Just curious if anyone is using a DVD based DVR. I see Panasonic is really pumping out the advertising on these babies. Do they have component inputs? Or better yet will SA be adding a DVD±R/W/RAM to their existing hard disk based units?

John

I am seriously considering adding the Panny DMR-e80 to my Xmas list.

I may grow old waiting for *C's PVR, plus transferring Video of the baby to DVD would be a bonus.

P

I have the Panasonic DMR-e50. The units do not have component inputs (out only). The other limitation is that they won't record 5.1. Aside from those limitations, I have been very happy with it.

I have had a DVD Recorder/HD for almost a year now, and I could not live without it. No more switching tapes all the time and at the current settings I can record over 50hrs of shows before the HD fills up. Plus creating DVD's is very easy. It is so much easier to dump a home movie to a standalone DVD recorder, edit it down and burn it to a DVD than it is with a Computer (although with not as much control over such things as the menus, etc ...)

I cannot personally comment on the Panasonic line as I have a Toshiba RD-X2 (the only one I could find available in Canada with a HD when I was looking last year), but they are probably very similar.

From what I have heard, no DVD DVR from any of the majors will include Component Input. It is a matter of copy protection issues. (this does not exclude some of the other manufacturers like Liteon, or Apex from doing this) However, I have heard that ones with DVI-in will be available in the future (probably HDTV Recording) as they support copy protection.

At $2000 MSRP that's a lot of money for a dedicated DVD DVR.
Why not consider an HTPC instead? You could probably buy or build one for the same price, you would get the same benefits as the DVR, plus the ability to surf the web on your TV, TiVo-like pausing of live TV, a configurable EPG, streaming audio, etc. It would also let you expand capabilities as new technology enhancements become available without trashing the old system.

From what I have heard, no DVD DVR from any of the majors will include Component Input. It is a matter of copy protection issues. (this does not exclude some of the other manufacturers like Liteon, or Apex from doing this) However, I have heard that ones with DVI-in will be available in the future (probably HDTV Recording) as they support copy protection.
It's more than a matter of copy protection - that's an uncompressed analog HD feed coming out of there! That's like a fire hydrant next to the water fountain of regular analog - it isn't easy or cheap to catch that flow realtime and re-encode it back to some digital form. Think probably one order of magnitude more expensive than what you have available to consumers now at least.DVI is digital, so it's just a matter of capturing that bitstream, a piece of cake in comparison (assuming the copy protection allows it to be recorded).

In terms of using a HTPC instead of the DVD recorder, is there anything available that will capture the component output or even DVI putput on the PC side? I'd expect it would have the same constraints. I know there are OTA tuners, but in my area there are no OTA stations, so the only HDTV feed is through the cable box.

Well, considering that JohnnyG is currently selling the DMR-E80 for $999, which comes with an 80G HD, it's not that bad. If I didn't already have the E30, I'd probably be buying the E80 right now.

But no, there are no recorders with component or digital audio inputs that I'm aware of.

At $2000 MSRP that's a lot of money for a dedicated DVD DVR.
Why not consider an HTPC instead? You could probably buy or build one for the same price, you would get the same benefits as the DVR, plus the ability to surf the web on your TV, TiVo-like pausing of live TV, a configurable EPG, streaming audio, etc.

I actually did build a HTPC at one point and it worked great for all of the above, but I found that the editing of video on it was a real pain. It is very powerful and customizable, but when you want a quick DVD it just takes too long. With my DVD/HDD recorder it takes me about 5 minutes to remove all the commercials from a TV show and get it ready for burning, but with my computer it was taking over a half hour or more for the same process. (most of the computer software was not designed to cut chunks out of the middle of a file, only the beginning and ends)

Component Video is analogue uncompressed at over 1Gb/sec. You won't be recording for long at that rate, without a HDD the size of New York.

Compressed HD (what you get OTA & Cable) is 19.4 Gb/sec. That uses roughly 9GB/hr of HDD.

Component Video is analogue uncompressed at over 1Gb/sec
Analog video doesn't have a bit rate, so none of what you said really makes any sense, but if you can digitise and record s-video, you can just as easily digitise and record component video. As I'm sure you know, component video does not have to equal HD video.

Component Video is analogue uncompressed at over 1Gb/sec. You won't be recording for long at that rate, without a HDD the size of New York.

Interesting analogy 57! I am curoius as to why you picked NY? :lol:

Great postings too. I did not realize so many people were prosumers. I guess for the recording it would be nice to have DVI or even firewire or USB2. I would be happy with an SDTV or EDTV digital stream over said ports.

In that regard, the satellite and cable STB are closer to my desired product. All they are mssing is the DVD record capibilites. Even if they made the DVD's only playable in the original deck that would satisfy a lot of the TV junkies. No?

John

It was a palindrome!!! :P

Allright, I guess I got confused with DVI, which carries uncompressed HD at over 1Gb/sec.

If you could record HD signals sent over a component cable via a HDD after digitizing it, you'd need a big one! The analogy being similar to comparing a TIFF with a JPEG.

I come from a time when NY was the biggest city in the world by population (or so I was taught at the time in a N/A centric country), that's why I use it I guess. I'll have to learn to use Tokyo...

If you could record HD signals sent over a component cable via a HDD after digitizing it, you'd need a big one!
Yup, but not so big if you use real-time MPEG2 compression. Still a very expensive prospect today though.

These things are getting cheap. (http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=drs7000-r&sourceid=00387954566722300697)

John

Just got a Panny E-100. Only had it for 2 days. But already loving the recording while watching something previously recorded feature.

No Longer need 2 VCRs/2 Inputs.

Know I just need to build up a list of programs recorded.

I can't wait till Thursday when Survivor is on. Come in 20 mins late and I can start watching it and finish at 9pm

I've had the Pioneer 510H DVD/HD recorder for about a week and a half and it's fantastic. (I posted a review in the "other equipment" forum.) Changes my whole approach to TV--perfect quality recording, no commercials, start watching something already being recorded, etc. 80 gig HD gives between 30 hours--perfect quality--and 105 hours--VHS quality of recording time. The software menu's a dream--like having a DVD library of shows to watch. Plus it will record over last night's Daily Show with tonight's if you want. Or you can keep them all, your choice. Highspeed copy them over to DVD for your library. Whatever you want.

And let's not forget transferring all those ancient, but important VHS tapes to DVD!

The idea of trying to do that with a computer--even a slick iMac or the HP DVD writer--is so much more daunting than popping the tape in and going away.

The only drawback is that it doesn't decode SACD/DVD-audio, and for the price I'd have liked that thrown in. (Pioneer's 563 player does and it goes for $260!)