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 ?

LiteOn Progressive Scan DVD+R/RW LVW-5101 DVD Recorder w/ TV or Camcorder Input Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The LVW-5101 was my first dvd recorder. I figured 139.99 was a bargain considering how new the technology was.

Unfortunately, the unit developed quirks right away like the clock that runs way too fast, picking up a few minutes every day.
Sometimes the unit stopped in the middle of a recording session and sometimes it started recording when it wanted. Either way it wasted my money because the disc was ruined.

Now it ruins discs that have been recorded but not finalized byoverwriting automatic formating because it does not recognize recordings made by itself. And it confuses dvd+r with dvd+rw, thereby ruining the disc.

I must say I am pretty sour on the Lite-on brand.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LiteOn Progressive Scan DVD+R/RW LVW-5101 DVD Recorder w/ TV or Camcorder Input

Product Description:
LiteOn's LVW-5101 DVD Recorder sports convenient features that make it a snap to create great-looking DVD recordings of your favorite TV programs and cherished home videos. ----- This sleek, slimline recorder is as easy to use as it is to fit into your home entertainment center. ----- Fumbling with videotapes to find available space will be a thing of the past: when you insert a recordable disc, DVD Recorder tells you how much recording time is left and knows exactly where to begin recording. ----- Use erasable DVD+RW discs to record and view TV shows over and over, or make permanent recordings on inexpensive write-once DVD+R discs for playback on any compatible DVD player. ----- You can record your favorite TV shows, edit out the commercials and watch them in pure digital quality whenever you want! ----- Features progressive scan technology for sharper resolution and image quality, DVD+R/RW format for broad compatibility with existing DVD and CD players, one touch recording, Easy Track Navigator for simplified editing and playback, and full function remote control. ----- In addition to DVDs and audio CDs, the LVW-5101 is also compatible with VCDs, SVCDs, JPEG still images, and plays MP3 audio files. ---- A unique feature among DVD recorders, the LVW-5101 comes with a DV-Link connection port that allows you to connect the recorder to a digital video camcorder and digitalize video clips into DVD format that can be preserved forever. ---- You'll get impressively clear video playback from this progressive-scan DVD player. ----- The back of the LVW5101 has the following connections: RF in/out ports, S-Video in/out, RCA in/out, component-video out, digital out, and optical out. ----- Includes: Lite-On LVW5101 DVD player/recorder, remote control, 2 "AA" batteries, RCA connecting cable, and user's manual. ----- Warning: This product is not made or sold for the unauthorized recording of copyrighted works, including unauthorized recording from prerecorded copyrighted movies.

Want to read more honest consumer review about LiteOn Progressive Scan DVD+R/RW LVW-5101 DVD Recorder w/ TV or Camcorder Input 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 ?

NEW LG ALL MULTI REGION CODE ZONE FREE DVD RECORDER PLAYER VCR COMBO WITH DIGITAL ATSC TUNER and HDMI 1080p Upconverting (Remote Control Included, Free HDMI Cable) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Once again LG comes out with a superior product.This combo recorder was a replacement for my analog unit, which still works fine.I just wanted to upgrade to HD with the 1080P upconversion capability.I tried several DVDs in this unit.The first was was the old Errol Flynn classic, "Robin Hood."OH MY GOD!I've watched this movie numerous times and I've never seen it like this.Some of the scenes were so crisp, it looked like 3D.Then I put in "Back to the Future II."Outstanding picture. But wait...there's more!

I record a couple of T.V. programs for the wife every week.They had a marathon one day, so I went through the day's episodes and there were several we had seen.I scheduled the times I wanted the recorder to record.There were gaps between the times and the recorder turns off after it's recorded the first episode.My old recorder would stay off and I would have to turn it back on.Not with the LG.That thing kept turning off, then back on to record the next time, then off, then on. It was fantastic!The other thing was my last machine would not record the entire 4 hrs. on the DVD in LP mode.It would stop 8 minutes short.Not the LG.That baby recorded every minute. FABULOUS.

Lastly, I just want to mention that I have NEVER opened the instruction manual.I'm no brain surgeon, but I figured it out quickly and with ease.Also, the remote automatically recognized my VIZIO T.V. and will control not only the recorder, but the T.V. too.I didn't have to do a thing.

I have been buying LG products for years for my computer. I have always been happy with their products. I took a chance with this combo recorder and I would recommend it to anyone.I guess the manufacturer realized they had a winner too, because after I bought mine, the price went up $50.GREAT machine!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: NEW LG ALL MULTI REGION CODE ZONE FREE DVD RECORDER PLAYER VCR COMBO WITH DIGITAL ATSC TUNER and HDMI 1080p Upconverting (Remote Control Included, Free HDMI Cable)

Product Description:
The versatile LG Super Multi-Region DVD recorder/VCR with digital tuner is a DVD recorder, a VCR, and a digital TV tuner-all in one space-saving unit. Record from DVD to videotape, and videotape to recordable DVD, all at an up-scaled rate of 1080p. The built in tuner supports both Digital High Definition Channles and Analog Channels. SUPER MULTI FORMAT DISC RECORDING Record to all current DVD disc formats with Super Multi Format Recording: DVD??R /DVD??RW/DVD+R Double Layer/DVD-RAM USB MEDIA PLUS Digital music, photos and video with USB Media Plus. 1080p UP-SCALING Superior image quality and convenience with DVD/VCR 1080p up-scaling via HDMI output DIGITAL TUNER Watch and record digital broadcasts from antenna or cable connections DIGITAL CABLE/SATELLITE BOX CONTROLER Easy scheduled recording from most digital cable/digital satellite boxes with Set-Top Box Controller DIGITAL CAMCORDER INPUT Convenient recording and editing from digital camcorders with DV(1394) Input Recording LG SIMPLINK??? Allows for convenient control of other LG SimpLink products using the existing HDMI connection

Want to read more honest consumer review about NEW LG ALL MULTI REGION CODE ZONE FREE DVD RECORDER PLAYER VCR COMBO WITH DIGITAL ATSC TUNER and HDMI 1080p Upconverting (Remote Control Included, Free HDMI Cable) now ?

CC Witness 2GB Digital Recorder/MP3 players with AM/FM Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Great little recorder. Received mine yesterday, charged it up, recorded a few test recordings on AM and FM. Programmed it to record from midnight to 4am and it worked great. Fairly easy to use! AM receiver is sensitive and worked well with no interference. I followed the instruction manual and turned off th AM Radio display to minimize/eliminate any interference. Uses SD Memory devices as big as 16gb! That is in addition to it's built-in 2gb of memory. Maybe in a future model it will use a USB Thumb Drive or maybe a regular USB External Hard Drive! This unit is going to make late night recording and recording of specialty radio programs a real easy task. I calculate my recording usage at slightly more than forty hours a week.

Click Here to see more reviews about: CC Witness 2GB Digital Recorder/MP3 players with AM/FM

Product Description:
The CC Witness is one of the few digital recorder/MP3 players that also has both AM and FM radio onboard. Designed for the radio aficionado, the CC Witness has 2GB of onboard memory and up to 2GB of external memory on an optional SD card. That's 4GB of memory that you can have with you whenever you need it to record your favorite radio programs, your thoughts, lectures and even music. With so much space built into the unit, you'll have plenty of room to store hundreds of hours of recordings, and still have room for more. If you've ever worried about missing your favorite radio show, than the CC Witness might just make your day — since you can preset it to record up to 20 programs in advance. You can even make MP3 recordings of AM/FM radio programs on the fly.

Want to read more honest consumer review about CC Witness 2GB Digital Recorder/MP3 players with AM/FM now ?

MAGNAVOX H2160MW9 HDD and DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)TIP: read the "original review", then SEE the update history at bottom
** 05/05/2010 UPDATE newly released firmware update to correct the E19 error
** 11/10/2009 UPDATE: "workaround" for the known "Finalize disc bug fix")
** 9/25/2009 UPDATE regarding my defective unit)
--------------------------- MY ORIGINAL REVIEW ---------------------------
The Magnavox H2160MW9 is is a mixed bag of fantastic abilities and a few disappointing failures rolled into one product. My 4-star rating is very generous, considering the negatives.

If you've invested time doing research on HDD recorders, then you know how limited the choices are. With further research, you'll find that the problems I'm having are not isolated incidents. Google the model number and you'll see.

FAILURES:
*** DVD player does not - will not play DVD discs: --> see the UPDATE 9/25/2009 <--
I tried 14 discs - 2 from Blockbuster, 2 from Netflix, 4 store bought, and 6 created on my computer.
Most discs are not recognized and will not load. Magnavox will say "no disc". Some will play up to 30 seconds. The record breaker for me - Star Trek Generations, played for 4 minutes before crashing.

*** If you plan on recording or dubbing to DVD disc, there is a known bug; the DVD recorder cannot FINALIZE a disc IF you have ANY upcoming recordings pending in your "LIST". (like a repeating Thursday favorite weekly program) The Magnavox will give you an "E19" error message. This is NOT a problem until you want to play the recorded disc on a different player, such as a computer or a DVD player at a friends house. This problem can be solved by deleting ALL of your pending upcoming recordings ... OR ... if FUNAI, the actual manufacturer of this product ever decides to create a firmware patch, which so far is not likely even though they are aware of the problems. (the older Magnavox models worked fine)
---> SEE the UPDATE 11/10/2009: an easy workaround fix <---

*** Only records one program at a time and NO, you cannot watch a DVD disc movie while it's already recording - even if it's recording in HDD mode (but you CAN WATCH an already recorded program in your saved "LIST" while Magnavox is recording the current aired program). NOTE: for maximum viewing flexibility: connect your ANTENNA CABLE to the INPUT jack of the Magnavox - then connect a 2nd CABLE from the OUTPUT jack of the Magnavox TO the TV INPUT. Now use the TV remote "SOURCE" button to switch between the Magnavox or your TV tuner. In a nutshell, this gives you the ability to use your TV and/or other devices connected to the TV (PS2, Wii, Blu-ray, etc) while the Magnavox is busy recording shows.

FANTASTIC:
*** This model does a flawless job of recording upcoming shows AND will even WARN a family member if they attempt to change the channel while a recording is in progress or upcoming within the next hour.
*** You too can now pause live TV! Imagine being able to go to the bathroom, answer the door, make a call, turn the oven down, all without missing one second of your favorite program.
*** Fire your cable or dish company! No more monthly bills if you're satisfied with your available off-air local channels - absolutely FREE by installing an off-air antenna. (that old antenna on the roof will actually work)
*** Who needs the DVD recorder? Even though it's able to record to a blank DVD disc, why bother when you have a built-in HDD! You'll agree after owning this machine for a while. However... and on the plus side, you can dub from HDD to DVD - to save a copy of a favorite HDD recording. (and send this disc to a friend if you can deal with the "finalize problem")

In summary, this Magnavox is a bit of a mess but there's a lot to like. I ordered a replacement and maybe that DVD player will actually work. The way I see it, I would keep this Magnavox just for its HDD recording ability - EVEN IF it had zero DVD functionality. I'd simply buy and connect an LG Blu-ray disc player. Blame it on China if you wish.

Good luck,
Jeff

---------------------------- UPDATE HISTORY -----------------------------------

~~> UPDATE 9/25/2009:
I'm happy to report that Walmart quickly sent me a 2nd replacement Magnavox which does play EVERY single DVD disc I've tried. (Amazon was out of stock)

I must mention that I'm a loyal Amazon fan, with over 250 orders in 12 months, but Walmart was also very gracious and made it easy to return my defective product (drop it off at any store, including online orders) PLUS they even refunded my $25 one-day shipping cost for the 1st unit! (they don't cross-ship; you buy a 2nd unit, wait for delivery, and return the 1st unit within 30 days)(same as Amazon policy)

~~> UPDATE 11/10/2009 BUG FIX!!! (finalize disc bug workaround) Thanks to Wajo from AVS Forum!!!
In order to finalize a disc WITHOUT deleting all of your upcoming program timers:
1) - Press the SOURCE button on the remote and choose "L3 (DV) input"
2) - Insert the disc, go to the "Disc Edit Menu" and choose FINALIZE.
------- Notes -------
*** It is NOT necessary to delete your upcoming timer programs with this workaround.
*** Do not finalize a disc IF you have an upcoming program to record within the next hour.
- OPTIONS: wait until later OR change/set the clock forward 1 or 2 hours but RISK losing an upcoming recording
*** You can also FORMAT and ERASE RW discs while on INPUT L3.
(tune to L3 BEFORE inserting the disc - it starts automatically)
*** You can DUB several recordings onto 1 disc - depending on the quality/size of recording.
*** Funai recommends using DVD+R or DVD+RW discs rather than DVD-R or DVD-RW

~~> UPDATE 5/5/2010 FIRMWARE UPDATE RELEASED!
Thanks to "ieee488" for discovering the recent firmware update information.
Funai Statement:
"For problems finalizing the disc while a timer recording is intact. (error code E19). This firmware update is for model number H2160MW9A only. If you attempt to upgrade another model or model number of Magnavox DVD recorder, the firmware disk will be ejected. **Please follow the instructions carefully. A failed update may result in voiding the manufacturers warranty."
---------------------------------
DIRECT DOWNLOAD "Instructions" file, READ before installing the firmware update:
- find this file link in my May 21, 2010 post (click "Comments" - bottom right)
DIRECT DOWNLOAD "Firmware" file:
- find this file link in my May 21, 2010 post (click "Comments" - bottom right)
(I had file hyperlinks here but Amazon removed them - they ARE in my post though)

ATTENTION --> I have NOT tested this firmware update. Proceed at your own risk!

Click Here to see more reviews about: MAGNAVOX H2160MW9 HDD and DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner, Black

Product Description:
HDD and DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner

Want to read more honest consumer review about MAGNAVOX H2160MW9 HDD and DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner, Black now ?

Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder with Built in Tuner, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(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.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder with Built in Tuner, Black

Product Description:
DVD Recorder with Built in Tuner

Get 19% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder with Built in Tuner, Black now ?