[russell@home]

As above, and this includes free delivery!!!

[pauses as something stirrs down below... then realises it's the credit card wanting some more action!!!]

Shall I shan't I...

heeelp.

[Faust]

For a satisfying experience I went for the Panasonic DMR E30.

[thepimp]

You could hammer the ccard! Overall I am happy with my dvdr890. I love the Sky Digital recording integration and portability of the disks to other players. It is also great for archiving RAW digital video footage from my digital camcorder via the iLink port.

However, it is not all good. I have had some trouble with switching different disk types. Sometimes it takes a couple of tray open/closures to recognise disks. I use DVD-R/RW on my PC. All DVD-RW's have failed to read on my Philips. However, I have had some joy with DVD-R's. Also, I have noticed switching from region 2 disks to region 1 disks intermitently fails - this is most anoying.

I had firmware version ff9o/ff11h which was multi region. I have downloaded ( www.dvdplusrw.org/video/firmware_download.html ) and installed version ff12g which has helped, but I still get the odd hickup!

The price you quoted from Comet is really good. I paid £459.99 for the DVDR 890 (iLink model) multi region from www.rgbdirect.co.uk two months ago. At that time the 880 was the same price as Comet is now. Although, I have just checked RGBdirect pricing and it seems to have gone up! Bizare!

Hope this helps your decision

Regards....

[mpark]

Quote:

Originally posted by thepimp
However, it is not all good. I have had some trouble with switching different disk types. Sometimes it takes a couple of tray open/closures to recognise disks. I use DVD-R/RW on my PC. All DVD-RW's have failed to read on my Philips. However, I have had some joy with DVD-R's. Also, I have noticed switching from region 2 disks to region 1 disks intermitently fails - this is most anoying.

I too have an 880 and a DVD-R/RW on my PC. One problem with DVD-R is that there seems to be a wide variety of different types of blanks with different dyes and generations and speeds and whatnot. I've found that Datasafe/Datawrite 1x and 2x blanks have always worked in all the players I've tried including my 880, but the Bulkpaq green-topped 2x on the other hand will only play in my Pioneer but not in the Philips. The answer seems to be find something that works for you, buy lots of them and stick with them. I don't know about DVD-RW though, I've never used those.

With DVD+RW I've found that every brand I've used behaves identically. I don't know if that's because they're all made in the same one or two factories or whether the DVD+RW specification doesn't allow for much variation or what, but the consistency certainly makes life easier.

Murray

[thepimp]

Thanks, I'll try and find Datasafe/Datawrite brand disks. Where do you buy them?

thanks again

[mpark]

I just go with whoever is cheapest and has stock at the time, then I buy a few months supply and repeat. The places I but from include:

WCW Media
SVP aka Blank Disc Shop
Big Pockets

I'm told that these places are also worth checking out:

CD-R Media
Multi Zone DVD
Lynx International

But having had a quick look around it looks like most places are out of stock at the moment and awaiting new deliveries next week.

Murray

[russell@home]

Quote:

I had firmware version ff9o/ff11h which was multi region. I have downloaded ( www.dvdplusrw.org/video/firmware_download.html ) and installed version ff12g which has helped, but I still get the odd hickup!

According to DVD reviewer the 880 is multi region via a remote hack as per This article. Is there anything extra that version ff12g gives?

Quote:

The price you quoted from Comet is really good. I paid £459.99 for the DVDR 890 (iLink model) multi region from www.rgbdirect.co.uk two months ago. At that time the 880 was the same price as Comet is now. Although, I have just checked RGBdirect pricing and it seems to have gone up! Bizare!

I noticed that the Richer Sounds price has risen too, it was £350 a week or so ago.

let's hope it drops again soon

Russ

[Faust]

If you want the ability to watch a recorded programme whilst recording another (simaltaneous record and playback) or start watching a programme being recorded from the begining whilst the machine continues to record to the end (chasing playback) record on discs up to 100,00 times, archive dodgy VHS tapes where other machines won't, generally be gobsmacked by the record quality then go for the Panasonic DMR E30 or HS2 which includes hard disk. For anything else choose a Philips.

[russell@home]

Hmmm, the Panasonic DMR E30 is verrry tempting, a HDD for not alot more.

Now I'm confused

[thepimp]

Quote:

According to DVD reviewer the 880 is multi region via a remote hack as per This article. Is there anything extra that version ff12g gives?

the new firmware will give philips dvdr880 owners 2.5 and 6 hour record times. It also improves stability - I have no more disk errors from a dvd+RW I thought was shafted.

The main reason I went for the Philips was disk portability and firewire (iLink). There is nothing I would like to record from Sky/TV. My philips is primarily used for home Video etc - although my wife does like to record sex and the city when I am watching football!

If want a dvdr to replace a vcr, then maybe the panasonic should be your choice. The extra features!

Quote:

If you want the ability to watch a recorded programme whilst recording another (simaltaneous record and playback) or start watching a programme being recorded from the begining whilst the machine continues to record to the end (chasing playback)

Not sure about a difference in quality between the two recorders - never used the panasonic. However, I can say that I am very pleased with the quality of the Philips. Not sure about 6 hour record time though