At long last Philips website has some hard facts on the 9000 for the UK market. Despite it's strange /10 suffix not being the usual /05 used for the UK!

(interesting bits in red)

Features

Superior quality audio/video recording & playback [list][*]Pixel Plus for better details, depth and clarity [*]HDMI out for digital high-definition video and digital audio[*]Video Upscaling for improved resolution of up to 1080i lines[*]Integrated Digital TV Tuner for direct recording [*]5.1 channel audio recording of TV programs from set-top box [/list]Recording made easy [list][*]GUIDE Plus+ with keyword-based programming[*]Record more than 650 hours of TV on the 400GBhard disk[*]Pause Live TV pauses and resumes live TV as it suits you[*]DualMedia records on DVD+R/+RW, DVD+R DL and DVD-R/-RW discs[/list]Specifications:

Picture / Display [list][*]D/A converter : 12 bit, 74.25 MHz[*]A/D converter : 9 bit, 27 MHz Picture enhancement : Pixel Plus, Progressive scan, Video upscaling[/list]Sound [list][*]D/A converter : 24 bit, 192 kHz[*]A/D converter : 24 bit, 96 kHz[*]Crosstalk (1kHz) : 100 dB[*]Dynamic range (1kHz) : 90 dB[*]Signal/noise ratio : 100[*]Sound system : Dolby Digital, MPEG2[*]Distortion and noise (1kHz) : 85 dB[*]Frequency response : 20 - 20 000 Hz Hz[/list]Video Recording [list][*]Recording system : PAL[*]Compression formats : MPEG2[*]Recording modes : High Quality (HQ), Standard Play (SP), Standard Play Plus (SPP), Long Play (LP), Extended Play (EP), Super Long Play (SLP), Super Extended Play (SEP)[*]Audio compression : Dolby Digital [/list]Video playback [list][*]Disc playback media : CD-R/CD-RW, DVD, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-RW (Video mode), DVD-R, MP3-CD, Video CD/SVCD[*]Compression formats : MPEG2, MPEG1[*]Video disc playback system : NTSC, PAL[/list]Audio Playback [list][*]Disc playback media : MP3-CD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW[*]Compression format : Dolby Digital, MP3, MPEG2 Multichannel, PCM[*]MP3 bit rates : 32 - 320 kbps[/list]Still picture playback [list][*]Disc playback media : DVD+R/+RW, Picture CD, CD-R/RW[*]Picture compression format : JPEG[*]Picture enhancement : Create albums, Rotate, Slideshow[/list]Storage Media [list][*]Hard disk capacity : 400 GB [*]Recording media : DVD+R, DVD+R double layer, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW[*]HDD recording enhancements : Instant jump, Instant replay, Time shift buffer, Time status bar [/list]Tuner / Reception / Transmission [list][*]TV system : PAL, SECAM[*]Aerial input : 75 ohm coaxial (IEC75) DVB : DVB Terrestrial [/list]Connectivity [list][*]Front / Side connections : Audio left / right in, i.LINK DV in (IEEE1394, 4-pin), S-Video in, Video in[*]Other connections : Analogue audio left / right out 2x, Component video out progressive, Composite video (CVBS) out, Digital coaxial in, Digital coaxial out, Digital optical out, HDMI out, IR mouse, RF antenna in / TV out, S-Video out, SCART 2x, DVB in, DVB out[/list]Convenience [list][*]Electronic Programming Guide : Automatic Series Recording, GUIDE Plus+, Keyword-based search[*]Programming/Timer Enhancements : Automatic satellite recording, Daily / weekly repeat program, IR set top box control, Manual timer, One Touch Recording, ShowView, VIDEO Plus+, VPS/PDC recording control[*]Child Protection : Child lock & parental control[*]Clock : Smart clock[*]Digital content management : Digital Photo Manager[*]Ease of installation : Analogue Follow TV, Autoinstall[*]Programmable events : 25 (=7300's)[/list]Power [list][*]Power supply : 200-240 V, 50Hz[*]Standby power consumption : <5W[*]Power consumption : 49 W[/list]Accessories [list][*]Included accessories : AC power cord, Batteries for remote control, Coax RF antenna cable, Full SCART cable, IR extender cable, Quick start guide, RF cable, Safety & warranty booklet, Universal Remote Control, User manual[*]Remote Control 12NC : 312814717941[/list]Dimensions[list][*]Set Width : 435 mm[*]Set Height : 89 mm[*]Set Depth : 350 mm[*]Set Weight : 9.5 kg[*]Packaging Width : 600 mm[*]Packaging Height : 219 mm[*]Packaging Depth : 465 mm[*]Product weight : 11.5 kg[/list]All we need now are some prices. I've seen it at £600. Do I hear anything lower?

What's your evidence that this is the model for the UK, when the country code is clearly different?

Because ....when u go to Philps site, u enter your region and then it only shows u the models for that region. O5 suffixes plus the Cineos DVDr9000H/10 and Cineos DVDp9000s/00. Perhaps it's the Cineos badge that screws up the suffixes?

Also, spec matches the details from Dec's What Video on the 9000 (re disk size & 5.1'ness).

If the thing ever appears in the shops is another thing! I suspect something serious is up with the 7300. My local Comet showed it as discontinued on their in-house computers and it's vanished from the online web site too.

So Philps have no decent spec HD recorder this Xmas. Somone ****ed up there. And me, with a credit card dying to be swiped to the limit

Unfortunately, those of us who've been involved with Philips for some time are not surprised when machines get pulled at the last minute.

Whether the 7300H or the 9000H ever appear, is anyone's guess.

It would appear not - the 9000H/10 has gone from the Philips UK site.

At least the country codes are less variable than the actual release dates.

Which must be particularly embarrassing since they're still flogging it to death on the UK home page with a dead link

Cheap electricals has this for Feb delivery at £645

http://www.dcsat.com/loewe_peri_item.asp?product_id=345 offer at £599 as Ive ordered include delivery total to £609 and yes it delayed until middle on February.

Philips finally replied to my query regarding this model

"Please accept our sincerest apologies for the time taken to answer
your query.

With regards to your query we can advise that there is no current
release date for the DVDR9000H/05 the unit will be available over the
next coming months and will be released in the UK.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

We trust that the information provided will be of assistance."

However I gave up waiting for it and now have a splendid Pioneer 630H

my ordered for Philips DVDR9000 from DCSat.com and they already been told from Philips that they about to get some stock in couple of week in February (between 5th to 19th) so it coming up..

I too have ordered one from DCSat so I hope they arrive soon and they had better be as good as they make out!

A couple of days ago, someone added back the 9000/10 info. This time we get a Product Specification Sheet and even a Manual! Perhaps they will actually make one and then someone could buy one too!

I notice the DVD recording speed is still only a measily 2x (raw data rate), so no need for fast blank disks then! Phew

No longer any mention of how to do that "Automatic Series Recording" anymore - feature dropout strikes again?

The Digital terrestial support seems limited to a bare tuner, no ability to see its EPG let alone use it to set recordings.

It is a pure GuidePlus system with a single digital tuner added. And as such, is tied to the analogue ITV TV signal and Teletext (or Eurosport if u have Sky). And when that gets turned off in a few years your 650-700 squid gorgeously styled box becomes a very very expensive DVD recorder and timer based HD recorder.

Unless the joy of recording 5.1 sound from somwehere can justify it I'd have to say it's another product that doesn't sway me to part with my pennies.

But the 7250 is promissed to have a digital tuner too, less disk and about half as much money. HDMI output?- no idea. 5.1 - doubt it, and don't care. A better deal for most I'd say. Perhaps that's the real reason Philips canned the 7300 - with no Freeview support, its appeal was going to be very low in the UK with so much digital TC penetration here. of course - the 7250 has to appear on a shelf ....

Would I be correct in assuming that the EPG data is contained within the digital stream from the DVB tuner and as such could be put to use in a future firmware upgrade if Philips were to choose to support it?

Given that the publication date for the manual was some months ago, it looks like Digital EPG was either never in the spec or pulled a long time ago - earlier reports on the spec only mention Guide Plus+.

John Daniels

Website now says March and the price has gone up by 100 Quid

Well it's in the signal somewhere, so the box could use it but if it doesn't on product release it aint gonna get added. Companies don't add such large features on firmware upgrades once they've sold u the kit. It would be a massive change to the sw to integrate it in, big addition to manual. If they ever do it, it will be in a new model.


It was a personal hope that u could utilise the DVB-T EPG with/instead of the Guideplus one. Had an inkling it would be a barebones aproach and just have a digitial tuner. A bit crap giving us only 1 tuner. Interested in what the 7250 will be - a 9000 with 250G not 400G drive, no 5.1 recording, no pixelplus. Sounds quite good for 350 rumoured price. Bet it doesn't look like a 9000 though and has that cheap remote rather than decent one on Cineos ranges . Ah well.

Does anyone know if this machine can record an NTSC signal??

I'd have thought it to be highly unlikely.

John Daniels

It slighty delayed as Philips still struggle to make all the items for shipping to the UK and Europe -- as I got emailed from them as they are about to release for shipping to the UK by near end of March as for UK is DVDR9000H/05 --- they havent the date for release but still think it near end of March as they hope to make quickly as they can.

"Slightly delayed"?

On a geological timescale, perhaps.

Anyone reading the threads on the various excuses that Philips Customer Service have trotted out with the 7300H, will hardly be impressed by yet another 'official' 9000H explanation by email.

So, any comments on the PHILIPS DVDR7250H ? It actualy exists and can be bought in the UK.

Or the TOSHIBA RD85DT ?

I collected my Philips DVDR7250H from our local Comet last night, bought as part of a TV package with a 32PF7521D (Fantastic LCD screen with Freeview, 2 HDMI sockets, Component and Pixel Plus, had the TV for 2 weeks now and can't fault it, to my eyes it outperformed the Toshiba 32WLT66 that I had gone in intending to buy).

However, back to the DVDR7250H, I can confirm that it has Dolby Digital 5.1 recording in the top 2 quality modes, only immediate hitch with this is that my SKY+ box has optical out, and the 7250H has only coaxial in (but both optical and coaxial out). Yes I know you can get converters, possibly my AV amp will do it, but it is still annoying.

The manual makes mention of both analogue and digital tuners, I will confirm this once I've got it set up today. No mention of a Freeview EPG though, just Guideplus. I don't see a problem with this though, as the TV uses the 7 Day Freeview EPG and can control a DVD Recorder via Pin 8 of the Scart for timer recording , apparently.

Other points of interest are a Progressive Scan component output, G Link transmitter for set top box control, and I-Link DV input for a digital camcorder (the main reason that I ruled out getting one of the new Pioneer DVR540s as no DV input apparently).

To the best of my knowledge, this Philips DVDR7250H is the first DVD recorder to actually appear in the UK that can do Dolby Digital 5.1 recording. I will report back when I've got it up and running and had time to play.

Comet is quite expensive as Empire Direct is £362 and others are £320-£344 -- I wouldnt buy this one as Ive ordered for Pioneer DVR540HX (new product) and it better than Philips cos both same 160GB but Pioneer has longer up to 455hrs and support multi-region as Philips DVDR7250h isnt multi-region...

Just got the TOSHIBA RD85DT . Most excellent!!

Time for that report, Ashley...

Well I've had mine for a few days and I quite like it, but as a fellow owner could you confirm if when empty your hard disk says its 90% free? Philips are a bit poor at interpreting my emails to them

Also, any ideas of the multiregion hack and how to remove unwanted tuner presets?

P.S. What do you think of the SP recording quality?