Any DVD recorders that meet these requirements

I am looking for a DVD recorder that could do the following:

(1) Edit from camcorder using DV input
(2) Have an HDD and allow a copyrighted DVD to be backed up to the HDD. (I don't need to be able to copy back from the HDD to DVD i.e. I don't want to copy DVDs I just want to be able to borrow a DVD for one day but watch it over 3 or 4 days or a week later.)
(3) Have component outputs. (Whatever the theoretical benefits of component/RGB in practice on my Panasonic PD30 TV using component inputs definitely results in much better PQ)
(4) Have RGB inputs to backup from Sky+.
(5) Nice to haves - Progressive Scan, DVB tuner, made by Panasonic (to match the TV)

I did look at the Panasonic 85 but it doesn't have DV input.

The Panasonic 100 is too expensive and given that the price is 999.98 on Panasonic's web site appears to be being discontinued. (When I worked at for a well known high st retailer any price ending in 98p meant discontinued and 97p meant sompletely unavailable.)

 

You should be able to get either the E100 or E95 for about £700.

http://uk.pricerunner.com/sound-and-vision/vision/dvd-players/166332/prices
http://www.shopgenie.co.uk/UK_listing/gen/J000061410.html?inktomi=1&kpartnerid=8907200

http://uk.pricerunner.com/sound-and-vision/vision/dvd-players/212746/details
http://www.techtronics.com/uk/shop/50-panasonic-dmr-e95hebs-multi-region-dvd-recorder.html (although on lead time at the moment)

 

Is the E95 out yet ?

 

Just noticed - availbe 4th July apparently on one of the websites.

Might be worth waiting for, plus there my be some deals to be had on the E100 after then - even if it is an outgoing model it is still just as good as it always was...

 

1) Editing using the DV input.

By this I assume you mean capture ? Once captured to the HDD then most DVDR's have some form of editing facility. If you mean edit to/from the DV Cam - then I don't think any of the DVDR's do this as once captured, it's MPEG and not DV(AVI) format so editing directly is a no no. PC is the only option here to retain the DV format.

BTW - I have the E85 and when using the S-Video input you cannot tell the difference with the original DV quality - and I am VERY fussy on macroblocks and detail. IMO, the capture quality exceeds a PC capture unless you are very specialist in this area.

2) No DVD recorder is going to let you do this - even to view only, as even this breeches copyright useage (grey area but a copy is a copy). PC route is the only way to go here ....

3) E85 has these, as do many of the newer DVDR's...

4) Again, new units have these, E85, NEW Pioneers, JVC etc

5) Prog Scan - E85 etc, No DVDR that I know has a DVB tuner (why I have no idea - seems an obvious thing to do ?!).

So in summary - E85 sounds good (but now there are better units out there) BUT I would personally wait until someone comes out with a unit that does the DVB and rather then digital to analogue to analogue to digital conversion, you'll get digital all the way.... but how long do you wait !

 

2) This is possible. As long as the macro vision protection has been disabled on the source DVD player and it's in the PAL format.

Obviously you can only record playback and not the structure (menus, chapters etc) of the DVD.

 

Thanks for the advice.

Yes I am just looking to dump the whole DV tape to HDD and then edit from there to the DVD recorder. I assumed that I could do this on an DVD recorders that had an HDD.

To me its a real shame that no DVD recorder will copy a movie to its HDD. That what I used to use my Tivo for, till I replaced it with Sky+. Is this true for chipped DVD recorders with macrovision disabled as well? (Note that I don't want to copy the DVD to another DVD its just for time shifting - I like to rent the occassional DVD and usually watch it over two non-consecutive nights.)

 

I think he was referring to the same unit - not using a 2nd DVD player to play the DVD ....

 

I guess it's largely up to what you call 'editing' - if you mean just chopping bits out etc then - yes a DVD recorder can do this fine. If you mean overdubbing an audio soundtrack, adding titles, re-arranging scenes etc (all the 'wizzy' stuff) then no a DVD cannot do this.

 

This is possible. As long as the macro vision protection has been disabled on the source DVD player and it's in the PAL format.

Don't forget that you will also lose the 5.1 sound which might be inportant as many movies's impact and expression is reduced. This is just my opinion of course. Future machines (Philip) might let you do this if you are willing to wait.

 

Teerex - simple editing is all I was after. I have tried the PC route but found because there was so much I could do I spent many hours on each DVD. Really just dumping the tapes content to DVD with a few chunks cut out is good enough for me.

I was looking at doing the DVD to HDD in a single box. I know that I could use my existing chipped DVD player to output to an HDD in a separate recordr

 

On the E85 - the only 'editing' you can do is :-

Partial Erase - essentially erase any part(s) of the recording between two marked points (frame accuracy if required)

Split title - as the name suggests, splits a title into two or more seperate titles - useful for creating menu's (see below)

You cannot join titles (which I find bizarre) but this is not a huge issue as it seemlessly plays from one to another anyway.

Create a menu (from a selection of 8 'backgrounds') and obviously a dubbing list.

The only real 'disappointment' was the lack of creating a background for the menu from a thumbnail and not being able to create a menu (thumbnails) for the chapter points (only titles - which is why split title is so useful).

 

Gary, i dont have DV but in the manual the Tosh rdxs32 says that it auti chapters on DV in (ie where you change scene). This may be a feature you are interested in, if sppeeding up DV to DVD process is key

Otherwsie it does what the E85 does (ie no DVB, has RGB in and componant out)