DVD recording from TV: poor quality

I have a Panasonic DVD Recorder (DMR-ES10EB/EBL) and I'm very unhappy with the quality of the recording from my LCD television
(even on XP). When recording, I connect the connnection from Cable Television Box to the DVD and then connect DVD to television for recording. Dealer mentioned to me that the connection from DVD to television might be causing resistance. Maplin Technology Shop don't think a booster is the answer. Would anyone have any idea what might be causing the low quality of the recording? Any help much
appreciated.

Bricriu said:

I have a Panasonic DVD Recorder (DMR-ES10EB/EBL) and I'm very unhappy with the quality of the recording from my LCD television
(even on XP).

Click to expand...

Surely the DVD doesn't record from the TV but from its own built-in tuner or via the digital (?) cable box? I presume you mean that playback on your TV is poor quality? How exactly?

Thanks for reply, Clubman. I'm not a techie, so as you say, I meant that playback on my TV is poor quality. The picture is not half as sharp as it is in TV programme or when playing a bought DVD film.

Bricriu said:

Thanks for reply, Clubman. I'm not a techie, so as you say, I meant that playback on my TV is poor quality. The picture is not half as sharp as it is in TV programme or when playing a bought DVD film.

Click to expand...

Check what compression you are using to record, DVDRs will lower the quality when increasing the amount you can get on a disk.

That would be the most likely. Most of these recorders can be set to 4 or even 8 times set to just record 2 hours on a singles disc.

Re compression: I usually recored on SP (2 hours' recording per disk) or XP(1 hour's recording per disk); even so the playback is not sharp.

There is something not right there.
It should be identical to watching live programmes.
Are you using discs or a Hard drive?
Have you tried different brand of disc?

Bricriu said:

I have a Panasonic DVD Recorder (DMR-ES10EB/EBL) and I'm very unhappy with the quality of the recording from my LCD television
(even on XP). When recording, I connect the connnection from Cable Television Box to the DVD and then connect DVD to television for recording. Dealer mentioned to me that the connection from DVD to television might be causing resistance. Maplin Technology Shop don't think a booster is the answer. Would anyone have any idea what might be causing the low quality of the recording? Any help much
appreciated.

Click to expand...

How are you connecting the Cable Set Top Box to your DVD? If you are using a coaxial cable (i.e. similar to the arial connection which would go into the back of your TV) then you are using the built-in analogue tuner in your Panasonic DVD recorder. You are then probably using RF out to bring the signal to your TV which has its own decoder.

This will work fine but the tuner in the Panasonic could of a higher or lower quality than that in your TV.

You will only be able to record analogue broadcasts (i.e. NTL Basic).

However, if you want to record NTL Digital or Chorus Digital, then you will want to connect the SCART output on your STB into the SCART input on your TV.

You will then use the SCART out (or HDMI out if you have it) to connect your STB into your TV.

This will likely result in sharper pictures.


Note that you could probably use both coax and SCART from your STB into your Panny; in this case, you will either record from the built-in channels (1, 2, 3, etc.) or by seleting the SCART input (AUX1 or similar).

I'm using good quality disks and a SCART lead so the problem doesn't seem to lie there.

Bricriu

Is the problem only from your recordings? ie have you played a commercially recorded disc to check the quality. You need to narrow down the problem. If commercially recorded discs are ok then the playback connection is fine and your problem is in the recording stage or vice versa.