I'm looking for a combined DVD recorder with HDD and Freeview. After spending some time this weekend researching I think that the Sony 710 is the machine to go for, especially given its current competitive pricing at places like Gultronics and Total Digital.

Also, my mother needs a new recorder of some sort and she has also expressed an interest in getting some digital TV channels and renting some DVDs (she's gone all high tech in her 70s!).

It struck me that the Sony would be ideal for her as well as it gives her everything she needs in one box. Therefore I just wondered how useful and intuitive the EPG was and would someone of her vintage be able to cope with it?

I have never seen any EPG on a PVR apart from my own beloved TiVo and I know that nothing will come close to matching that. So how have people found the EPG on the Sony and similar machines? How far ahead does it work and how does it update itself?

Can you pick programmes to record by title and can you easily extend the 'off' time in case of overrun? Do you get a few lines of programme description like you do on TiVo?

I presume that your recordings on the hard drive are listed by programme title?

Thanks in advance.

Tony

I have the Sony HXD710 and I think it's the dog's B******s.

The epg gives you everything you want to know for the next week. To set a recording it is simplicity itself, just move the cursor to the programme title and press ok. A mark is put on the epg to show that that programme is set to record. You can also watch a previous recording while it records a new one. The recordings are listed on the HDD or DVD with title,time,date and thumbnail pic making retrieval a doddle. It really is a very simple machine to use and so far I can't fault it.

Get one mate I'm sure you wont be disappointed.

Dave

Thanks Dave. it does sound good but there's one fly in the ointment I've discovered - if you record from the epg there is no easy way that you can pad the stop time of the recording, in case the programme over runs (which they nearly always do).

Can't say I have found any problem with programme cut off yet. I'll have a play and see if there is any way to add extra time if required.

For example, the Channel 4 'group' always seem to start their programmes 1 minutes early, so you always end up missing the beginning of each recording!

You can set up each recording manually, but that is a bit of a pain.

If the software is the same as on the GXD500, then the only way to extend recording time is to set programmes to record manually using the timer.

Chris

In case extra choice is useful, I can echo all the praise in the quote above - only for the "competition" - the Panasonic DMR-EH60D. All the positives apply to it too. Additionally, it can also receive analogue channels (useful if Freeview is tricky in your area) and allows easy "padding" on the EPG timer recording too (which I always like to do as it seems to me that nothing is ever shown at precisely the time it's supposed to be). Of course, there are things the Sony can do that the Panasonic can't (such as use double layer discs).

Wonder if anyone can help with a question on the HXD710. If I'm running my wife's Norwegian Satellite box INTO the Sony HXD710 via scart, does the scart signal just pass through the 710 without it needing to be on?

My ropey Philips DVD recorder works like this, it sits in standby (best thing for it!) and the external feed just goes through.

thanks for any help

Vince

The GXD500 happily passes through Scart, I expect the HXD710 will do too.

Chris

I've been thinking of buying a PVR for a couple of weeks, so that I could "tape" so to speak the upcoming episodes of Dragons Den {I'll be on it}.

Not being a techie I've listened to what folks have said in this and a couple of other threads, and decided that a Sony 710 should do everything I need to do, and then some, so there's one on it's way to me from 121 {I think they're called}.

Their price wasn't the cheapest, in fact it was around 70 quid more than some folks were offering, but it seems their reputation is worth the 70 quid.

Anyway... it's JUST struck me...

I need disks to run on this thing, so not being familiar with all the different formats, -R and +R and all that, I'd appreciate any feed back regarding what might be the best format to run with {what disks} on the 710.

Should I be getting the double layered ones ? does one format of disk give better results than another ?

I'd appreciate any feed back / comments on the disks.

Thanks,

Wigan Bob.

PS... what about them Pie Eighters ! 2nd only to Chelsea !!!

[quote=Wigan Bob]I've been thinking of buying a PVR for a couple of weeks, so that I could "tape" so to speak the upcoming episodes of Dragons Den {I'll be on it}.

I'm sure others will be able to advise you on disc types but I am intrigued by you saying you appeared on Dragon's Den. I love that show! Well done - you must be a brave man indeed.

Was the Red Letter Day woman still one of the dragons? I know that her credibility has been dented after her company collapsed in spectacular fashion.

When is the new series starting? What product were you pitching? Did you enjoy the experience?

Good luck with your invention anyway

Hello Tony...

I am intrigued by you saying you appeared on Dragon's Den. I love that show! Well done - you must be a brave man indeed.

The thing is, I'd never even seen the show, been in Canada for the best part of 23 years. But... I have invented/formulated a shaving cream {Patents in 17 Countries now, and all that}, and some of the blokes I know at BBC Manchester are regular users of "Ultra", and they thought the story of it all would be ideal for Dragons Den, so they invited me to attend the "filming" a couple of months ago, in London.

I thought it was a Tomorrows World type of show, you know where you just go on and rabbit on about what you've invented. BUT ! it's more like Pop Idol, where you're more likely to get a blistering, and not having had the advantage of having seen the show before, I walks innocently into the trap, sigh...

Was the Red Letter Day woman still one of the dragons? I know that her credibility has been dented after her company collapsed in spectacular fashion.

Was she !!! things were going well for a while, until she asked me why I was asking for 150,000 quid for a 15% stake in my little venture, as that would place a value of £1 Million on what I have.

I told her that at a Million quid I thought I was on the low side of its value, taking into account the 8 years of R&D that I'd put into it, and the 200,000 in Patent costs {for fees etc re the 17 Countries}.

She flared up right away and asked "how the hell someone from Wigin would have that sort of money" !

I went on to tell her what I'd been doing in Canada {including the bit about once having 6 oz of C4 plastique explosive, placed on my car} and she went near apoplexic,
fired right up on me, and called me a god damned liar !!!

I stood me own ground, and breathed a bit of fire on her, but I'm not sure what the BEEB will show or what they will cut out, they could spin it either way to get the ratings.

They'll have plenty to go at, the actual interview went on for 50 mins, but that will be cut down to 5 if I'm lucky...

Have to say though that "R" {as she calls herself in e-mails and letters}, did check me out after the show by doing a Google on "Norburn Fleet" and wrote a letter of apology to me, so that's fair enough under the circumstances, I can see now how me {from Wigin} crossing her path talking about how I'd spent 200,000 when she was going down the tubes owing £15 Million, didn't exactly please her.

I left a sample of my invention/formulation with Theo Paphitas {owner of Millwall, he's a new Dragon}, and he tried it and loves the stuff, might do a deal with him yet.

Although I've invented it, I have little if any idea of how to get it onto the shelves and get blokes using it.

When is the new series starting?

A couple of weeks or so yet...

What product were you pitching?

Ultra Shaving Cream, it's a VERY different way to shave, nip round to www.*************** to "read all about it" and the section on me... and my write up about Dragons Den.

Did you enjoy the experience?

Yea, but it was TOUGH !!! especially as I didn't know what to expect, and had to defend meself in a heart beat...
but I've done that before {with the bomb etc, tough little b*gg*rs us Wigin Lads}.

Good luck with your invention anyway

Tell you what Tony, nip round to the web site above, and if you {or any of the lads in here} like the look of the product, then drop me a private message {can you do that on here} ? and I'll ship you a tenners worth of Ultra for nowt, I'll even pay the postage, all I ask is give me some feed back on the product.

You guys have helped my with the info in here, so it's my way of saying Thanks...

All the Best, Wigin Bob.

The best discs to use are DVD-RW (VR) 2x speed. They will give you editing options and anamorphic widescreen. However, they aren't very compatible with other DVD players. If you want compatibility, use DVD-R (which support widescreen) or DVD+R DL (dual layer for extra recording time).

Hopes this helps a bit. The manual lists all the disc types that it supports and the features of each.

Chris

Hello Chris...

Thanks for the info, never thought of the fact that I might be able to record in all the options that a 710 might provide, only to find out that the folks I send the disk to might not be able to play some of them, hmmm, I'm glad you flagged that to me.

One of the problems that I have to figure out is, how to record a disk that folks in Canada would be able to play, some of them have dual standard TV's etc, but most of them are stuck with NTSC {Never The Same Colour, twice}.

Is there an recording format on the 710 that would play {say} on a computer {they all have them, grin}.

Then again, when I chose to burn a disk does it give me a choice of what format to burn in ? anyone know if I could burn NTSC ?

It's complicated stuff this aint it, PAL/SECAM {maybe NTSC},
SL or DL, -R/+R, looking more and more like "any 8 from 10" to me...

2X works for me, I've copied CD's for years, and always done them at Regulo 2, and never had any of the problems that some folks have had rushing the copying process.

So DL +R disks would be best for my own library of stuff, but for copies sent to all and sundry -R would have the best chance of compatability ? is that how it works ???

What about the Brand name of the discs ? is there much difference ? I suppose they have them blank so that I can print onto the disk ?

I guess that most DVD players can't handle DL disks ???

Thanks again Chris, your comments are helpful and appreciated.

Wigin Bob.
Last edited by Wigan Bob : 30-10-2005 at 19:46

Hi Chris & Tony...

I've found a web site that gives quite an in depth review of PVR's, explaining much of the terminology, take a look at...

http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3.1

Wigin Bob.

If you do go for the DVD-R format.-

I have a Sony RDR-HX510 and had problems with Maxell 1-8x DVD-R . Sony displayed error message "disc dirty" yet they were brand new. Sony 1-8x DVD-R work fine.... no surprise there then!. Have also been told Philips DVD-R work.
I have used Philips 1-8x DVD+R all OK as well.

PC
ps. Really shocked at the high cost of the Dual Layer disc prices £6 each (£30 for box of 5)

I'm not sure what Canada is like for dual-standard PAL/NTSC stuff, but you will only be able to record PAL (as that is what is broadcast). Any format should work on a computer, but I would avoid DVD-RW VR (as it's a bit weird). DVD-RW Video seems to be the only one that puts each recording into an individual file, which is useful if you plan to edit the video later on a computer. You will see options for choosing whether to format DVD-RW in VR or Video mode in the menu.


A standalone DVD recorder is only ever going to record in real time anyway, so strictly speaking anything above 1x is unnecessary


+R and -R media have broadly the same level of compatibility, but not necessarily on the same machine. http://www.videohelp.com have lists of which media works on which DVD players/recorders.

DL is better if you need the space. -R is better if you need widescreen.


As you will see from other posts the brand seems to make a huge difference as to whether they work or not. You are also well advised to carefully study the compatibility lists in the manual. There is a list of media which works, and a list of media that doesn't. It gives the media type, speed and version, so you see things like "DVD-RW 2x/v1.1".

This information should be printed on the box the discs come in. In my experience, often the speed but not the version number is quoted on the box and apparently the version number is more important. If you stick to the discs Sony say work, and avoid like the plague the ones they say don't work, you should be ok.

Unfortunately there are a seemingly infinite number of different disc types and speeds available, it's not quite as easy as with VHS tape when you only had to worry about the length of recording time.


Commercial pressed DVDs are generally dual layer so a regular DVD player can at least cope with two layers.

I've not had any personal experience of using writable DL discs (the GXD500 doesn't support them) so I can't say for sure that normal DVD players read them ok. However, somebody posted that they are six quid each (!) so you are probably better off ignoring them and buying two single layer discs instead.


No probs.

Chris

The Sony RDR-HXD710 only supports DVD+R double layer, not -R double layer. DVD-R DL is fairly rare anyway!

Hi everyone,

Took the plunge on Saturday, and got my HXD710 from RGB in Ilford (which is fortunately a 10 minute drive from where I live). Mulitregion for £410.
so far very impressed, seems pretty quick, starts up in about 10 to 15 seconds (a friend has a toshiba HDD/DVD recorder box and he reckons it takes a good 60 to 90 seconds before its up and running).

Dubbing is pretty fast, but after dubbing a 30 minute test program, it said it would take 3 minutes to finalise the disc - is this normal? Anyway, still pretty pleased with it overall, and even my slightly sceptial missus (we've already got a humax 8000) had to admit it has its uses as we were able to watch AI on BBC 3 last night on one, and record Long way round on Sky travel on the other....of course a dual tuner unit from Sony would get round this!

One thing I prefer on the Humax, the now/next is just a bar at the bottom of the screen, and the current program has a progress bar showing how far you are through the program. The Sony totally fills the screen, and just shows from/to times, so you need to look at the clock (oh, what a pain ) to see the progress.

apart from that, can't really fault it so far.

all the best

Vince

Does the 710 use a Blue or a Red Laser ???

I'd have thought red, as isn't blu-ray meant to start the move to blue lasers?

TonyLondon, I endorse others comments that the 710 is so easy to use if you are just programming off the EPG.. a couple of button presses and you are there. And you don't even need to turn the machine off to set the timer!

But the comments about the timings are also true - I often find that it misses the start or end of a programme. Why can't the PDC work properly? There is no way for you to simply amend the timer to add an extra couple of minutes at either end.

The only way to do that is to set up a manual timer recording in the old fashioned way (why didn't Sony make it easy to amend an EPG setting like the way you could with a Video+ number on the old VCRs?). However this is still a very painless process and your Mum will find this very easy to do, if it's essential that you don't miss any part of the programme.

As these machines work off software, I wonder if Sony could do a patch to upgrade the machine so that you can add to the beginning and end of the EPG.

Sky recently did a major overhaul of how my Sky+ box works, adding extra security features so you could lock up any channel you wanted. In fact, the amount of changes they made was amazing and very good, although there was one thing I still wished they had done (must get around to writing to them about that!).

Perhaps if we all start emailing Sony, then they may do something, or at least make sure it is changed on later models, or even later production of the same machine!

I think I will email them for a start.

Regards,

Tony

Don't hold your breath, we all tried it at the start of the year when we bought our GDX-500's.

Clive

@Tony H

Just out of curiousity, what firmware version does the 710 show? (in the menu, under tuning=>technical information)

I'm just wondering whether Sony can do one update for all their DVB recorders as, as far as I can tell, the user interface on them all is identical.

Chris