peanuts, I checked the online manual.

yes it can be displayed on a regular NTSC tv, but.....

1) If you are trying to connect this unit directly to the NTSC tv you would need to use Component, S-Video, or composite connections. If the tv does not have these inputs, but only an RF input(s), an additional RF modulator would be required.

2) This unit cannot display/output HDTV content. It downconverts recieved HD content (720p and 1080i) to Standard Defintion (480P). Apparently it will maintain the 16:9 aspect ratio if a RAM disc is used for recording but if a DVD +/- R disc is used, the image will be reduced to 4:3 aspect ratio.

Thank you 99gecko.

I would like to put up a 4228 and continue using my existing tv until I purchase a decent HDTV. Is an RF modulator something that can be found in the Toronto area? The Source, Sayal, etc.? Not sure if this would really be practical, but the DMR-EZ17K seems pretty reasonably priced at Tiger Direct.

thx in advance.

You should be able to find an rf modulator in a department store (Canadian tire/Walmart), electronics store, even BB/FS or possibly even home depot.
If you have an older video game system, it might even have an external rf moluator. Or look for one at a garage sale - it's that time of the year !
If you have a VCR that has s-video or composite inputs, then you already have an rf modulator built-in. Just plug the DMR-EZ17K into the vcr.

Please note that the picture quality coming out of an rf modulator will be quite poor. You might see an improvement over analog OTA (no ghosting), but it will be minimal.

Thanks, I appreciate your help 99gecko.

After waiting months for the Panasonic DMR-EZ27 (DVD Recorder with ATSC tuner) to come out, I stumbled across the Phillips DVDR-3575H on the internet. The Phillips 3575H is a DVD Recorder with a 160GM HDD and ATSC tuner. Apparently, it recently came out (within a month or two).

Anyhow, I think I have finally found a decent solution to replace my Rogers SA8300HD, which is a very good piece of equipment. Right now, I've got the Roger PVR on a promotion. However, I have an outside antennae and will be getting my HD OTA by the end of the year. I wanted to have something to record digital programming.

Both the Panasonic and Phillips fit the bill. Note, however, neither will receive HD signals, only digital signals at standard definition. Except for TIVO, PC HDTV tuner cards, and cable boxes, I haven't found any DVDR or DVRs that record in HD in Canada.

I was ready to buy the Panasonic when I found the Phillips has a HDD. I did some research and it seemed okay. I bought it yesterday at Best Buy in Toronto (BTW, it is on sale this week for $350 - a $50 saving).

I've only had it a day now. My quick thoughts are that it has all the right stuff though not the easiest or slickest to use. The 3575H will:
- pause live TV
- time slip (aka chase) (i.e. you can watch a program that is already recording from the beginning)
- hi-speed dub to DVD
- upconvert to 1080p
- display digital signals but NOT display HD (as mentioned earlier)
- NOT have EPG (this is where the 8300HD wins hands down)
The Phillips' remote is a little unintuitive and the buttons are slightly small. Using the Phillips is a little unintuitive also. The Panasonic will probably have a slicker and more user-friendly interface. But the Panny doesn't have a HDD.

Those are my initial thoughts.

So what does the Phillips DVDR-3575H do when you tune a HD digital signal? Does it downconvert to SD or just not work?

I am looking for something like this because I want to watch OTA TV, but I almost never watch live.

Right now I am testing a PC card that does receive HD, but I am not really set up for a HTPC. I am recording the programs with the PC at my desk, then dragging the PC into the theatre and hooking it up to the projector & receiver to watch the show :( I really need a better solution.

Hi Woodbutcher,

When any digital signal (HD or SD) is received, I think it displays it in 480p. HD shows still look pretty good but they are not HD. The literature calls it an SDTV tuner so I don't expect HD. When hooked up via HDMI, the manual says that the image is upconverted to 1080p. However, I don't know if this only applies to the DVD and HDD recordings. I must confess that I am pretty new to the HD world. My eye for seeing differences between 720p, 1080i, 1080p (native or upconverted) is not very good.

The 3575H keeps analog and digital tv channels separately. There is a toggle button that switches between analog and digital channels. This is in contrast to my Panasonic Plasma that also has both NTSC and ATSC tuners. My tv tuner will comingle my analog and digital channels. Hence, on my tv, channel 5 will be CBC analog and the next channel, 5.1, will be CBC digital HD. On the 3575H, channel 5 will be with the analog channels. Then when I press the tv/dtv button, I would get channel 5.1 with the digital channels.

I realise that I won't be able to record HD but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I don't want to pay Rogers and the HTPC is way too fiddly. My wife would never want to deal with an HTPC. And forget about TIVO HD $$$$. Hence, if I want to watch HD, I'll watch it live on the Panasonic plasma. Everything else will be SD or SD upcoverted to 1080p.

Since you almost never watch live TV, the 3575H may not what you want if you also want HD. Since you've got the HTPC working, can't you hook up your HTPC to your projector?

I have several computers here, but only one of them is really fast enough to handle the HTPC role, and that is the one my girls use to play games on.

I agree a HTPC is too fussy, but I don't know of any other option for me because I
- Don't want to pay monthly fees to anyone
- Need to time shift 95% of what I watch
- Have a projector and analog TV looks bad blown up that big

If anyone has any other suggestions I am very interested.

In the mean time, I have the loan of WinTV HVR-16 tuner card and it records analog and digital TV to .mpeg files that appear to be 1080i which I have been playing back with Media Player.

My next step is to spec out the cheapest PC that will handle the HTPC duties and see how that compares with the 3575H, but that probably belongs in another forum.

Thanks for your help Gary and let us know how things are working out with your 3575H.

From what I read the Phillips should be able to record ota HD on the hard drive and play it back in full HD using the hdmi/component connection.

If you try and record the hd from the hard drive to dvd it will down convert it to sd.

If your tv supports 1080p the dvd can also upconvert to 480p, 720p 1080i and 1080p via hdmi for 1080p.

Hi Yaamon,

What did you read to believe that the 3575H can receive HD OTA? My manual and leaflets say the tuner is SDTV so I thought it would downconvert the picture to SD. I think this is what the Panasonic DMR-EZ27 would do too. Some of my conclusions were based on my readings on other forums so my info may be flawed.

Anyhow, I'll take another look at the picture quality for the OTA HD channels. While I have Rogers cable, I've been hooking it up to the 3575H. I'll let you know what I think of the PQ.

Gary

Hi Gary this is where I read it from. Maybe you can confirm if it does.
http://dvr.about.com/od/dvdrecorders/p/dvdr3575h.htm

The Philips DVDR3575H/37 DVD Recorder is one of the few new DVD Recorders that includes an ATSC Tuner as well as a Built-in Hard Drive. The Philips recorder can tune Over-the-Air digital broadcasts, including HD broadcasts and record them to either DVD disc or the built-in 160GB hard drive. Those HD recordings can then be upscaled in full 1080p to a compatible 1080p HDTV.
The new Philips DVDR3575H/37 DVD Recorder combines a lot of great new technology. The ATSC Tuner, Built-in 160GB Hard Drive, and 1080p upconversion is great for those who are looking to be able to record Over-the-Air HD and upconvert to their HDTV.So from what I understand it should record ota hd on the hard drive. But if you try and copy it to dvd it will downconvert it to sd.

Hey Gary check out directcanada dot com for there price and go back to FutureShop and get their low price match. I think you have 14 days from date of purchase.
I picked one up and it picks up the DTV fine, no signal strength meter though.

Take Care
jtime905

Yaamon, I hope you are right, but suspect you are not. In the user's manual that I downloaded from the Philips page there are a couple of things that make me think HD is downconverted. First on page 39 it says

"All high definition pictures will be down converted to
the standard definition pictures when they are
recorded on this unit."

The second thing on the same page is the table that shows recording time at various quality levels and at the best quality level it estimates 33 hours on the 160 GByte drive. Based on what I remember from other PVRs I think that is a bit much if it was storing full HD in MPEG 2.

I hope someone can prove me wrong quickly, because I am probably going to order a HTPC in the next 24 hours.

WoodButcher, there is a good chance Iam wrong as that was what I read and don't own one personally.

Hopefully the owners here can record ota and see. Also if Iam not mistaken the Rogers pvr think it also has a 160G and can hold about 20hr in hd and 90hr in SD recording.

Its been awhile as I added a 300g to my hd pvr a few years ago. Again I could be wrong. :)

I've read through the Philips DVDR3575H/37 documentation and web sites too and the specifications for that machine are really irritating! Its not possible to be really sure what it can do until someone reports back about their actual use. :mad:

I reconnected my antennae and made some comparisons of PQ. Regretfully, as I originally suspected, the 3575H downconverts the digital signal to SD. I watched some of the FIFA Under 20 game on CBC. The 3575H image on the tuner and the HDD recording (on HQ picture quality setting) were both SD. It was evident when I compared the picture to the cable HD image (on the SA8300HD) and the HD OTA (on the plasma tuner). When I compared the analogue picture to the 3575H digital picture, they were similar quality.:eek:

So Woodbutcher, I think you'll have to buy the HTPC. Let us know how you make out (maybe in another forum as it's off topic in this one). I tried out the Hauppauge HVR-1600. The picture was good but the interface was extremely difficult to use. There is no way my wife would go to the inconvenience of using it.

jtime905, I'll see if Best Buy will give me a discount since directcanada has a cheaper price. How do I ask for the discount? Do I print out the webpage and bring it in? Thanks.

Thanks for doing the research. I think the 3575H is still a step in the right direction. I am putting the HTPC together as a stopgap until something better comes along. HD is really the way of the future, I just don't know if it is the near future here in Canada :(

I will let you know how it goes.

garymwong I printed off the web page when I went in and purchase it. So print off the ad and bring your receipt to costumer service and they should refund the difference plus 10% of the difference. So you should get another $50 or so. Better in your pocket then BB.

Thanks jtime905! I did as you suggested and got $50 back. The manager said that CanadaDirect may not be eligible for the price guarantee but honoured it anyway.

Woodbutcher, take a look at the HTPC forum (if you haven't already). There is some interesting discussion about Microsoft, flags, and disabling hardware. Good luck!

Cheers and thanks everyone 8)

Read it and weep:

Pioneer offers a 1080p Premium DVD Recorder with 500GB Hard Disk and Digital DVB-T Tuner in Europe, yet doesn't offer an ATSC version for us!

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/45/133/501/DVR-940HX-S/index.html

250GB unit with DVB-T but not ATSC:

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/45/133/501/DVR-LX60D/index.html

I'd even settle for the 160GB version if only it was available here with an ATSC tuner:

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/45/133/501/DVR-550HX-S/index.html