Philips DVDR3505/37 1080i Upscaling DVD Recorder with Built-In Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)The Phillips DVDR3505/37 has the best "digital tuner" picture quality out of the two other DVD recorders that I have tested with "digital tuners" (Panasonic and Samsung). The Phillips DVDR3505 produces an amazingly clear OTA digital picture on my old 27 inch Sanyo analog "box" TV using an indoor antenna. The Phillips 3505 and the 27inch TV are connected with regular "composite cables". The resulting OTA digital picture is amazingly detailed and clear with little or no annoying "dot crawl". Another important feature for me in selecting the Phillips DVDR3505 is that it allows you to choose "4.3 pan & Scan" to view OTA digital programs in full screen on a "box" TV (no black bars caused by "HD" OTA programs). In the 4.3 pan & scan mode the OTA digital picture is shown in full screen but is not distorted looking (no long and stretched faces) and the picture framing matches the full screen picture seen on my analog OTA TV in a side by side comparison. In addition the picture clarity/sharpness in the "4.3 pan & scan" full screen mode is superb! The same effect should be achieved when watching a purchased or rented "widescreen" DVD movie on your "Box" TV in the 4.3 pan & scan mode. The cons for the Phillips DVDR3505 are its slow channel change and slow recording set up. One additional problem I have experienced is that the unit looses its channel set up under certian conditions. At this point in my life, the quality of the picture that you see from your cable, Sat, or OTA programs is what is most important to me and my family when watching TV. The truth is that I have put up with poor reception using analog TV with "rabbit ears" antennas long enough, so the amazing picture quality of the Phillips is what sold me. The Phillips DVDR3502 wins hand down in that category and is the main reason that I sent the other more expensive feature rich DVD recorders back to the store. My family and I have been able to work around or forgive all of the "cons" reported about for the Phillips DVDR3505 and because we are basic users the Phillips meets our needs for recording OTA TV programs while providing a "Wow factor" in picture clarity when watching "real time" OTA digital TV through our analog "box" TV. Also, a "Wow factor" is achieved even when watching OTA digital program recorded on DVD using the Phillips DVDR3505. Image reproduction is excellent in two highest image recording modes. Before buying see if the features on the Phillips DVDR3505/37 matches your basic needs. If viewing pleasure has been lacking for OTA broadcasts then get ready to receive the "Best Picture" award from friends and family when using the Phillips DVDR3505.

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Product Description:
DVD Recorder, 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 1080i 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

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Toshiba DR560 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with Built-in Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a review of the Toshiba DR560 Upconverting DVD Recorder with built in high def tuner.

BACKGROUND:
I bought this unit to handle a few needs with one piece of hardware:
1. I wanted a high def tuner for my tuner-less Sharp Aquos 26" LCD TV (purchased in 2007 before the new rule requiring tuners in TVs!)
2. I wanted to be able to take old analog home movie footage and transfer it directly to DVD with no editing.My old VHS tapes were approaching their shelf life limit.
3. I wanted to upconvert standard 480 resolution DVDs to make them look better on the Sharp TV.

SETUP:
The setup of the device was simple.I hate the fact that manufacturers still don't include HDMI cables with hardware that costs this much.So I grumbled for a minute and then purchased an HDMI cable for it (don't get me started on how most electronics stores charge an obscene price for digital cables!I bought one at a large discount retailer).All I had to do was connect the HDMI-out from the Toshiba to the HDMI-in on my high def Sharp.That's it.No audio plugs needed.I like having just a one wire connection.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
For the remote control I don't have many complaints.It does not appear to be capable of controlling my TV - I didn't see anything in the guide about programming other devices.Someone please comment and correct me if I'm wrong on that.The keys are not lighted.

When I first started the player I went through the simple setup prompts.The instructions said I might need to hit the HDMI button on the remote to match up to the display of my TV, but it automatically selected 1080 for me.(there are lighted 480, 720, and 1080 indicators on the player itself, so you can tell what mode it is in)If you are not connected via HDMI then these lights don't function.I initially tried a component video connection and noticed that the resolution selection was not available.

When I first opened the DVD tray I thought I had activated a paper shredder!It is the loudest, oldest sounding motor noise I have ever heard from a DVD player.To me it sounds like it is straining just to open the tray.I hope that holds up long term.

I found the disk read and startup time to be a little long.

SPECIFIC IMPRESSIONS:

UPCONVERTING DVD PLAYER:
I put in a DVD - "Star Wars Attack of the Clones" - to test the upconverting video quality.I was immediately concerned with how loud the motor was in spinning up the DVD.But my worry went away once I hit "play".Once you start playing the movie the motor noise goes away and is very quiet.

To test the upconverting quality I played a scene from the movie on the DVD player, and then switched over and played the same scene on an Xbox 360 connected to the same TV via a component video connection.To my untrained eye the upconverted picture was brighter and had a slightly higher level of detail.So I was satisfied with it.

DVD RECORDER:
I have only used DVD-R recording media.Once I try a DVD+-RW disk I will update this review.But using the DVD-R was very user friendly.You pop in a blank DVD-R disk and the machine has it ready to go in a few seconds.No interaction needed.

I then hooked up a VCR using the RCA video and audio ports (the recorder included RCA and S video cables).There's one set of inputs on the back and one on the front.I used the back ones because it was just as convenient for me.

Before recording I went into the DVD recording options menu and selected it to do automatic 5 minute chapter breaks.

All I had to do what hit play on my VCR and hit record on the DVD recorder.A little red disk of light displays on the panel so that you know it's recording.Going from memory I believe the recording quality options were 1 hour, 2, 4, 6, and 8.

I was able to record successfully from both VHS and a HI-8 Camcorder feeds (both using the RCA jacks).

Once the tape finished I hit stop on the recorder, and it finished writing the recording very quickly (less than one minute for 2 hours of recording).I then had the option to edit the title that appears on the menu, which is not the most intuitive process using the remote control.I had also expected it to create a DVD menu with chapters for every 5 minute break, but it only had one menu selection.When playing back the disk it did skip 5 minutes every time I hit the Chapter+ button.

As a final step I "finalized" the DVD to make it able to play on other DVD players.I tested the disks on a circa 1997 Sony DVD player, and also a 2005 Toshiba.DVDs that I created from VHS played fine on both players, but the DVD I recorded from the Hi-8 tape source would not play correctly on the 1996 DVD player.It played fine on the 2005 player.I still need to test more Hi-8 recordings to see it that was an isolated problem or not.

UPDATE 05/30/08: I think it's just my 1997 Sony DVD player that just can't handle DVD-R media very well.After replaying VHS source and HI-8 source videos, they are both hit or miss as to whether they play correctly.I don't think this will be an issue for most people with newer DVD players.

I still need to test recording from a mini-DV digital source.

HIGH DEF TV TUNER:
I have a large UHF antenna mounted in my attic receiving local HD quality broadcasts (see my other reviews for that).I ran a coaxial cable from that antenna down to the DVD recorder and connected it to the antenna-in port.Then using the same HDMI-out feed to the TV I was able to tune in and watch local digital broadcast stations.I watched the season finale of American Idol on it (David vs David), and the picture quality was excellent.Changing channels does take about 2 seconds, as another reviewer said.That is a little slow, but I am willing to put up with slow channel changing for free high def!

Overall I would rate this DVD Recorder 4 of 5 stars.It certainly does serve the three needs I outlined at the start of this review.

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Product Description:
DVD Recorder with 1080p Upconversion with Built-in Digital Tuner

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Philips DVDR3545V/37 1080p Upscaling DVDR/VCR Combo with Built-In Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a good box. It replaces a separate DVD player and vhs player,
and can record dvd as well. It has a built-in digital tuner, and up-
converts whatever it plays to the resolution of the tv. It has a digital
output (HDMI) to go the tv.
In my application, I use the tuner on the house antenna to get "free-from-air" digital broadcasts, while the cable input goes
directly to the tv. I didn't realize how important the upconverting
feature was until I saw it - it makes old media look .. better.
In my copious spare time, I hope to convert vhs tapes I want to
save to dvd - this box can do that offline, and unattended.
good value for the money.

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Product Description:
DVD Recorder, HiFi VHS VCR so you can play and record VCR and record you favorite VCR recording to DVD, Dual Media-records and plays in DVDR-R-RW and DVD+R+RW, Built ATSC digital SDTV tuner to recieve digital HD TV broadcasts, HDMI 1080p 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

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

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(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.

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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

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Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder with Built in Tuner, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm writing this review after a month of use and the majority of the reviews are spot on.I evaluated recorders from several different manufacturers and decided to go with the Toshiba.I have a Toshiba VHS/DVD player combo as well as a no-frills Toshiba 14" CRT style TV which have been reliable for a few years now so I was confident this unit would at least meet those standards (I was not disappointed).The metal cabinet feels solid and the DVD tray isn't flimsy.A flip down door reveals the basic controls (play, stop , forward/reverse, record) as well as front inputs for S-Video, composite video/audio, and a 4-pin IEEE1394 Firewire DV port which you can connect a digital camcorder to.

I first did a test setup by connecting the CATV coax cable to the antenna in and then connecting the DR570 directly to a Sony Bravia LCD via HDMI.Initial setup was straightforward and I let the unit do an autoscan for channels.Scanning for "in the clear" digital channels took awhile (common issue with most QAM tuners) and unsurprisingly, it picked up some channels but not others (the Sony Bravia TV is no different in this regard).My actual setup just uses S-video and audio connectionsfrom my digital cable box (I don't use the built-in tuner).

I used a DVD+RW disc to try some test records with the different quality settings.These settings determine the bit rate (variable bit rate) of the MPEG-2 video stream and what I found is the LP mode (4 hours of recording) offering pretty good overall quality.The only exception is anything with fast action where you will notice a substantial degradation in the clarity during those particular recorded scenes.Both the XP (1 hour) and SP (2 hour) mode will take care of this issue at the expense of being able to record less content on a disc.Both EP (6 hour) and SLP (8 hour) mode offer pretty poor picture quality and are at least for me, unusable.

As others have mentioned, loading a disc can take around a half a minute when either inserting a new disc or powering on the recorder.Rewritable DVD discs need to be formatted first (takes less than half a minute).Recording is quite simple and no different than a VCR.One caveat with many of these DVD recorders is that when you stop recording, you may lose the last few seconds (so I usually just let the recording go for 2-3 extra seconds before pausing or hitting stop). Another note is that unlike video tape where when you hit stop, you can quickly record again, this DVD recorder writes to the disc for around half a minute before you can do any other action.Playback is like any standard VHS or DVD player.If you hit the TOP MENU button on the remote, this will show moving thumbnails of each recording (which Toshiba refers to as "titles").With rewritable media, there are some rudimentary editing tools which allows you to "remove" scenes (i.e. like say if you want to "delete" commercials).Note that you don't gain any extra recording time doing this (the only way to do that is deleting that entire title or completely reformatting the disc).The advanced portion of the manual covers this.

Like all DVD recorders, there is a finalization step which allows the DVD disc to be playable on most any other player (like if you are planning to share it with someone else).The DR570 provides an auto finalization setting so that you don't need to remember to do this once your disc is full.

Programmed recordings is also relatively straightforward and simple.Just like their VCR's, you need to power-off the unit to place it into standby/programmed recording mode.So far, I haven't encountered any missed recordings.

As for media, I've been using Verbatim DVD-R, DVD+R, and DVD+RW without any problems.I haven't yet come across any lockup issues with this recorder.

Like many others, the main complaint is the remote and its dark lettering.I've since memorized the location of the key buttons which I use but compared to the remotes for my Toshiba television (which has a simple but very nice glow in the dark buttons which are big) and VCR's, this thing is pretty bad from a usability perspective (this minus one star).

Overall, I've been very pleased with this recorder and most of Toshiba's recent consumer electronics devices.Whereas some other brands look and feel like disposable pieces of junk at this price range, the DR570 doesn't give that impression and I would definitely recommend this unit to others looking to make the jump from VHS to DVD.

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DVD Recorder with Built in Tuner

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