Key Post: Current best value DVD recorder

Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Hah, I had not noticed the link M. Bond provided earlier to shopireland.ie which also presents the Sony for E466.61 - Sony RDRHX510 Recordable DVD + 80GB HDD - SilverSo, now I have two options within my (inflated) budget - the Sony above or the Phlips DVDR3300H DVD for E449.99 from Argos.

Both have 80GB HD which I'm sure is plenty enough for me!

I'll look for one which has greatest ease of use and compatibility.
Drat, just noticed that the Sony isn't multi-region. Will check out profiles of both and need to make up my mind!

Any more view or links v. welcome.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Looks like I'm down to three models to choose from:

from shopireland.ie
Philips HDRW720 Multi Region Capable DVD Recorder / Hard Disk - Silver @ E444
Sony RDRHX510 Recordable DVD + 80GB HDD - Silver @ E466
from argos:
Philips DVDR3300H DVD 80GB HD E449.99



By the way the savings on the internet sites are phenonimal - DID sells the SONY RDRHX510 for E568 as a 'on sale' price while shopireland.ie sells it for E466! I know they have overheads but what a difference.

Getting closer to a purchase! phew!
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

I can't believe it......I just bought the 80gb Sony DVD recorder in DID on Thursday for a whopping 568.......I'm so sorry I didn't look at Pixmania before I purchased. :( The 160gb model is well worth it's money there.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Pixmania Pro only sell direct to suppliers - they don't make it this obvious when they talk about "professionals".

Babydays - skip shopireland - it's only a front for www.amazon.co.uk where you will save a couple of quid by going direct. But why you would get the 80 gig version instead of the 160 gig with Camcorder In facility for the sake of Eur33 is beyond me!
As for the Philips model 3300 it is DVD+R/+RW only - not a big deal if you are sure you are never going to be given a -R/-RW disc. The Sony supports both DVD versions. Does the Philips have high speed dubbing? Maybe it does - but again, for only 50 euro less I am surprised you are prepared to take chances when you are getting good reviews on a Sony - which is always going to be better than Philips!

Ribena I feel genuinely sorry for you!
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Have pasted this review of the SONY RDHX710 in italics from this forum:

The person is comparing the SONY with Pioneer 720H

The Bad:
What I found is really missing in the Sony is:
1. The ability to make directories to store different titles. The Pana has 4 hard coded "Groups" so you can at least mark a title as belonging to a group and see only particular group.
2. The external inputs cannot be named so I have to remember what is connected to where. (I am using all 3).
3. The Pana has nice feature - Disk History so you don’t need to go thought the lib to find in what disk you have what title.
4. No audio Input adjustment - The audio out when connected thought SPDIF is louder than the RCA output. That is causing the amp to be louder when switching from TV or satellite to DVD.
5. No ability to combine titles (can be done only on play list).
6. No ability to EXTRACT part of a title as new title. I can do it using Divide function but it takes much longer. That is especially good for extracting video clips from long recording of mostly bad songs...
7. It is very nice that I can record at 15Mbit/s BUT... there is no SPDIF INPUT so DD cannot be recorded!
8. The Pana has animated titles = easier to recognise what is there.
9. Some photos do not display thumbnails.
10. In my opinion the sliding door of the remote is very annoying. I took it off...

The Good:
1. + R & + RW support.
2. Extremely sensitive tuner and Noise reduction. (I am using mostly FTA SD Digital and Satellite).
3. 15Mbit recording.
4. 8 hour recording on DVD. I know that the quality is very low but when I compare it to some other DVD recorders with only 6h recorded the 8 hours quality on Sony is even better than the 6h on other recorders.

In total I will give 8.5 from 10.

Is it really not possible to make directories for titles on the SONY?

Now I;m really disappointed about the piximania-pro site being only for suppliers- stands to reason with those prices.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Directories for different titles - I assume this means having a "Thriller" folder and a "Comedies" folder etc? I don't know but all titles are Auto Named by getting the name of the programme direct from Teletext - so 95% of the time when you record something the title is correct (the other 5% of the time it could be the name of the previous programme if you started recording early)

I would not plan on having so many titles on the hard drive that I couldn't scroll through them by name.

None of the other "bad" points made would concern me as they are beyond my requirements!

A nice feature of the Sony, and maybe all other recorders?, is when you press play on any title it offers to play from beginning or from where you last stopped.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

I'm still reeling over my purchase but I have to say, I just love this Sony DVD recorder. I only set it up over the weekend and set it to tape last night while I was in bed to make sure it was going to tape Big Brother for me all this week while I'm away! It does have a facility for directories but I haven't played with it enough to tell you about them. It gives a thumbnail picture for every thing that you tape so you can scroll through it easily plus you can name each recording and create a playlist. I aked in a lot of shops before I bought my recorder and everyone told me that you can't beat Sony.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Sounds good. Still fishing for one... I have a lot of tapes that need to be converted to DVD. I wonder what the quality out of 10 would be on the sony?
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

I've copied from VHS to dvd on the Sony with perfect results have to say 10 out of 10.

I copied to hard drive first, edited out bits that were not relevant and then high speed dubbed to DVD.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

I Was looking at the DVD Recorders too - But need a Multi Region recorder. I Know Sony can only be chipped - Which invalidates the warranty - I had a Samsung Player before which i cracked using the remote control and a code from www.dvdreviewer.co.uk but was trying to look up a code for the Panasonic one in Argos and cant find one - Any one know where else to get codes for them?
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

I'm getting fed up with myself for not making a decision!! I really want a DVD recorder SOON so have to make up my mind.

Ok - last call - what's the best recorder with HD for UNDER E450? The less the better. LOve the sound of the SONY but cash is a problem.

Promise to do a review of whichever one I end up buying!
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Ok, I'm at the end of my miserable research and my conclusions on prices are the following!

SONY 510 (80Gb) including P&P from Amazon = E470
SONY 710 (160Gb) including P&P from Pixmania = E512
Philips 720 (80Gb and multi capable including p&P from Amazon = E445

And the winner is................Philips...................I think!! Saw some excellent on-line reviews of Philips. I know that Sony is supposed to be better, but I can't get the SONY 510 or I'll only feel like a muts for not paying the extra E42 for the E160Gb which I don't need !
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

babydays said:
Ok, I'm at the end of my miserable research and my conclusions on prices are the following!

SONY 510 (80Gb) including P&P from Amazon = E470
SONY 710 (160Gb) including P&P from Pixmania = E512
Philips 720 (80Gb and multi capable including p&P from Amazon = E445

And the winner is................Philips...................I think!! Saw some excellent on-line reviews of Philips. I know that Sony is supposed to be better, but I can't get the SONY 510 or I'll only feel like a muts for not paying the extra E42 for the E160Gb which I don't need !
Click to expand...

The Sony and Philips models both get very consistently good reviews.

You might as well save yourself the money and go for the Philips.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

I agree. I've spent more time thinking about your choice of dvd recorders than I did when buying my own! :)


Oops - from amazon.com:

"7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Warning: outdated, February 2, 2005
Careful! The DVD720 is an outdated model. It has less functionality than the model that succeeded it (the DVD520), yet is more expensive. The essential difference is that one can not record directly to DVD disc on the 720 (or 725), only to the hard disc, and it is not possible to record to the hard disc from a DVD disc. The latter makes it impossible to make a copies of the DVD discs you have made by going via the hard disc. The 520 model has both functions, but I found it so noisy on playback of R & RW discs (and crash prone) that I returned the one I bought."

I don't know if this is true but....best make sure. Also if you look at the amazon.com reviews a lot of them mention the frequent firmware updates - Sony don't do firmware updates - the machine just works properly when bought!
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Too late:eek: ! I'm not going to pay any attention to bad reviews of the Philips now. I read so many review of the major contenders that I don't remember which machine does what! Oh well, the deed is done now.

Hopefully this thread might be useful to others wanting to buy a DVDR. (If they don't mind the interminable dragging of feet throughout, will I, won't I...)

Once I get it and get to grips with the Philips I'll give some feedback. As I've no patience at all for TV stuff/controls/settings I'll be able to say what kind of a granny-friendly rating it gets.

Tks for all the advice and input.

GO ENJOY ALL THAT TV YOU'VE BEEN RECORDING ON YOUR FAB SONY MACHINES!:p
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Well done on making your mind up babydays. I know how hard it is to try pick one. I went through all of what you're going through and had my mind made up to buy the ordinary Sony (no hard disk) but walked away with my 80gb hard disk model instead!! I have to say everyone recommends either Sony or Philips, you can't go wrong with either but as a woman, looks mean everything and the Philips model did nothing for me! I love my recorder now and for anyone else thinking of buying, I would give the Sony 510 10 out of 10 for quality. Makes you wonder how you ever used a VCR! ;)
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Okay, confession time :eek:.

I cancelled my order for the Philips:eek: and went back and ordered the Sony 80Gb:rolleyes: . Hope its good! Have to wait til the last week of August for it to arrive from Amazon so then we'll see.


I don't think I'm fit for all the choices in the modern world!
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

The saga continues!

Think you have made the better choice between Philips and Sony. But I hope you never buy a digital camcorder or you will rue the day you ignored the DV in facility of the 160 gig version for the sake of saving Eur42!

You should think about using DVD+RW or -RW's for regular recordings that you want to record over instead of wasting write once +R/-R's which you can use for permanent backups.
 
Re: Current best value DVD recorder

Nice one Babydays. I've decided to take a cheaper route for the moment and have opted for an external Tv-tuner card to connect the pc to the tv. €90. A short cut for pc enthusiast....

[broken link removed]
 
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