After a DVD Recorder for Sisters Birthday

petrolhead

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
5,249
Reaction score
182
Points
1,440
Location
Newcastle
She is 60 this year so going to splash out and buy her a DVD recorder. She actually want one before you think I have an alteria motive :)

The spec is that it should have a hard drive, Digital Tuner, Video Plus

Any suggestions?
 
funnily enough,my mum is 60 next month and we are planning to get her a recorder.We have a budget of £100-£150,not concerned about specs although if it could play divx,xvid that would be a bonus.I have done some reading up and alot of good feedback has been for Panasonic.If anyone could throw me some suggestions i would appreciate it.
 
For 60 year-olds, ease of use is pretty important.

The Panasonic EX75 or 85 do well for that.
 
Cheers

Thats what I thought, the Panny does have Video Plus?

Much difference between the 75 and 85?
 
petrolhead said:
Cheers

Thats what I thought, the Panny does have Video Plus?

Much difference between the 75 and 85?

The only difference between the 75 and 85 is the size of the hard disk : 160GB and 250 GB respectively. [ ... and price of course ! ]

Yes they have videoplus... but that is for Analogue stations only.
Can you/she not receive freeview? ... because there is a much simpler and superior system of programming timer recordings on these machines using an EPG.

[ If that is Newcastle upon Tyne .. then yes you can /should be able to receive Freeview ]
 
So video plus only works with analog TV?

She is already getting Freeview at home
 
petrolhead said:
So video plus only works with analog TV?

Yes - Correct.

petrolhead said:
She is already getting Freeview at home

In which case she will be able to use the EPG system which is good... and she will have access to record a much greater number of channels.
I'm sure she will find it even easier to use than videoplus.

The process is this:

On the remote, press the Green EPG button. All the channels and programs available for the next seven days are displayed.
Navigate to the programme desired, using the 'North, S,E, W, buttons', press OK,
This will show a timer screen with all the timer parameters already in [ and can be adjusted if required].
Press OK again. This commits it to the timer memory.
The timer will accept 32 Programmes up to one month ahead.
Then the machine can then be switched to Timer standby.... and then still used for other playback and copying functions.

It is much more complex in the reading than the doing . There is no substitute for 'hands on'.
Each screen also carries guidance notes about what to do next.
I think she would get used to it very quickly indeed.
 
She has been to Currys today and say the Philips DVDR7250H which says it does Video+

Is this a better machine than the Panny

Is it possible it can do video+ with digital
 
The general feeling is that Philips recorders are nowhere near as good as Panasonic/Pioneer/Sony etc.
 
petrolhead said:
She has been to Currys today and say the Philips DVDR7250H which says it does Video+

Is this a better machine than the Panny
Definitely not.

petrolhead said:
Is it possible it can do video+ with digital

No - That will always be impossible - Videoplus is a stricly analogue system only.

Please try to persuade her that the EPG is a much better system .. Easier in every way. She will master it in no time.

Videoplus although simple [ and she obviously likes it because she is used to it and mastered it ] ... is an abstraction. Some symbolic numbers that represent a programme. With the EPG , you see what you get.
 
Sorry for the late thanks

I bought the Panny
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom