Key Post: Current best value DVD recorder
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Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
I hope it does. I ordered one last week from Pixmania following recommendations here. Having said that, it is still showing up as "despacth pending" 5 working days later which is annoying.
The Sony shop employees I have met have not been very well informed.
Brendan
I hope it does. I ordered one last week from Pixmania following recommendations here. Having said that, it is still showing up as "despacth pending" 5 working days later which is annoying.
The Sony shop employees I have met have not been very well informed.
Brendan
Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Id say the Sony salesman is trying to flog as many of the overpriced 510 models before the 710 becomes available.
My hx710 works a dream. Purchased from Pixmania for the less than the 510 is selling for in the Sony shops.
Id say the Sony salesman is trying to flog as many of the overpriced 510 models before the 710 becomes available.
My hx710 works a dream. Purchased from Pixmania for the less than the 510 is selling for in the Sony shops.
podgerodge
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
that really annoys me - which sony shop told you that?
My HX710 is the best piece of kit I ever purchased from Pixmania. You will have to download an english manual though as Pixmania only supply a French/German/Spanish manual.
It has the PAL I tuner so no problem with Irish channels.
My God - it's down to Eur444 now - I paid 599 only a couple of months ago and thought that was good! Sony Dublin are still selling the 510 (80gig without DV In) for something like Eur579!
joanas said:
that really annoys me - which sony shop told you that?
My HX710 is the best piece of kit I ever purchased from Pixmania. You will have to download an english manual though as Pixmania only supply a French/German/Spanish manual.
It has the PAL I tuner so no problem with Irish channels.
My God - it's down to Eur444 now - I paid 599 only a couple of months ago and thought that was good! Sony Dublin are still selling the 510 (80gig without DV In) for something like Eur579!
Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Many thanks for the replies. Btw it was the Sony shop in the Jervis shopping centre that gave me the info. to be honest I thought he was just saying that to sell me another model. Think I will invest now in the 710. How did ye find pixmania for delivery?
Many thanks for the replies. Btw it was the Sony shop in the Jervis shopping centre that gave me the info. to be honest I thought he was just saying that to sell me another model. Think I will invest now in the 710. How did ye find pixmania for delivery?
podgerodge
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Despatch pending normally only happens with Pixmania when more than the amount of models in stock are ordered that same day resulting in a delay. Happened to me once but not too long a delay - you've probably got it by now!
Joanas - delivery is quick - 3/4 days using the standard Eur13 delivery.
Brendan said:
joanas said:
Despatch pending normally only happens with Pixmania when more than the amount of models in stock are ordered that same day resulting in a delay. Happened to me once but not too long a delay - you've probably got it by now!
Joanas - delivery is quick - 3/4 days using the standard Eur13 delivery.
Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Podgerodge
I was passing the Sony shop beside the Shelbourne Hotel and went in to have a look at the 710. He told me that it only does UHF and does not do VHF, so that is why they don't sell it in Ireland. As a result, you can only get Irish stations, you cannot get BBC or ITV or Discovery Channel on it.
Can you confirm that you are able to watch the UK stations using the tuner on the DVDR?
Maybe they are correct and the usual models in the UK don't have a VHF tuner, but this German one sold by Pixmania does?
Brendan
Podgerodge
I was passing the Sony shop beside the Shelbourne Hotel and went in to have a look at the 710. He told me that it only does UHF and does not do VHF, so that is why they don't sell it in Ireland. As a result, you can only get Irish stations, you cannot get BBC or ITV or Discovery Channel on it.
Can you confirm that you are able to watch the UK stations using the tuner on the DVDR?
Maybe they are correct and the usual models in the UK don't have a VHF tuner, but this German one sold by Pixmania does?
Brendan
podgerodge
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Hi Brendan
Yes, the Pixmania model DOES have VHF. There is a British version coming out that may not have it - it has a digital tuner for the UK market.
But absolutely, yes, I tuned in BBC etc through VHF on my Pixmania 710. By the way - in fairness to Pixmania - they don't sell models on the Irish version of the site if the models do not conform to local standards. I'm using NTL's signals by the way - don't know about ordinary aerial's.
From my downloaded manual for the EU version that Pixmania sell:
PAL I - Ireland A-J VHF
B21-B69 UHF
I've been on to Sony Ireland a couple of times trying to find out why I can purchase a perfectly good dvdr on the net but not in Sony Ireland - they say all decisions are taken in Britain - makes no sense.
Hi Brendan
Yes, the Pixmania model DOES have VHF. There is a British version coming out that may not have it - it has a digital tuner for the UK market.
But absolutely, yes, I tuned in BBC etc through VHF on my Pixmania 710. By the way - in fairness to Pixmania - they don't sell models on the Irish version of the site if the models do not conform to local standards. I'm using NTL's signals by the way - don't know about ordinary aerial's.
From my downloaded manual for the EU version that Pixmania sell:
PAL I - Ireland A-J VHF
B21-B69 UHF
I've been on to Sony Ireland a couple of times trying to find out why I can purchase a perfectly good dvdr on the net but not in Sony Ireland - they say all decisions are taken in Britain - makes no sense.
Last edited:
Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
That's a relief, thank you. I had thought since that I should have bought it locally and paid the VAT to the Irish government rather than the Queen, but now it seems that I would not have been able to buy it in Ireland anyway.
Brendan
That's a relief, thank you. I had thought since that I should have bought it locally and paid the VAT to the Irish government rather than the Queen, but now it seems that I would not have been able to buy it in Ireland anyway.
Brendan
Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
podge
I am not impressed with pixmania.
Today, they delivered a box of dvds and a cable, and no dvd recorder. At least in a Sony shop, I would see what I was getting. I cannot find any email address on their site to respond to about it. I have responded to the email that saying it was despatched, but it does not look like a normal email address so I am not optimistic about getting a response.
Brendan
podge
I am not impressed with pixmania.
Today, they delivered a box of dvds and a cable, and no dvd recorder. At least in a Sony shop, I would see what I was getting. I cannot find any email address on their site to respond to about it. I have responded to the email that saying it was despatched, but it does not look like a normal email address so I am not optimistic about getting a response.
Brendan
podgerodge
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Brendan
Ring this national rate number - 0818 244100
You'll get straight through to Pixmania customer service - they should sort it out quickly - did they not give you a tracking number - I was able to trace all the way incl no. of packages I think! Did you order dvd's and cables?
I'm surprised at the problems - I've ordered dozens of things from them with no hassle.
Brendan
Ring this national rate number - 0818 244100
You'll get straight through to Pixmania customer service - they should sort it out quickly - did they not give you a tracking number - I was able to trace all the way incl no. of packages I think! Did you order dvd's and cables?
I'm surprised at the problems - I've ordered dozens of things from them with no hassle.
Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Thanks Podge
The tracking just says that my order is despatched. It does not mention the number of packages.
I had tried that number but got a strange sound, so I had assumed that it did not work from Ireland. I have just called it now and got through to an answering machine. I will try them later today.
Brendan
Thanks Podge
The tracking just says that my order is despatched. It does not mention the number of packages.
I had tried that number but got a strange sound, so I had assumed that it did not work from Ireland. I have just called it now and got through to an answering machine. I will try them later today.
Brendan
podgerodge
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Also check if the tracking / order number on the sticker on what you did get is the same as on the website - were the dvd's and cables ordered by you?
Also check if the tracking / order number on the sticker on what you did get is the same as on the website - were the dvd's and cables ordered by you?
Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Podge
This illustrates the big problem with buying online. If there are no problems, it works fine. If there are problems, it is too time consuming to sort them out.
I rang from home this morning and waited 10 minutes listening to their advertising. I could not wait any longer.
I rang from the office just now and it took 14 minutes before they answered. She was very helpful and eventually figured out that a package weighing 1.5kg could not contain a DVD recorder, so she is shipping it over to me by express and refunding some delivery costs.
But it's almost impossible to email Pixmania. You must go through a cumbersome FAQ process which is ridiculous. I appreciate that you had a good experience, but I would not buy from them again.
Brendan
Podge
This illustrates the big problem with buying online. If there are no problems, it works fine. If there are problems, it is too time consuming to sort them out.
I rang from home this morning and waited 10 minutes listening to their advertising. I could not wait any longer.
I rang from the office just now and it took 14 minutes before they answered. She was very helpful and eventually figured out that a package weighing 1.5kg could not contain a DVD recorder, so she is shipping it over to me by express and refunding some delivery costs.
But it's almost impossible to email Pixmania. You must go through a cumbersome FAQ process which is ridiculous. I appreciate that you had a good experience, but I would not buy from them again.
Brendan
podgerodge
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
I semi agree with your sentiments. But given online purchases in general, I would consider that apart from the delay in answering, you received pretty good customer service from them - plenty of online retailers would not have offered to express ship and refund any delivery costs.
In relation to the email - I'm not sure about the FAQ process you had to go through but the email address is customercare at picmania dot com. It's on this page :
And let's not forget - you HAVE saved a lot of money compared to buying the lower model of this machine (80gig without camcorder input) version in Dublin
You'll feel a lot better when you've received the Sony and have hooked such a quality machine up to your TV!
I semi agree with your sentiments. But given online purchases in general, I would consider that apart from the delay in answering, you received pretty good customer service from them - plenty of online retailers would not have offered to express ship and refund any delivery costs.
In relation to the email - I'm not sure about the FAQ process you had to go through but the email address is customercare at picmania dot com. It's on this page :
And let's not forget - you HAVE saved a lot of money compared to buying the lower model of this machine (80gig without camcorder input) version in Dublin
You'll feel a lot better when you've received the Sony and have hooked such a quality machine up to your TV!
Brendan Burgess
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
That would not be my idea of good service...
Ordered 15/9 on 5-7 days delivery, wrong product delivered 28/9
almost impossible to find an email address
Difficult to find a phone number which did not seem to work
No reply to two emails
24 minutes in total waiting for the phone to be answered after you had given me the right number
The woman I eventually spoke to was helpful and we will see if she redeems the company. But it's still very unsatisfactory.
I have sent a third email telling them what I think about the layout of their website and the inaccessability of email addresses. The customer service official told me the one you refer to may not be working.
Brendan
That would not be my idea of good service...
Ordered 15/9 on 5-7 days delivery, wrong product delivered 28/9
almost impossible to find an email address
Difficult to find a phone number which did not seem to work
No reply to two emails
24 minutes in total waiting for the phone to be answered after you had given me the right number
The woman I eventually spoke to was helpful and we will see if she redeems the company. But it's still very unsatisfactory.
I have sent a third email telling them what I think about the layout of their website and the inaccessability of email addresses. The customer service official told me the one you refer to may not be working.
Brendan
MonsieurBond
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Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
Looks like a good deal - the JVC DR-MH20 (a 2004 model) was reviewed on Home Cinema Choice last year and got 4 out of 5 stars. (Full review, in PDF form, [broken link removed] - takes a minute to load.)
Summary
Pluses: Progressive scan output, DVD playback is good, supports DVD-RAM and DVD-R or DVD-RW.
Minuses: Clunky editing, and crucially, no RGB compatible SCART input means if you have an NTL or Sky Box, you can't get a high quality signal, so you won't be able to record with as high quality as you should be able to.
No HDMI or DVI outputs either, but this is not surprising for a 2004 model.
The DID site lists the price as €550, so €400 is a good price. Pity they close at 6 on Sundays.
Final thought - I would guess that there is a new model coming out, hence the price cut.
Observer said:
Looks like a good deal - the JVC DR-MH20 (a 2004 model) was reviewed on Home Cinema Choice last year and got 4 out of 5 stars. (Full review, in PDF form, [broken link removed] - takes a minute to load.)
Summary
Pluses: Progressive scan output, DVD playback is good, supports DVD-RAM and DVD-R or DVD-RW.
Minuses: Clunky editing, and crucially, no RGB compatible SCART input means if you have an NTL or Sky Box, you can't get a high quality signal, so you won't be able to record with as high quality as you should be able to.
No HDMI or DVI outputs either, but this is not surprising for a 2004 model.
The DID site lists the price as €550, so €400 is a good price. Pity they close at 6 on Sundays.
Final thought - I would guess that there is a new model coming out, hence the price cut.
Re: >>Current best value DVD recorder
I've just read this thread. It has everything, twists, turns, I didn't know what was going to happen next - it was as good as some of the novels I've read in the past few months !!
Ribena, I feel for you - I was that soldier !!
But one question Babydays ... maybe I missed it but did the machine actually arrive and how did it work out for you - I'm dying to get the next insallment !!!
I've just read this thread. It has everything, twists, turns, I didn't know what was going to happen next - it was as good as some of the novels I've read in the past few months !!
Ribena, I feel for you - I was that soldier !!
But one question Babydays ... maybe I missed it but did the machine actually arrive and how did it work out for you - I'm dying to get the next insallment !!!