums.com

DVD RAM recorders will never go the way Betamax did as they are compatible with ALL pre recorded formats (+/- r and many support vcd, svcd, mp3 to name a few).

The main advantage that RAM has over the Phillips/Sony format (in my opinion) is that the machines have the ability to "time slip". This means that you can actually watch one recording whilst the machine records another programme or if you walk in half way through a recording you can watch from the beginning whilst the machine continues to record the end.

I have owned a Panasonic DMR e 50 for two years now and can honestly say it has been brilliant. I also have a Panasonic player in the bedroom that also plays DVD RAM discs that have been recorded on the e50.

My opinion is that anyone buying a DVD recorder should check out ALL options prior to making an INFORMED opinion, only then will there be no regrets (hopefully). The link above should help a great deal as there are a host of "technophobes" on there that know their stuff.

boatman

Try https://www.totaldigital.biz They have the Sony GX300 for £250 and its multi region, as are all the dvd players/recorders they sell.
For what its worth I've also got Panasonic E50, excellent!

Woby_Tide

I agree with Hollie, for anyone looking to replace a video recorder with a DVD one, as in the main most people do throwaway recordings for day to day stuff the RAM format postively destroys the competition in it's capabilites and usage, for permanent copies you also have the more compatible DVD-R format, don't dismiss RAM as Betamax, far from it. If you desperately want RW formats aswell then the Pioneer and Toshiba I think offer -R/-RW/-RAM format to satisfy that requirement

A happy Panasonic E-55 owner


(the fact that the original poster has already got ghosting on his RW recordings says someting I have to admit....)

Lee_T.

I've just bought a Liteon 5005, I must say it does everything I want it to do. It also writes in + or-, or even onto cdr. At just £150 from Argos of all places I would recommend it. I forgot to mention it also has i-link so I can record my Digital recordings straight onto it.

budeauxboy

Originally replaced my old video recorder with the panasonic dmre-50 and was so impressed with the quality and build that i am now a panasonic zealot.so much so that ive just bought the viera 42" plasma including a free dmre-55.The ram discs are a godsend and anyone that dismisses the format so off hand has obviously not seen them in action.