Used DVD Recorder

[cranfan]

I want to copy some recordings off my Sky Box onto DVD+R so I can play them on other DVD Players. I used to do this via an old Philips DVD Recorder but the tray has locked up. I'm considering buying a used Panasonic DMR-EZ25 or DMR-EZ27. Can anybody confirm that these will definitely record from a Sky Box and allow me to Finalise the disk? The manual on the EZ25 is a bit vague on recording from external devices. I'm also open to better suggestions, either alternative DVD Recorders or another method to do this. I'm not proposing to spend a great deal and will accept a Scart connection. It's mostly live music, so sound quality matters a bit.

 

[Gavtech]

Welcome to the forum.

Yes the EZ25 or 27 would be suitable for this task.

One caveat: Use DVD-R's rather than +R's with these machines.
+R's can be used but they are deliberately not fully supported such that your recordings would be limited to 4:3 aspect ratio.

 

[cranfan]

Thanks, I didn't know about +R and 4:3 only.
I can't see much difference between the EZ25 or 27, except the manual seems to be better on the 27 (either that or it's got more features).
It occurred to me that I have upgraded my Sky box to Sky+ since I last did this. Presume they are not encrypted these days?

 

[Gavtech]

I don't know what sky+ boxes are like... but the first requiremement of any source box in 'cross platform transfers' such as this is that the source box will need to have scart outputs or another analogue output.

It is also possible that, HD material particularly, may well be copy protected and which the DVDR will detect and not copy.

There are no certainties and rules here. Trial and error is usually the only way to find out.

 

[cranfan]

Thanks. Yes, the sky+ box has scart.
As you say, guess I will have to try it and see.