DS Forums

 
 

Best VFM HDD DVD recorder.


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 05-02-2014, 19:24
Bulletguy1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 17,902

I'm looking to replace my 160gb HDD DVD player/recorder. It's an LG model and the only gripe i have with it is it's very slow to boot up, though lately it's taken to doing all kinds of strange things such as switching on by itself when not even programmed to, or occasionally refusing to switch on at all!

So i think it's time to replace.

I'd like a bigger HD capacity and am not bothered if it's another LG or some other brand, but which make/model gives value for money along with reliability?
Bulletguy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 05-02-2014, 19:58
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
I'd like a bigger HD capacity and am not bothered if it's another LG or some other brand, but which make/model gives value for money along with reliability?
Options are limited, as DVD recorders are pretty well dead - and reliability isn't great across any makes - it's not a very reliable format, HDD's often fail fairly early, and DVD mechs aren't known for the long life either

The best manufacturer still making them is Panasonic, but they are well known for plenty of reliability problems, commonly power supply issues.

Really it's down to personal recommendation, but all of those are likely to be based on tiny sample sizes.
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 21:13
Bulletguy1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 17,902
Options are limited, as DVD recorders are pretty well dead - and reliability isn't great across any makes - it's not a very reliable format, HDD's often fail fairly early, and DVD mechs aren't known for the long life either
I have noticed very little choice available. Shame really as i still have a use for blank media....a good example being the 320gb HD on my PVR which is often at 90%+ capacity, but can use my DVD to offload anything i want to keep. Without that would mean deleting saved programmes.

As for reliability, my LG DVD is about six years old and was a refurbished unit when purchased.
Bulletguy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2014, 09:13
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
As for reliability, my LG DVD is about six years old and was a refurbished unit when purchased.
Again, that's an incredibly small sample size

Sony used badged LG DVD Recorders at one time, they were an absolute disaster - EXTREMELY short life on the DVD mechs.

To make matters even worse, there were two versions (same model numbers) but with entirely different insides - BOTH suffered the same massive failures of the mechs.
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2014, 12:23
witham1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Witham, Essex.
Posts: 266
I agree that DVD/HDD recorders are old hat these days.
I have a Sony RDR-HDX890. It has been very reliable and never missed a recording (unlike my PVR) but it only has a 160GB hard drive.
It can still be purchased from Amazon and eBay:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-RDR-HXD.../dp/B0018PRXWE
I never got around to increasing the size of the HDD but there is a discussion on how to do it here if you are brave enough:
http://www.avforums.com/threads/upgr...-dvdrs.851966/
I mainly use it now as a DVD player and I have changed it to multi-region by using a One-for-All programmable remote.
It has a very good upscaler to HDMI.
witham1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2014, 12:56
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
I have a Sony RDR-HDX890. It has been very reliable and never missed a recording (unlike my PVR) but it only has a 160GB hard drive.
The 890 was a Pioneer manufactured machine, and has been a fairly reliable and popular machine. Unfortunately Pioneer ceased production of TV's and recorders, so Sony moved to Samsung ones, which were pretty crap!.
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2014, 14:19
witham1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Witham, Essex.
Posts: 266
I notice that a Sony RDR-HDX890 with a 500GB HDD is for sale on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-RDR-H...item27ddf9a7e9
This would seem a bargain if you want a good DVD/HDD recorder.
witham1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2014, 17:00
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
I notice that a Sony RDR-HDX890 with a 500GB HDD is for sale on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-RDR-H...item27ddf9a7e9
This would seem a bargain if you want a good DVD/HDD recorder.
Rather pricey for a pretty old machine
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2014, 19:59
captainkremmen
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DAVEVILLE, Daveshire DA1 1VE
Posts: 33,621
Rather pricey for a pretty old machine
Indeed, especially given the fact it actually isn't that difficult to upgrade the machine. Even a clone of the special remote required is available on Ebay for around £13, and the full instructions on upgrading are widely available online.
captainkremmen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 03:22
witham1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Witham, Essex.
Posts: 266
OK it was only a suggestion. I do not know how competent the OP is in changing a HDD.
The final cost of the upgrade would would be:
Original machine cost + 500GB HDD + programmable remote control (or service remote)
You might be lucky and get a 890 for less than £100 on ebay plus you have to do the modifications.
The alternative is to buy a Panasonic machine as has been suggested.
witham1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 03:56
Bulletguy1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 17,902
The 890 was a Pioneer manufactured machine, and has been a fairly reliable and popular machine. Unfortunately Pioneer ceased production of TV's and recorders, so Sony moved to Samsung ones, which were pretty crap!
Interestingly at the time i bought my LG DVD a mate of mine opted to go for a Samsung. Dirt cheap and i think it only had 120 or 160gb hd in so he opened it up and found it used a PATA hd. Easily available at that time and prices dropping like a stone. He bought a brand new 500gb drive for peanut money, stuck it in, switched on....and bingo.....he had a 500gb DVD.

So i'm not so sure about "crap" as his old Samsung is still going.

Lot's being mentioned about old technology and old machines etc, but slightly o/t i have three Sony SLV-715 VCR machines. A tape edit deck which Sony brought out in the late 80's early 90's.

Possibly one of the best VCR's around all three are in perfect working order, but more importantly due to the build, they can still be repaired by any competent electrician and parts are still available.

As for audio/visual quality, even with the cheapest of tapes which have been used endless times the heads are that good the audio/visual is indistinguishable from that of the television.
Bulletguy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 09:39
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
So i'm not so sure about "crap" as his old Samsung is still going.
Again, a sample size of one has no significance, on significant sample sizes they have been extremely unreliable - particularly compared to the Pioneer based 890's (which have been exceptionally good).
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 14:25
56up
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Worcestershire, UK
Posts: 779
Not sure if I am missing something? There's a lot of comment on the unreliability of HDD recorders and combined HDD/DVD recorders versus the reliability of a PVR.

Take the DVD player / recorder away and surely you effectively have a PVR? So why should the reliability be any different from say a Sky+, V+, TiVo or Humax?

I've had four Of this type from Panasonic and 2 are still working. One did fail and another is in the shed because it only has an analogue tuner. I still use my DMR-EX768EB to record in SD as a backup and because I can transfer recordings to DVD. The DMR-PWT520 is fairly new and although it lacks the sophistication of my TiVo it's still very useful and I can stream SD recordings to my computer.

I suspect a little bit of snobbery is going on here.
56up is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 14:53
witham1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Witham, Essex.
Posts: 266
Quite so.
My Sony RDR-HXD890 is still working (although I don’t use it as much as I did).
My two year old HD PVR has had a new HDD fitted and it locks up occasionally (requiring a power cycle). I would still be using the Sony every day if it could receive HD and had two tuners.
witham1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 15:56
captainkremmen
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DAVEVILLE, Daveshire DA1 1VE
Posts: 33,621
OK it was only a suggestion. I do not know how competent the OP is in changing a HDD.
The final cost of the upgrade would would be:
Original machine cost + 500GB HDD + programmable remote control (or service remote)
You might be lucky and get a 890 for less than £100 on ebay plus you have to do the modifications.
The alternative is to buy a Panasonic machine as has been suggested.
The 870 tends to go for around £50-£70 on Ebay. It's slightly smaller in physical size to the 890, and only came with a 120Gb HDD but otherwise has the same spec. It can also be easily upgraded to 500Gb in the same way and with the same service remote as the 890.

So if the OP was confident in changing a PC HDD he could, if he is lucky to get a decent condition 870 or 890 for say £80 save quite a bit, as changing the HDD is easy for someone confident in installing PC HDDs.

870/890 - £80
500Gb HDD - £40.
Service remote - £13.

A total outlay of £133, pretty much half the price of an already upgraded model.

If he isn't confident and doesn't mind the cost, then even at £250 odd the upgraded models are decent machines, especially if the company provides a warranty of some kind.

But if the OP wants new then he really only does have the Panasonics to choose from these days.
captainkremmen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 16:13
witham1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Witham, Essex.
Posts: 266
The 870 tends to go for around £50-£70 on Ebay. It's slightly smaller in physical size to the 890, and only came with a 120Gb HDD but otherwise has the same spec. It can also be easily upgraded to 500Gb in the same way and with the same service remote as the 890.

So if the OP was confident in changing a PC HDD he could, if he is lucky to get a decent condition 870 or 890 for say £80 save quite a bit, as changing the HDD is easy for someone confident in installing PC HDDs.

870/890 - £80
500Gb HDD - £40.
Service remote - £13.

A total outlay of £133, pretty much half the price of an already upgraded model.

If he isn't confident and doesn't mind the cost, then even at £250 odd the upgraded models are decent machines, especially if the company provides a warranty of some kind.

But if the OP wants new then he really only does have the Panasonics to choose from these days.

Half the price?
The guy on ebay I quoted above was selling a 890 with 500GB HDD for £150 plus postage.
Your calculated figure is only £17 less and you dont have the hassle of doing the modification.
witham1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 18:49
Bulletguy1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 17,902
I suspect a little bit of snobbery is going on here.
I think there always has been in electronics, particularly in the entertainment field.


Half the price?
The guy on ebay I quoted above was selling a 890 with 500GB HDD for £150 plus postage.
Your calculated figure is only £17 less and you dont have the hassle of doing the modification.
When you set it against the cost of 'modding' it doesn't seem too bad. Incidentally what type of hd do they use? Changing a drive is no problem for me, installed plenty of pc drives and even when i bought a new pc last year the first thing which went in was a second 2tb drive.
Bulletguy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 21:05
witham1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Witham, Essex.
Posts: 266
I think there always has been in electronics, particularly in the entertainment field.


When you set it against the cost of 'modding' it doesn't seem too bad. Incidentally what type of hd do they use? Changing a drive is no problem for me, installed plenty of pc drives and even when i bought a new pc last year the first thing which went in was a second 2tb drive.
If you are happy with 'modding' then go for it.
Read the old AVforums thread: http://www.avforums.com/threads/upgr...-dvdrs.851966/
before you start to see what the upgrade entails.
Good luck.
witham1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 16:03
captainkremmen
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DAVEVILLE, Daveshire DA1 1VE
Posts: 33,621
Half the price?
The guy on ebay I quoted above was selling a 890 with 500GB HDD for £150 plus postage.
Your calculated figure is only £17 less and you dont have the hassle of doing the modification.
Then that's fine, but all the modified ones I tend to see on Ebay are around £250. If the OP sees one for £150 and it fits his needs, go for it.
captainkremmen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 16:07
captainkremmen
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DAVEVILLE, Daveshire DA1 1VE
Posts: 33,621
I think there always has been in electronics, particularly in the entertainment field.


When you set it against the cost of 'modding' it doesn't seem too bad. Incidentally what type of hd do they use? Changing a drive is no problem for me, installed plenty of pc drives and even when i bought a new pc last year the first thing which went in was a second 2tb drive.
Western Digital AV SATA drives tend to be the most reliable upgrades for PVRs and HDD/DVD recorders.

If you are comfortable changing a PC HDD then changing the drive in the Sony isn't difficult. You do need the service remote, or a clone as linked to earlier though.
captainkremmen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 16:14
emptybox
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 11,995
Not sure if I am missing something? There's a lot of comment on the unreliability of HDD recorders and combined HDD/DVD recorders versus the reliability of a PVR.

Take the DVD player / recorder away and surely you effectively have a PVR? So why should the reliability be any different from say a Sky+, V+, TiVo or Humax?

I've had four Of this type from Panasonic and 2 are still working. One did fail and another is in the shed because it only has an analogue tuner. I still use my DMR-EX768EB to record in SD as a backup and because I can transfer recordings to DVD. The DMR-PWT520 is fairly new and although it lacks the sophistication of my TiVo it's still very useful and I can stream SD recordings to my computer.

I suspect a little bit of snobbery is going on here.
As I understand it a pure PVR records the TV stream to the hard drive with no extra encoding or compression, which is why you never get a choice of quality of recording.

A DVD/HDD recorder, even when recording to hard drive, encodes and compresses the stream, and introduces a layer of complexity that isn't present in pure PVRs.

Also the PVR can only record from it's internal tuner, whereas DVD/HDD recorders almost all have the ability to record an external source via scart.
emptybox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 17:16
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
Not sure if I am missing something? There's a lot of comment on the unreliability of HDD recorders and combined HDD/DVD recorders versus the reliability of a PVR.

Take the DVD player / recorder away and surely you effectively have a PVR? So why should the reliability be any different from say a Sky+, V+, TiVo or Humax?
As already explained, an HDD/DVD isn't anything like a PVR, essentially it's an analogue recorder - where a PVR only records the direct incoming digital data stream.

The reliability is different because you're adding a second unreliable major component - the DVD recorder mechanism.

So while a PVR has one major unreliable component (the HDD), an HDD/DVD has two major unreliable components - so 'roughly' twice as unreliable (ignore other failures of course).

I would also advise using WD drives, Seagate are really crap, as were Quantum (who were taken over by Seagate).
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 12:37
Bulletguy1
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 17,902
I would also advise using WD drives, Seagate are really crap, as were Quantum (who were taken over by Seagate).
Thanks for that!! The 2tb drive i fitted in my pc is a Seagate! First Seagate i've had (others were WD) so i'll see how it fares as it's only just 12 month old. The WD drives i had in my old pc, one lasted ten years but the other i replaced twice over the same period.

Back o/t i've noticed that the DVD/HDD that were, have simply become HDD recorders.....period. Manufacturers are simply removing the DVD mechanism and flogging HDD recorders. I knew this was going to happen when i bought my Humax, but for me personally i still like and need DVD discs.

It all has echoes of when new hi-fi sytems were no longer sold with a deck, leaving folk like me with a huge collection of vinyl very little choice. I'll resist opening debate over Vinyl vs. CD too as every music 'buff' knows the answer to that!
Bulletguy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 12:51
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,792
Thanks for that!! The 2tb drive i fitted in my pc is a Seagate! First Seagate i've had (others were WD) so i'll see how it fares as it's only just 12 month old. The WD drives i had in my old pc, one lasted ten years but the other i replaced twice over the same period.
Sorry about that!

But almost all the faulty drives we change are Seagate ones.


Back o/t i've noticed that the DVD/HDD that were, have simply become HDD recorders.....period. Manufacturers are simply removing the DVD mechanism and flogging HDD recorders.!
Do you have any examples?, it sounds extremely unlikely - discontinuing DVD/HDD recorders and replacing them with a PVR is VERY likely, but not with an HDD analogue recorder. Have there been any such at all?, apart from the original TiVo of course.
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 13:09
gemma-the-husky
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,858
I have a Panasonic HDD-DVD with no tuner, and a Sony one with a Tuner. I bought the Sony when the Panny stopped dubbing to DVD, then realised I could clean the Panny DVD mechanism, which fixed it.

I hardly use either now. I have a PVR, and realised that I hardly watched anything I saved to DVD anyway.
gemma-the-husky is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:01.