Should I purchase a DVR-HDD now or wait?

Clyde

I am in the process of upgrading my complete system. I will be getting a HDTV soon.
I would like to replace my VCR's with a DVR however they all have just analog inputs. Am I correct that in the next 1-2 years when all the OTA TV goes digital I will have to purchase a converter for the DVR? I think what this means is I should stick with my VCR's until the next generation of DVR's come out.

maicaw

DVD recorders and Hard Drive Based video recorders DVRs and PVRs do not have digital inputs for recording material that was broadcast, purchased or rented - The only digital video they will accept is from a camcorder, or computer and it will not be HD quality when recorded onto the blank DVD - unless you have special codecs not usually available in consumer DVD recorders and players. - this is all about copyrights- not for technical or economic reasons-
The future HD DVD recorders will have the same legal restrictions.
My suggestion would be to go buy a Pioneer DVR531H at Walmart for about $275 - Use it for up to the 3 months return period to educate yourself about the technology - of course it will not tune digital broadcasts after the analog broadcasts cease so that may be concern for you - you can return it if you decide it won't work for you - I think you will be very happy for 3 years - Blank DVDs will cost you less than the videotapes and are much easier to use. -TheDVD- R/W ones can even be erase and used again. Buy 25 of those and 50 or 100 DVD-Rs and have fun.

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AAWW

I was thinking about a recording format that would be able to record Hi Def programming from my new Hi Def TV. I saw the following:
"JVC HM-DH5 Digital VHS HDTV Recorder" on sale at Buy.com for about $ 500 +/-.
Is this a real choice? How does Hi def VHS fit into the off the air recording process? Can I use it as an old fashioned VHS for time shifting and get the hi def quality?

maicaw

that's a D-VHS deck -apparently the $1500 model is equipped with a ATSC OTA tuner - but not the cheaper one - - so it requires a firewire source of MPEG2 TS (STB or ATSC tuner equipped with I-link output) to record HD - some HDTVs have I-link input but not output. -The tapes have been fairly expensive in the past but - you can check to see how much - apparently $7-$25 for the 5 hour ones http://www.jvc.com/press/index.jsp?item=419&pageID=1 In the previous post I mentioned a Pioneer DVR at Walmart - I quess they now sell only a Phillips 160GB and an Emerson 80GB DVR/DVD recorder both at around $300 - I don't know how they are to use

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AAWW

I guess I'm better off sticking with analog recording (I will take your advice and get a DVD recorder) until the digital Hi Def standard is more readily available and the copy protection issues are sorted out, not to mention the format war btween HD DVD and Blu Ray.
Thanks for your help.

Rich G

I was doing the exact same thing about 6 months ago. The salesman at the High-end tv store I bought my DLP 1080i Mitsubishi at said I'd be a fool to buy a DVR. Rent one form the cable company ($9.95/mo)
and if anything goes wrong, they come out and replace it for free.
Well My AS 8300 has been replaced 3 times, 2 for DVR failures. That is since January. If it had been mine, I'd be screwed, waiting, God only knows how long, for a factory replacement to arrive via Fed-X.
Wait till the technology settles down and gets cheaper.
I'd prefer to use the cable companies receiver/dvr and buy a Blue-Ray DVD recorder when they come out.
Good luck

pspins

Can anyone provide some advice on this one? I have Charter Cable which has a monopoly in our area I ordered their cool package of products with phone, cable and highspeed for a great price. Along with that was supposed to come a Motorola BMC9012 DVR to record all of my HDTV needs. Needless to say I'm having to feign sickness to watch any World Cup action and am expecting the same for the Tour de France. Charter says the boxes are backordered and won't be available for ????????? months.

From what I gather here, I shouldn't even be waiting on this thing becuase it doesn't really record in HD anyway. If I tell Charter to hit the road, how do the options compare for recording HD? Is DISH or Directv any better for recording HD? Or should I just do a good old Tivo or DVD recorder?

I have component cable and surround sound on a Panasonic 42" HD Plasma and a Charter HD box.

Thanks

paulc

I had decided a few years ago getting the DVR service from my cable company was the way to go. Had a SA 8000 for 2 years, have had a 8300HD for 3 months now. Have several friends who went the same way. None of us have had that kind of luck! None of us have had to have out "rented" DVRs replaced.

Matter of fact, a friend who doesn't want to go HD until some future point just got TWC to swap his 8300SD or a 8300HD box; the HD box has a 160G drive, the 8300SD a 80G drive. TWC used to want to see a receipt that you really HAD a HD set, but they didn't ask me, nor did they ask him.

maicaw

If I have this straight - you have had a 80GB DVR for about 24 months - and later a 160GB - I assume you returned the 80 so you have spent more than $270 (the current cost of a 160GB DVR) and you will still be paying $10 a month until you give the new one back (with your favorite HD recordings) because you still don't own a DVR - I bought my 160 GB DVR at Walmart for less than $300 - I own a sony 500 GB HDDVR that has 60 hours of my favorite HD shows on it - (more than I will ever watch - in my case) and they are mine as long as I want to keep the DVR or replace them with newer ones - and then there is DVHS - $8 for 2.5 hrs of 1080i HDTV R/W - They've been doing that for 5+ years 'and still going' - sneaky - huh! -(see the earlier post) - When will you see blank 150 min HD Bluray R/W for $8 ??$$$$$
There may be some foolishness in buying a DVR, HDDVR or DVHS vs renting - other than initial(not final) expense - but I haven't seen it explained to my satisfaction in this thread -

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My HDTV equipment is certified organic - mostly plastic
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RocketMan -- Tambourine Man -- Lucy {userName=1},{P/w=1}