Hauppauge 1198 WinTV-HVR-950 TV Tuner Stick/Personal Video Recorder with Remote Control (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I run the Hauppage USB 950Q Tuner on a Windows Vista 32-bit system with a high end Nvidia 9800 640MB PCI-E video card, dual core Pentium 2.8ghz processors and a Creative Xi-Fi PCI soundcard, with 3GB's of system RAM.This is well above the minimum requirements.

My primary use involves plugging in the coaxial cable line directly to the USB Tuner, in order to record certains shows a couple of times a week.

I did some basic research and read the various reviews of what was out there.My video card takes up so much space, that I didn't want to fool with squeezing a PCI card inside the case, a USB card that I could even take on the road with my lap top easily, seemed perfect.

This version comes with (at this time) the latest Hauppage drivers on the CD. It's best to install the CD apps first before plugging the USB device in.If you don't, make sure to cancel the Windows prompt to find drivers on it's own.

I also had to install the WinTV application in order for Windows Media Center to recognize the signal.I prefer to use WMC because of it's very nice guide, genre summaries of "what's on" and the speed at which it operates.I still need to fool around a bit with the aspect ratio, as I have a widescreen 24" flat panel monitor.

After the 10 minutes or so it takes to scan all of the analog cable channels, I played the live TV and the picture was grainy, choppy, and kept stuttering out.It took me a while to figure out it was a bad signal from the cable line.Keep this in mind - if your picture is snowy, having blips or a white line running through it intermittently etc..., you probably need a Cable Signal Amplifier.I got a bi-directional cable TV amplifier from Radioshack for $34 and after plugging it in the right way, the signal and picture for analog channels was noticeably improved, and I am now reasonably happy with it.Make sure your fuzzy picture is not a result of this, if you have any splitters on your line, multiple TV's and an internet modem hooked up to your cable lines, an amplifier can work wonders.I haven't seen this obvious remedy mentioned in any other reviews, so wanted to make sure I put it in here.

I also tested the included atenna, and the local, free QAM or HD channels it picked up, looked fantastic, the analog channels were too choppy but clearer than the cable picture, I didn't spend much time with the antenna though.The problem is there are very few of these HD/QAM channels available, even here in a major city where I live, and they are just versions of the local network station (which I rarely watch).Literally 4-6 of these, if that.

If the day comes where everything is broadcast in HD, this card will make the picture rather remarkable, for obvious reasons being you don't have to convert an analog signal and the resolutions match hi-res PC monitors much more closely.

WinTV is very cumbersome and slow, I notice a slightly better picture with it at this point, versus WMC, but WMC's functionality make it the preferred application.

Unfortunately I cannot find a way to easily switch back and forth between the Antenna source and Analog Cable line, without having to re-scan everything - which takes 10+ minutes for WinTV, less for WMC.I don't think there is an easy way, even with another splitter.

So, buy a cable tv amplifier, (bi-directional if you use PPV or Indemand services etc..,) make sure you have a powerful video card (more important than your CPU - but they ultimately both work together) and at least 2GB of system RAM if you're on Vista ecspecially.

This should give you adequate results and feel this is probably one of the better, more affordable, PC TV with HD/QAM options out there, and should get better with time as broadcasts move to an all-digital signal.

Of course if you have a DVR or hi-def cable box, use the S-video connection if possible, and your HD channels and other digital channels will probaby look and play even better.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hauppauge 1198 WinTV-HVR-950 TV Tuner Stick/Personal Video Recorder with Remote Control (Black)

Product Description:
The Hauppauge 1198 WinTV-HVR-950 Hybrid TV Stick External TV Tuner/Video Recorder will bring high-definition television directly to your PC. This handy device lets you watch your favorite TV shows through your computer, and record them digitally for future playback using high quality MPEG-2. More economical and versatile than a DVR, or digital video recorder, this PC Video Recorder, or PVR, gives you virtually unlimited options for saving and playing back your favorite TV broadcasts and clips.
The Hauppauge 1198 WinTV-HVR-950 Hybrid TV Stick External TV Tuner/Video Recorder offers:

Ability to watch television on your PC in a window or full screen.
Portable, small size for on-the-go television viewing on your laptop.
Compatibility with digital and analog signals.
Acceptance of video feeds from a camera or satellite box.

The small, pocketable size lets you easily take it everywhere. View larger. Play and Record Television Digitally
The WinTV-HVR-950 is a simple-to-use device that brings over-the-air high definition ATSC digital TV as well as analog cable TV directly to your PC desktop or laptop. With the additional included antenna, it can also receive analog TV broadcasts, and it can also accept video feeds directly from a camera or satellite box.
More versatile than a DVR, the WinTV-HVR-950 is a pocket-sized device that simply plugs into your PC's USB port. It features a built-in digital ATSC over-the-air TV receiver. If you live in one of the more than 200 cities in the United States that receives ATSC digital TV, you'll have immediate access to as many as 1500 digital TV stations. ATSC digital TV is the over-the-air HDTV standard for North America. ATSC broadcasts range in resolution from standard definition up to the high definition 1080i format. (To check the ATSC digital transmissions in your area, input your zip code at titantv.com.)
A portable digital TV antenna, which can be used to receive digital TV up to 10 miles from an ATSC transmitter, is included with the PVR . (To check the ATSC digital transmissions in your area, input your zip code at titantv.com) If you live in an area where you can't currently receive ATSC digital TV, the WinTV-HVR-950 can still be used to watch and record analog TV from cable TV or a TV antenna. (The WinTV-HVR-950 cannot receive digital cable TV or digital satellite TV.) With the included credit-card-sized remote control, navigating all these channels is easy.
Watch Clear QAM Digital TV
The WinTV-HVR-950 also has a built-in QAM tuner, allowing you to watch and record QAM programming. Clear QAM digital TV channels are digital cable channels which can be watched on a TV set without a cable TV set top box. are Many cable operators transmit the local high definition ATSC channels using clear QAM.. Some cable operators transmit additional non-premium TV programs using clear QAM. With the WinTV-HVR-950, you can watch these channels for free. Clear QAM channels range from standard definition to the highest 1080i definition.
Once the WinTV-HVR-950 is connected, you can begin to record your favorite shows in high-quality MPEG-2 directly to your hard disk using the Hauppauge SoftPVR MPEG-2 encoder. Television recordings will typically consume 5 GB of disk space per hour for ATSC high definition, while analog recordings will typically consume 1.5 GB of disk space per hour. You can also use the included WinTV-Scheduler to program your compute to record your favorite analog or digital TV shows for play back at any time.
Compatibility with Microsoft's Windows Media Center means that you can watch TV as well as your recordings with Windows Media Center. The included WinTV application also lets you watch your shows in a window or on full screen.


The WinTV application offers an elegant interface to watch TV in a window or full screen. View larger. More about PVR Technology
PVR stands for PC Video Recorder. The WinTV-HVR-950 is a PVR that allows you to play television through your computer and record the broadcasts digitally. PVR doesn't use standard videocassettes; instead, it uses your computer's hard disk to store the broadcasts.
Once you record a television show to your PC's hard drive, you can burn a CD or DVD that will allow you to play the show back on another computer or on your television. With video editing software (not included with the WinTV-HVR-950), you can even edit the shows. This is a great feature if you want to save clips from movies or sitcoms, or keep your favorite player's grand slam or TD kick-off return for posterity.
And just like a typical VCR, the WinTV-HVR-950 offers you several recording options, depending on your play back needs. If you want the highest quality recording for playback through your HDTV, all you need is enough hard drive space to support high-quality recording. By using the lowest recording option, you can use your WinTV-HVR-950, along with an inexpensive video camera, as a low-cost on-site video surveillance system. In fact, the possibilities of how you can take advantage of the WinTV-HVR-950 are endless.
What's in the Box
WinTV-HVR-950 USB 2.0 TV stick with cable TV or ATSC antenna connection; USB extension cable; portable antenna; software on CD-ROM; remote control; and quick installation guide.

Get 33% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Hauppauge 1198 WinTV-HVR-950 TV Tuner Stick/Personal Video Recorder with Remote Control (Black) now ?

Sony DHG-HDD250 30-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (250 GB) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[This review is based on experiences with the DHG-HDD250; the DHG-HDD500 is identical, except that it is $150-$200 more expensive and has two 250GB hard disks instead of just one.]

If you're anything like me, you're likely looking at this Sony unit because TiVo doesn't make DVR that can receive high-definition (HD) broadcasts. (And the fact that TiVo has been dragging its feet on HD is one of many reasons that the company is not long for this world.)I bought the Sony DHG-HDD250 to replace my old TiVo box, and although there a few small things I gave up in the process, I'm mostly happy with my new Sony.

First and foremost: QUALITY. Watching live TV on the Sony unit is *almost* as good as watching TV with my TV's built-in ATSC tuner. The colors are slightly less-vibrant and there are a few more compression artifacts, but this is to be expected, and not terribly noticeable. Recordings are first-rate, and infinitely better than any low-def DVR, VCR, or even DVD recorder. And with the HDMI output, you can have a pure digital connection from the DVR to your TV. Probably the only quality issue is the confusing "Format" button on the remote, which allows you to stretch or shrink the video to display correctly on a 16:9 widescreen TV.It works, but it responds very slowly, is inconsistent, incomplete, and hard to figure out. Why they didn't include a simple "zoom" feature (like every TV on the planet) is beyond me.

THE INTERFACE.The menu system is not complicated, although not as friendly and cheerful as TiVo (it's faster and sharper-looking than TiVo, though). The Sony unit is much, much more configurable than any TiVo, and that configurability comes at a bit of a cost. Be prepared to read the manual to figure out how to record programs and set up the channel list, for instance. Thereafter, many things (like recording shows) are actually easier to accomplish (albeit more difficult to learn) than on a TiVo. Example: in the Guide, press and hold the Record button for one second to record a show.Press Record again to record it repeatedly (same time, same channel).That's it - no wading through multiple screens, like on TiVo, to set up a simple recording.

THE GUIDE.The Sony uses the free TV Guide on-screen system (what used to be called GemStar, I believe) to get program data (off the air!) and display TV listings on the screen. This means you don't have to extend a phone cord or network cable to your DVR; just plug it in to your wall outlet, attach your antenna or plug in your cable card, and leave the unit powered off overnight. Each night, the DVR gets program data for the current day and the same day next week, which means it'll take six days after you take it out of the box before the listings will be fully populated. (Tip: listings come from an analog station in your area, so make sure not to exclude your analog stations from the listings until you find out which one is broadcasting!)

The guide not bad, but not great, either. It's pretty easy to use, but suffers from a few really idiotic design decisions. For instance, there's no direct way (on-screen) to show the listings for a different day (e.g., Tomorrow, next Wednesday, etc.), except for holding the "right" arrow button on the remote to cycle slowly through each hour of listings until you eventually end up on the correct day.The only shortcut is to press some numbers on the remote (e.g., 2 and then 4) and then select "hours ahead" from the menu that appears to jump 24 hours into the future.In other words, there's no "Tomorrow" or "Yesterday" buttons on the remote or on the screen.And there are many little annoyances like this, although it works okay once you get used to it.

But the DHG's guide also has some really nice features, such as the grid (which TiVo never could manage to include on their units), and even a keyword search; you can even save your searches!You can also get alphabetical listings to find the show(s) you want, and you can even filter the list to show only HD content, only movies, only comedies, etc. Also, recordings can be grouped by show, so you don't have to wade through a long list of recordings to find the recorded show you want to watch.

SEASON PASS.One of TiVo's best (and simplest) features was the Season Pass; I could tell it to record West Wing, and no matter what time and on what channel it appeared, TiVo would record it.Alas, the Sony unit DOES NOT HAVE A SEASON PASS feature; I don't know why the folks at TV Guide couldn't get this simple feature to work. You can have the DHG record multiple episodes of a show, but ONLY if they're broadcast at exactly the same time and on the same channel.If West Wing is an hour later one week, or if it's syndicated on another station, the DHG will miss it unless you manually ask it to record those episodes, too.

There are some other TiVo features absent from the DHG that I don't miss at all, such as "Recommendations" (a feature that fills up your hard disk with junk you don't want), and the "Thumbs Up" and "Thumbs Down" buttons that are supposed to influence the aforementioned recommendations (almost as effectively as TiVo's marketing partners).

OVERALL.The DHG-HDDxxx is the only DVR on the market that doesn't require an expensive digital cable subscription or satellite dish; since I get all my HD broadcasts for free with a $20 rooftop antenna, this was a must.It's also quite a nice unit; well made, attractive, and it works well.If you want an HD DVR, you'll probably be very happy with the Sony DHG-HDDxxx once you get used to it's quirks.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony DHG-HDD250 30-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (250 GB)

Product Description:
Tired of viewing your high-definition programming at standard-definition resolution just so you can watch it at a time of your choosing? Kiss your VCR and your other DVR goodbye and say hello to Sony's DHG-HDD250, a digital video recorder that's fully high-definition capable in its reception, storage, and playback. It features built-in NTSC and ATSC (DTV) tuners, so even if your television is merely "HD-ready," the DHG-HDD250 will pull HDTV content right off the airwaves, with no monthly fees. You can use the recorder to pause, replay, and rewind live HDTV programming, too.
Even if you haven't invested in a high-def set, you can use the DHG-HDD250's 250 GB hard drive to store up to 200 hours--more than a solid week--of standard-definition (SD) programming for instant viewing on your analog TV. The device stores at least 30 hours of maximum-bit-rate high-definition content.
And, when paired with a CableCARD digital decoder and a digital cable subscription, the DHG-HDD250 is your gateway to encrypted high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) digital cable services. A Memory Stick PRO media slot makes it easy to enjoy playback of your digital photos and MP3 music files.
The recorder comes with the TV Guide On Screen interactive program guide for easy program searching and automatic scheduled recording (where available). The guide displays shows and channel lineups that are customized to your location, delivering a week's worth of rolling listings via TV broadcasts.Whether your display has a standard 4:3 dimension or a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, the DHG-HDD250 offers multiple display formats and flexible aspect-ratio settings for personalized reproduction of all broadcast formats on a wide variety of TVs.
Connections include a choice between a direct-digital HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) or component-video (Y Pb Pr) high-definition outputs; several standard-definition analog outputs for connection to VCRs or analog TVs; a USB port, and a Control S port for connection and operation with other Sony equipment.
HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link the recorder with a compatible high-definition TV or monitor. HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multichannel digital audio--all using a single cable (supplied). It transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports up to 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.
What's in the Box
DVR, a multiple-device universal Remote Commander remote control, remote batteries, a component-video cable, an HDMI video cable, an HDMI-to-DVI adapter, an audio/video cable, an S-video cable, a Control S cable, a G-Link (IR blaster), and a user's manual.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Sony DHG-HDD250 30-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (250 GB) now ?

Philips DVDR3575H/37 1080p Upscaling DVDR with Built-In Tuner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)You know how you buy a product, and it doesn't have all the features you need?Well, this is another one of those.I've never understood why manufacturers sell products without all the features - I guess they need their customers to upgrade every now and then, huh?
I currently have a Panasonic DMR-E80H (80GB hard drive) that has worked flawlessly and is still kickin today.The time had come for me to buy another DVD Recorder.After TONS of research, I bought a RCA DRC8000N.This one was ok, good interface, cheap (200.00), but the tuner quality wasn't all that great - it had little wavy lines on my local channels (through analog cable signal straight from outside line).The remote control for the RCA wasn't responsive either - it took a second for each command to go through.So I exchanged it for the Polaroid DRA-01601A (260.00).This one had a little better picture quality (except through 1 of my channels which was extremely noisy), so I immediately returned it.Finally, my local Wally store had the Philips DVD3575H in stock and I picked one up for 300.00.

Pros:
The tuner quality is very good - I have analog cable, and my 65" tv shows little noise with it.The tuner is even better than my Panasonic one.
The remote is responsive and pretty well laid out - I don't like the black play/pause/rew/ff buttons though - I keep wanting to hit the button just above them so I still have to hunt.
You can play a recorded event while recording another one.You can play the one that you're currently recording too (ie: chase play).
It has SDTV tuner.
It's quiet when running - I honestly couldn't hear it from my couch.
It has a skip function that allows you to skip ahead 30 seconds when you're watching a recorded program.The 30 seconds is changeable to 60, 2 minutes, etc.
It has 3 fast forward and 3 reverse speed settings.
You can have up to 6 markers to mark a spot of a recorded program and you can jump to it (helpful if you have to stop watching a program and you lose the "resume" function of it by turning off the device).My Panasonic one will hold up to 99 and are used as chapters instead of "markers".I'll still call this a pro as many recorders don't even know what a marker is.
It will auto-chapter every 5 minutes (this is an option as well to change it to 10 minutes, etc.)
The Info bar (display bar at the top of the screen) is well thought out.It shows information as to what you are playing and where you are at in the program (ie: 27:35 of 1:03:00).From the Info bar, you can change closed captions, repeat options, fake surround sound settings, noise reduction settings, set markers, change to another chapter, change to another recorded program.This makes it simple for some tedious functions.

Cons:
Unfortunately, yes there are always cons.
1.You can't title a timer event until after it's done recording.Why? I have no clue.Basically, if you record 10 programs per week, it'll be difficult to remember what each of them are.They are labeled like this: Day, Time, Channel, Recording Quality.This is not helpful at all to me.
2.If you do actually want to go edit the name after it has recorded, you have to enter it like you're on a cell phone.You have to press the number 2 three times to get the letter C.Then you have to change it to lowercase letters, then repeat over and over.That's just stupid.
3.If you have a weekly timed event, you don't have the option to overwrite the previous week's program.My Panasonic gives this option, which is very helpful.With the Philips, I have to remember to delete the programs before the hard drive fills up.With my Panasonic, I just let it overwrite and no worries.
4.No TV Guide?I don't know if this is a real con because from reviews I've read on other DVRs that have it, it's a crap shoot whether it works or not.
5.There's an annoying bright blue light when this thing is recording.I'll just have to cover it up with some tape.

If you have the money to spend - go buy a Panasonic (at around 450.00).
If you don't, then this is an excellent alternative (at around 300.00).
I'd stay away from the cheap ones, because that's what they are.

I can't comment on the DVD playing/recording abilities of this thing as I'll still use my reliable Panasonic for those functions.

I'll probably keep this one unless something goes really wrong over the next few days.I am extremely tired of researching DVD Recorders.I almost went and bought an old TIVO with the Basic Service so I wouldn't have the monthly fees.But I hate buying used equipment - especially off of eBay.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Philips DVDR3575H/37 1080p Upscaling DVDR with Built-In Tuner

Product Description:
DVD Recorder, 160 GIG built-in Hard Disc Drive to recored and save you favorite programs, Pause live TV and instant replay, Dual Media-records and plays in DVDR-R-RW and DVD+R+RW, Built ATSC digital SDTV tuner to receive digital HD TV broadcasts, HDMI 1080p/720p upscaling to deliver true HD picture performance, DivX to play downloaded PC movies and video DVD's, Progressive Scan, i-Link for easy connection to play and record your camcorder recording,Plays MP3/WMA, CD's, CD-R-RW, Video CD's

Want to read more honest consumer review about Philips DVDR3575H/37 1080p Upscaling DVDR with Built-In Tuner now ?

Sony DHG-HDD500 60-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (500 GB) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[This review is based on experiences with the DHG-HDD250; the DHG-HDD500 is identical, except that it is $150-$200 more expensive and has two 250GB hard disks instead of just one.]

If you're anything like me, you're likely looking at this Sony unit because TiVo doesn't make DVR that can receive high-definition (HD) broadcasts. (And the fact that TiVo has been dragging its feet on HD is one of many reasons that the company is not long for this world.)I bought the Sony DHG-HDD250 to replace my old TiVo box, and although there a few small things I gave up in the process, I'm mostly happy with my new Sony.

First and foremost: QUALITY. Watching live TV on the Sony unit is *almost* as good as watching TV with my TV's built-in ATSC tuner. The colors are slightly less-vibrant and there are a few more compression artifacts, but this is to be expected, and not terribly noticeable. Recordings are first-rate, and infinitely better than any low-def DVR, VCR, or even DVD recorder. And with the HDMI output, you can have a pure digital connection from the DVR to your TV. Probably the only quality issue is the confusing "Format" button on the remote, which allows you to stretch or shrink the video to display correctly on a 16:9 widescreen TV.It works, but it responds very slowly, is inconsistent, incomplete, and hard to figure out. Why they didn't include a simple "zoom" feature (like every TV on the planet) is beyond me.

THE INTERFACE.The menu system is not complicated, although not as friendly and cheerful as TiVo (it's faster and sharper-looking than TiVo, though). The Sony unit is much, much more configurable than any TiVo, and that configurability comes at a bit of a cost. Be prepared to read the manual to figure out how to record programs and set up the channel list, for instance. Thereafter, many things (like recording shows) are actually easier to accomplish (albeit more difficult to learn) than on a TiVo. Example: in the Guide, press and hold the Record button for one second to record a show.Press Record again to record it repeatedly (same time, same channel).That's it - no wading through multiple screens, like on TiVo, to set up a simple recording.

THE GUIDE.The Sony uses the free TV Guide on-screen system (what used to be called GemStar, I believe) to get program data (off the air!) and display TV listings on the screen. This means you don't have to extend a phone cord or network cable to your DVR; just plug it in to your wall outlet, attach your antenna or plug in your cable card, and leave the unit powered off overnight. Each night, the DVR gets program data for the current day and the same day next week, which means it'll take six days after you take it out of the box before the listings will be fully populated. (Tip: listings come from an analog station in your area, so make sure not to exclude your analog stations from the listings until you find out which one is broadcasting!)

The guide not bad, but not great, either. It's pretty easy to use, but suffers from a few really idiotic design decisions. For instance, there's no direct way (on-screen) to show the listings for a different day (e.g., Tomorrow, next Wednesday, etc.), except for holding the "right" arrow button on the remote to cycle slowly through each hour of listings until you eventually end up on the correct day.The only shortcut is to press some numbers on the remote (e.g., 2 and then 4) and then select "hours ahead" from the menu that appears to jump 24 hours into the future.In other words, there's no "Tomorrow" or "Yesterday" buttons on the remote or on the screen.And there are many little annoyances like this, although it works okay once you get used to it.

But the DHG's guide also has some really nice features, such as the grid (which TiVo never could manage to include on their units), and even a keyword search; you can even save your searches!You can also get alphabetical listings to find the show(s) you want, and you can even filter the list to show only HD content, only movies, only comedies, etc. Also, recordings can be grouped by show, so you don't have to wade through a long list of recordings to find the recorded show you want to watch.

SEASON PASS.One of TiVo's best (and simplest) features was the Season Pass; I could tell it to record West Wing, and no matter what time and on what channel it appeared, TiVo would record it.Alas, the Sony unit DOES NOT HAVE A SEASON PASS feature; I don't know why the folks at TV Guide couldn't get this simple feature to work. You can have the DHG record multiple episodes of a show, but ONLY if they're broadcast at exactly the same time and on the same channel.If West Wing is an hour later one week, or if it's syndicated on another station, the DHG will miss it unless you manually ask it to record those episodes, too.

There are some other TiVo features absent from the DHG that I don't miss at all, such as "Recommendations" (a feature that fills up your hard disk with junk you don't want), and the "Thumbs Up" and "Thumbs Down" buttons that are supposed to influence the aforementioned recommendations (almost as effectively as TiVo's marketing partners).

OVERALL.The DHG-HDDxxx is the only DVR on the market that doesn't require an expensive digital cable subscription or satellite dish; since I get all my HD broadcasts for free with a $20 rooftop antenna, this was a must.It's also quite a nice unit; well made, attractive, and it works well.If you want an HD DVR, you'll probably be very happy with the Sony DHG-HDDxxx once you get used to it's quirks.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony DHG-HDD500 60-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (500 GB)

Product Description:
High Definition tuner and Digital video recorder with no recording subscription fees and no equipment rental Analog cable and over-the-air reception Memory Stick PRO media slot for playback of photos and music Flexible format outputs and Aspect Ratio settings Free TV Guide On Screen Interactive Programming Guide Real Time Control Functions - Several functions provide an easy and fun way to pause, rewind, and record live high-definition (HD) TV. Dolby Digital 5.1 channel audio decoding with Digital optical audio output Auto SAP Four device Universal remote control V Chip Parental Control Configurable Favorite Channels list Display window for Display of channel number / name, time, recorded program name and Memory Stick(R) file name Multiple Display formats for best quality video reproduction with diverse Display types and broadcast content Flexible Aspect Ratio settings for a variety of monitor types and broadcast content Simultaneous video output from high-definition and standard-definition jacks Easy scheduled recording to VCRs for convenient archiving Unencrypted Digital cable (Clear QAM) Digital over-the-air Analog over-the-air Analog cable Pause, rewind, fast forward and record live high-definition TV 12 fast forward, rewind and slow speed settings Available Speeds - Fast Forward - 3x, 9x, 30x, 90x Rewind - 3x, 9x, 30x, 90x Slow Motion Speeds - 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/8 Record at least 60 hours high-definition video Record up to 400 hours standard-definition video Up to 30, 60 or 90 minute live TV pause time Record live TV while watching another previously recorded show Adjustable Replay and Advance functions User selectable Chapter Marks with thumbnails 2 Composite Video Output 2 S-Video Output HDMI Output Cable Input Antenna Input HDMI or Component (YPBPR) Output USB Port Weight - 12.57 pounds (5.7 K

Want to read more honest consumer review about Sony DHG-HDD500 60-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (500 GB) now ?

Digital Converter / Dvr Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought an HDTV about one year ago. At that time, they were being sold with an SD tuner installed as well, so I could still record broadcast TV shows on my old VCR. I only watch broadcast TV; I live in a rural area that has poor cable service and I didn't want to pay for satellite since I don't watch that much. At the same time, I'm not home when a lot of the shows I like are on the air, so I need a recorder. I thought I could get by with a converter box hooked up to my old VCR, but that only works when you're there to control it. Since the VCR is no longer tuning the channels, you have to be there to change channels on the converter box. Not a great solution, although it has limited use.

For a long time the only option available was TiVo. But TiVo charges you $13 a month for the "privilege" of owning a TiVo. I have friends who love TiVo, and if you're a real TV/cable junkie, I can see where it might be worth the monthly fee. But I already know what I want to record; I already know when the shows are on. Why should I pay TiVo a monthly fee to tell me what I already know?

This DVR is about $100 more expensive than the comparable TiVo DVR. But not having to pay the $13/month fee, you break even in about seven months.

Overall I'm very satisfied with it. I needed a digital, HD replacement for my old VCR, and this product fits the bill. And more. Here are my "Pros":
- The advertisments state it has 20 hours of HD storage, but actually it has 35 hours HD storage, not the as-advertised 20.
- Excellent picture quality. I see no difference between the broadcast show and the recorded show.
- Very easy to set up recording. If you want to record a show one-time, you can just select it when you're in the programming guide, and press the record button. If you want to set it up to do a repeat recording (daily, weekly, etc.) it's only a few easy additional steps.
- The programming guide is far superior to the on-air guide my HDTV provides. This DVR gets its program information from the on-air broadcasts just like the TV, but the presentation and ease of browsing is much better.
- I love the ability to pause, rewind, fast-forward. Even watching live TV. My TiVo friends were all extolling the virtues of TiVo because it offers these features. Well, this DVR does it all for no monthly fee, and they are great.

OK. It's not perfect. Here's my list of "Cons" so far:
- If you buy one, it will be delivered with an obsolete operating system. The very first thing you should do after the initial set-up is complete is go out to the web page and download the latest version of the DVR's operating system. Mine had several annoying issues that were resolved by updating the software, but when you do that you loose all the channel and programming information (though not any recorded shows) and it all has to be reconfigured. Update the software right after you plug it in. I will give 'em this - it is very easy to update.
- The Guide supposedly stores a week's worth of programming info, but in reality it only goes forward about 12 hours. Most everything else displays as "unavailable".
- Part of the set-up is selecting a time for the DVR to update its programming info. You don't want to do this at a time when you would be watching or recording, because it interrupts everything, so I set it to 2 am. BUT, it also attempts to find new "services" (channels). 100% of the time, it finds poor signals that are probably out there but I can never watch, so I have to manually delete them. It's annoying. The software should give me the option of disabling that, but as far as I can tell, I can't.
- It started up one evening with time set to 12 noon. The next day it was back to being correct, and it DID NOT mess up the scheduled recordings, but still that indicates an instability in the operating system.
- This next one is particularly annoying, but requires some explanation. There are two HD tuners in the DVR so that you can record two shows simultaneously. This really is great, I love it. That's not the annoying part. You can also set a system default to start all recordings a few minutes early and end a few minutes late (you can select the number of minutes). This is also a great feature. The broadcaster's clocks don't always coincide with mine. However, when recording two back-to-back programs on the same channel, it temporarily uses both tuners for the 1-2 minutes of overlap most users set. It is recording the same show on both tuners. If you have another show on a different channel set to start recording at the same time as the second show on the first channel, one of them will not record because there are only two tuners. And it doesn't just not record the first few minutes because of the overlap. Once it detects that there are effectively three shows set to record at the same time, it cancels one of them and never starts it back up. The fix for this is to set a "timer" to record the two back-to-back shows as a single event instead of two events. Now that I have figured this out, I can live with it, but the software should be sophisticated enough to do this for me.
- I keep getting an annoying onscreen pop-up message that the ethernet connection has been lost, and it can't check for updates. This happens once per night.
- There is no off-switch (no kidding). The only way to turn it off is to unplug it. If your entertainment center is like mine, the outlets are all hidden behind the furniture. No problem when your amplifier or tuner, etc., has an on/off button. But a big problem for this DVR if you ever need to turn it off. Yes, you can hit the power button on the remote, but the hard drive runs continuously and the unit is always putting out a noticeable amount of heat. Also, twice (before I updated the O.S.) it has frozen up. If you read the user's manual, it tells you that the only way to reset it is to unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. FORTUNATELY, that is apparently not true. It behaves like a locked up PC. If you hold down the power button on the remote for about five seconds, it will reboot itself without having to unplug it.

Here are some "nice to haves", in case anyone from Dish NW reads this:
- I would like to be able to delete segments (for example, commercials) from stored recordings.
- Why does the DVR wipe out my live TV recording just because I change the channel? It's just a signal. I'm watching what I'm watching. Keep recording whatever I'm watching. I may want to go back to what I was watching (isn't that the point of recording it?).
- This DVR is not attractive. Hire someone to design a decent-looking case.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Digital Converter / Dvr

Product Description:
Watch one hd channel while you record another; it will record two different hd or sd shows while you watch a third previously-recorded show. You can also use pause instant replay and rewind on live programming. Recording capacity is 30 hd hours and 150 sd hours with the internal 250gb hard drive. The included ir remote has buttons for skip replay and supports four speeds of fast forward and reverse slow motion and frame-by-frame advance. Seven days of advance program details are available for most broadcast channels and there are never any subscription fees with this unit!

Want to read more honest consumer review about Digital Converter / Dvr now ?

Panasonic DMR-EZ17K DVD Recorder with ATSC Tuner Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been using my new DMR-EZ17K for around a week now. As expected for the price, it's got some features that are great, and some that are not. Here are the unexpectedly positive highlights:

(1) The ATSC tuner picks up perfect widescreen digital over-the-air channels, under conditions where an analog NTSC tuner can receive mostly only static and snow.This feature alone - even without the DVD recorder - nearly justifies the cost of this unit.

(2) The quality of the recorded image in LP mode (4 hours) is truly exceptional - it's nearly indistinguishable from the original 480p off-air HD digital signal. Kudos to Panasonic for this one.

(3) Using 480p outputs, and playing a downsampled off-air digital HD widescreen recording (EDTV), the recorded image quality nearly equals that of a 780p digitally-upsampled standard (non-HD) DVD. From 8 feet away on a non-huge screen, the image looks nearly as good as a true HD broadcast.

(4) Plays and/or displays JPEGs and MP3s burned to CD (but not DVD).

(5) With a certain amount of fiddling, and the use of the proper recordable medium (DVD-RAM), you can achieve chase-playback and "pause live TV" capabilities. While not nearly as convenient or seamless as a TiVo, it *can* be done with this recorder.

(6) With the use of the proper recordable medium (DVD-RAM), you can record one TV program while watching another (or the same) recorded program. Combine that with the 60-second commercial-skip button, and you might just never have to watch another commercial again. Nice!

Negative highlights:

(1) Panasonic seems to have maliciously omitted certain 'free' features merely for marketing parity or to cost-justify the other products in its lineup. Examples include an HDMI output connector and digital upsampling - features found even on $35 Chinese DVD players.

(2) Even though this unit includes an ATSC tuner, which picks up high-definition terrestrial signals by default, Panasonic has chosen to disallow the received high-definition signals from being passed through to a connected HD monitor. Live signal video quality is needlessly reduced/downsampled to 480p, which is standard definition (but digital) EDTV.

(3) It literally takes 10 seconds to change digital channels.

(4) The ability to record the free, on-air Dolby-Digtal 5.1 signal broadcast with certain HD programming seems intentionally crippled, perhaps for anti-piracy reasons. This recorder down-samples the 6 digital channels to only 2 (ordinary stereo) when recording. So you can never record off-air Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. You can, however, play it back when viewing commercial DVDs, using the built-in optical output (no cable included, of course).

(5) No digital inputs OR COMPONENT VIDEO inputs; the highest quality external video you can record is S-Video! There are also no digital video outputs whatsoever, although the component video output quality is decent, and there is a DV input for your camcorder.

(6) The manual is sketchy; while comprehensive and well-illustrated, it still contains some remnants of Asian grammar, and resolutely refuses to explain any usage models or DVD recording theory, focusing instead on acronyms and a context-free explanation of the minutae of each individual button and menu option. You will need to be thoroughly familiar with DVD recording and digital video concepts and theory BEFORE attempting to use this unit effectively, or the manual WILL NOT make complete sense.

(7) No digital zoom during playback means you can't always eliminate the horizontal or vertical black bars present on most widescreen analog (NTSC) broadcasts or recordings.

Overall, due to the ATSC tuner and superb EP recording quality, this recorder is a fantastic buy. I would buy it again.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic DMR-EZ17K DVD Recorder with ATSC Tuner Black

Product Description:
DVD Recorder, With ATSC Digital Tuner, DV Input

Want to read more honest consumer review about Panasonic DMR-EZ17K DVD Recorder with ATSC Tuner Black now ?

Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)June posting

ok I would have given this 5 stars but this comes with current problem with it, this has optical in for 5.1DD recording at this time hauppuage can not get this to work so you are stuck with PCM 2.0 or audio from the analog imputs, now to the rest, it records video at 1920x1080 at same or near Blu ray discs, you have a choice of bitrate constant from 1 to 13.5 Kb or on variable all the way up to 20.2, this records in the same codeec (AVCHD) as blu ray and HD DVD discs, it will take any component imput, I have mine through my receiver where my Dishnet PVR HD, PS3, HD DVD and Oppo DVD player runs through, just for test purposes I tried all my devices and what I test recorded from dishnet, blu ray, DVD and HD DVD the test disc looked no different than the original source, once you capture your source you can then edit or add chapters then you get to add a real cheapo menu and then put in what disc you need to burn either a DVD-R or a dual layer DVD Disc, it takes about 10 minutes to author your recording to Blu ray standard and burn on your normal DVD as a true Blu ray playable Disc, beware once you burn your DVD as a blu ray playback DVD you will not be able to read it in your computer again unless you have a Blu ray Rom or Blu Ray Burner, once and if Hauppuage ever gets the 5.1 DD fixed this could be the killer to blu ray Discs, hauppuage claims by next driver release they will include the 5.1 fix. Beware this is Xp service pack 2 or Vista operating system only, also you must have a fast computer to use this device and its programs, I have a dual core 3.4 gig Intel, 2gigs of ram, 2 - 500 sata HDD and had to buy a nvidia 7600 512 meg video card to get this up to speed and at the fastest bitrate 13,500 I cant do anything else on the computer, but this is the problem with Hi def, its power hungry, now I can finally put my hi def movies of all 6 star wars and 3 lord of the rings on DVD for 1080i blu ray playback, you can also convert the finished files over to movie factory 6 to burn on a normal DVD for HD DVD playback also.

August update...
Ok been doing alot of capturing, have made 40 dual layer DVDs for blu ray playback and 10 dual layers for HD DVD playback. the video qua;ity is great if you keep it above 7.8 bitrate, only major drawback is no 5.1DD audio, I am now Beta tesing the 5.1DD audio driver right now, wow this makes a huge difference with the sound. Problems still, wont work with the arch software yet, sync problems, but works with TSmuxer. There seems to be heat related issues with some boxes, mine stays on 7, 10, 15 hours at a time never gets overly warm and never locks up. I have done well over 100 captures with this device. Having an Lg blu ray burner and blanks getting below $8 each, this might be the future for capturing and buring HD content at the PVR's full 13.2 to 20.0 bitrate in the future. If hauppauge can just tweak this 5.1DD driver a bit more I think this will be a great little device.

October update,
I am now a beta tester for hauppauge and I finally got 5.1DD drivers and TME software that works, so now I got a card that finally works capturing movies the way I wanted it to, 5.1DD and can also edit with the software and no more sync issues, burn to dual layers DVD's or $4 blu ray discs.

December Update
Ok Hauppauge support finally has Drivers and software out for general public that makes this device work properly. you can capture 1080i from any component ouput using the 5.1DD and you get a great captured TS or M2TS file ready to burn to a blu ray or dual layer DVD with or without menu. since october I have captured and burned over 50 movies onto disc in 5.1DD and they look great, the ones from the 1080p sources look really great. Now I manually record all my movies, so I do not know how this works with a timer or sageTV.Feb Posting

some here wanted me to post to let you know of known problems with this anddishnet, I find there is no exact problems per say with the PVR1212 and Dishnet, you should know that sometimes when you use this device with the dishnet you get out of sync problems and digital tears in the picture, most, if no all is the blame of dishnet or most likey the channel the show is broadcast from.Example: I have tried 7-8 times to capture and recordSpaceballs from MGM HD channel every time its out of sync and every time its being played out of sync on MGM HD over dishnet before I even capture it. Please keep in mind when using this device, HD content is never perfect and they "big hollywood" does not want you to capture and record their programs. So dont be surprised if "they" are always trying anything to foil you capturing a Hi Def Digital program, be it dish, cable, PS3 or HD-DVD. so far I have captured and burned onto dual layer DVD's130 movies from all such sources all coming out perfect, be it analog, 2DD or 5.1DD audio. yeah where else can you watch on a disc, star wars, lord of the rings, batman, star trek movies in hi def, way to go hauppauge. :)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder

Product Description:
The Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder is the world's first high-definition video recorder for making real-time H.264 compressed recordings at resolutions up to 1080i. With the HD-PVR, you can schedule and automatically record your favorite shows in high definition directly from cable TV and satellite set top boxes. As an added feature, the HD-PVR also includes S-Video inputs so you can convert all your old home video tapes into Blu-ray DVD recordings.


This personal video recorder makes real-time H.264 compressed recordings at resolutions up to 1080i. View larger.
View front connections

Plug your VCR directly into the 1212 HD-PVR and record old home video tapes into AVCHD format. View larger.
View rear connections The Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder offers:

Recording direct from cable TV and satellite with quality up to 1080i.
AVCHD format for burning Blu-ray DVD discs.
Standard definition composite and S-Video inputs.

High-Definition Quality Recordings on Your Schedule
At long last, a personal video recorder, or PVR, that offers high quality recordings of high-definition television shows. Now you can start building a personal archive of your favorite high definition TV programs without losing the broadcast quality.
At the heart of the HD-PVR is an H.264 high-definition encoder that's built-in for high-performance, high-quality TV recordings at up to 1080i resolution, 720p or VGA/D1. The box includes a component video input for use with most high-definition cable TV and satellite TV receivers, as well as optical or stereo audio inputs. (Audio is recorded using AAC of Dolby Digital.)
The HD-PVR records in the AVCHD format, which can be used to burn Blu-ray DVD discs. Two hours of high-definition recordings, recorded at 5 Mbits/sec, can be burnt onto a standard 4.7 GB DVD-R or DVD-RW disk for playback on any Blu-ray DVD player. (You have the option of recording at datarates from 1 Mbs to 13.5Mbs, constant and variable bit rate.)
The recorder also includes Hauppage's WinTV scheduler that lets you schedule your TV recordings, and a built-in IR blaster that automatically changes TV channels for your scheduled recordings. The included remote control lets you change the stations in your set-up box. And for even greater convenience and performance, the HD-PVR features an audio / video component video loop so you can record and watch your television at the same time.
Convert Your Home Videos to Blu-ray DVDs
If you've been wondering what to do with all your home videos, the HD-PVR has the answer. Thanks to the included standard definition composite and S-Video inputs, you can plug your VCR directly into the box and record your old home video tapes into an AVCHD format, which you can then burn onto a DVD for playback on your Blu-ray DVD player.
Also included with the HD-PVR is Arcsoft's "TotalMedia Theater," a video player that lets you play back your TV recordings to your PC screen, and "MediaConverter" to convert your H.264 HD recordings onto other formats.
The HD-PVR measures a scant 7.8 x 6.8 x 2.8 inches, so it will fit snugly in your home theater set up.

What's in the Box
HD-PVR, remote control (with batteries), IR Blaster transmitter cable, component video cable set, audio cable set, USB cable, and 5V power supply. Also includes the following bundled software applications: Arcsoft "TotalMediaExtreme"; Arcsoft "TotalMedia Theater," Arcsoft "MediaConverter," and Hauppauge WinTV Scheduler.

Get 13% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder now ?

Channel Master CM-7000PAL Digital Video Recorder, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'll preface this review with the disclosure that I own the Echostar version of this product, the DTVPal-DVR (actually, I own three of them). While these are the same physical units as the Channel Master CM-7000PAL offered here (Echostar is the OEM for the Channel Master) the firmware is slightly different and Channel Master provides its own independent warranty and customer service program.

This DVR is an excellent value in comparison with similar offerings. In fact, it is one of the few DVRs which has been designed for Over-The-Air (OTA) recording of digital TV, rather than tied to a cable or satellite service. There are no subscription or licensing fees required for operation, nor any feature limitations imposed. The DVR includes two independent High Definition (HD) tuners, which permits the simultaneous recording of two HD broadcasts and playback of a third previously recorded show. Input from an external antenna is via a standard coax RF connector, and the tuners have better than average ability to lock onto distant stations. HD video output is provided via HDMI and/or analog component outputs, and standard definition video is available via analog composite and/or RF coax (including pass through of antenna signal to TV). Audio is transmitted via HDMI, optical digital, and analog outputs. The digital audio ports support Dolby Digital output for both live and recorded shows.

There is no compression or re-encoding of the recorded material, so playback is exactly the same quality of the original broadcast. It should be noted, however, that output resolution (480p, 720p, 1080i, etc) is set via menu selection and does not automatically switch dependent on broadcast resolution. This just means that by default any scaling required (if any) will be done by the DVR rather than your TV - a function which will be unnoticed by most viewers.

A complete channel guide is provided. This is noteworthy, as many OTA units provide guide information for only the currently tuned channel. Eight (8) days of full channel guide info is obtained from the TVGuide service supported by many major stations, otherwise the more limited PSIP data is downloaded from the individual stations themselves. The DVR does a good job of combining the two in cases where TVGuide information is available for some, but not all, of the tuned channels.

Recordings can be started manually, and if the tuner has been on the current channel prior it is possible to record from the beginning of a show even if it is already in progress. Scheduled recordings are set via the channel guide, and are time-based. This means that a recording will commence at the time/date initially set even in cases that the show's timeslot has been moved. This is an important point and one area where the DVR falls a bit short compared to other (more expensive) units which feature name-based recordings, auto-skip of reruns, etc. This DVR's scheduling capabilities are more akin to a traditional VCR with the addition of a channel guide for reference.

All display material, both live and recorded, can be paused, rewound, fast-forwarded, and put into slow motion. A convenient button on the remote provides an automatic skip forward of 30 seconds, which when pressed multiple times corresponds almost exactly with a commercial break.

An Ethernet port is provided for automated firmware updates, or updates can be manually transferred via a "thumb drive" to the included USB port. The built-in hard drive is capable of storing up to 30 hours of HD material, or 150 hours of standard definition recordings (though this is determined solely by the station - you cannot choose to record HD material in SD format). Other than a somewhat tricky opening procedure for the case, replacing the hard drive for higher capacity is fairly easy and reliable (though not supported by the manufacturer).

In closing, it should be noted that the original DTVPal-DVR units (such as mine) on which the Channel Master is built have had a somewhat rocky history. Early versions of the firmware had a range of issues, some which were simply annoyances and others which were a serious impairment to usability. However, the most recent firmware, released several months ago and initiated prior to the OEM agreement with Channel Master, has proven to be quite stable and reliable. Having three units used on a daily basis in my home, the oldest of which has been in use since product introduction well over a year ago, leaves me confident in recommendation of the DVR for anyone interested in a great value, fairly well-featured OTA DVR.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Channel Master CM-7000PAL Digital Video Recorder, Black

Product Description:
The Channel Master CM-7000PAL is the first DVR box offered by Channel Master. We are extremely excited to bring this innovative product to the market which is sure to enhance your TV viewing experience. With this unit you can view and record local over-the-air digital broadcasts. With the DVR you can pause, fast forward and rewind your programs, you can even use the slow motion feature to watch clips frame by frame. The DVR offers an electronic program guide which allows you to pre-set recording schedules so you never miss your favorite shows. Unlike many other DVR set top boxes, there are NO monthly subscription fees. This unit includes an infrared remote control which operates the CM-7000PAL DVR and up to three other components.

Get 1% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Channel Master CM-7000PAL Digital Video Recorder, Black now ?