DVR Chatter

dar wrote:

I'm thinking of replacing the existing VCR with a DVD recorder/VCR combo.
Any of you guys have good results with combos?

If you want to do any editing (eg. remove commercials), consider a DVD recorder with a hard drive.  I bought one of those combo machines, realized I had made a mistake, and sold it after a few months.  I replaced it with a Pioneer DVD/HD recorder.  I have a VCR connected to it, as well as the DCT6412, to transfer the occasional VHS tape to DVD.  It's actually easier with this machine than with the combo.

The combo Panasonic that I had would only allow pausing during recording on one of the formats.  Cueing was tricky and the remote was a bit confusing, since it was controlling two machines.  It was very difficult to do editing and offered no way to copy a DVD after I had made one.  The price difference was not all that great, especially considering the greatly improved flexibility.

meshmellow

Frank wrote:

What inputs are on the Pioneer that you have?  I've been considering this kind of setup.  Do you find that you lose a lot of quality outputting analog to the DVD recorder?

Frank,

There are three sets of inputs (composite and S-video).  (There is also a firewire input, but it only works with a camera.)

I realize there is some conversion going on, but to tell the truth I've never been bothered by it.  Much of my viewing is on a 46 inch RPTV, too.  Digital channels look good when recorded on the Pioneer (as long as there isn't too much compression on the cable signal).  Some of the digital channels don't look all that great on my DCT6412, either.  As for analog channels, the Pioneer tuner can do a better job than the 6412.

I can record high definition channels (downconverted) on the Pioneer.  Of course, the quality suffers, but the recordings still look pleasing enough when using one of the stretch modes on my TV.  What I notice is a softer focus and less vivid colours.  Until a hi-definition DVR comes along, I'm happy enough.

I think there's a threshold of acceptability for me.  If there is no "grain", ghosts, herringbone lines, dropouts, glitches, or satellite sparkies, I forget about the quality of the picture and find myself immersed in the material (which is the real object of viewing, anyway).  I'm quite happy with the archival recordings I'm making and don't expect to worry about re-recording when a higher quality technology comes along.  I am replacing videotapes, and delighted with how little space my DVDs take up (in envelopes and boxes).

meshmellow

Frank wrote:

That brings up another point, actually.  When I firewire out to the computer to begin downconversion to DVD, I'm able to maintain the aspect ratio of HD programs and then convert them to anamorphic widescreen to burn to the DVD. 

When you "S-Video out" to a DVD recorder, what happens to the widescreen HD content?

I think you are right about stretching my HD downconverts to fill the screen again.  I can't check right now, since I left the Pioneer dubbing from the 6412 for the next two hours. 

Just now, I put a DVD I downconverted on one of my regular TVs and it comes out letterboxed (black bar above and below the picture).

You've made me take a close look at my DVDs to compare them with the original recording on the 6412.  It's true they don't look as good.  It hasn't bothered me (hope it won't now that I've done an A/B comparison ;-)

I'm sure you would do better with firewire and your computer.  I don't know if it's time consuming.  On the cable where I live, people have been complaining often (Digital home forum/Shaw cable) about the firewire being disabled, so I haven't wanted to commit myself to that method, even though I have a Macintosh computer and it's supposed to be relatively easy.

I can tell you, without going to check, that when I copy a program on a high definition channel that has black or grey bars on the left and right, from the 6412 to the Pioneer, I can't eliminate the sidebars by stretching.

Hope that's helpful.

meshmellow

Well, upon further review, I think buying a DVR with HD will not work unless it has a digital tuner for HD.  So maybe I'll just keep the 6412 and buy a DVD recorder.
Maybe Comcast will come out with a new DVR with recording to dvd capabilities.

It's described in great detail at this site from the "External Links" section here. It is fairly time consuming, but not all that complicated with the right software.