[QUOTE=SHAKES]
Yeah, but it’s only good for one recording (per disc) right?
[/QUOTE]
A qualified no. If you’d like to you can record up to 6 hours worth of media on each disk, and turn the dvd recorder on and off without harming the disk so you don’t have to record all in one go. However, you can’t watch the disk on anything else until you close it out and once you do that there’s no way to add anything to it. While you’re still filling it up you can watch it on the DVD recorder, though. (dvd recorders play dvds just like a dvd player as well as record - they’re a lot like vcrs)
One thing to keep in mind, though - every DVD recorder I’ve looked at takes DVD-R or DVD+R (all will take the rewritables) so check the box carefully before buying the DVDs to record on.
[QUOTE=Skammer]
I’m pretty sure you can use a TiVo box to manually record shows, without paying the subscription fee. Without the subscription, you don’t get the TV schedule, so you can’t select your shows by name or description, but you can set it to manually record a certain channel at a certain time for a certain duration without a problem. You also still have the ability to pause/rewind live shows.
[/QUOTE]
This used to be true, but is no longer the case. If you can find a Series 1 it can work without the service. Series 2 and up require the monthly service, otherwise it works in what is called boat anchor mode.
As a Tivo user, the 15 bucks (or less) a month is a bargain. But I know many people have an issue with it because the value is hard to explain without experiencing it.
[QUOTE=Usram]
Yeah, but those are DVRs for digital over-the-air TV, which are easier to make because you just dump the video straight to disk, no need for any MPEG encoding. And in the States, as I understand it, digital over-the-air TV is mostly (exclusively?) HDTV, whereas here it’s standard definition. HDTV DVRs are trickier to make. You need a huge hard disk for one thing.
[/QUOTE]
I’m not gonna tell you how I misread that last sentence. :o
[QUOTE=SHAKES]
Seriously, I’m not interested in subscribing to a service like Tivo.
I know what shows I want to watch and I know how to program a recorder. I just don’t want to hassle with the VCR tapes.
I was completely floored when I tried to shop for one on line but couldn’t find anything.
Am I the only person on the planet who wants one?
(I’m pissed because I just realized my VCR didn’t record Boston legal the other night because the VCR ate the tape!)
[/QUOTE]
They exist-but you have a point. It seems very strange that a relatively low-tech device such as a DVR is so hard to find. But you can. Amazon has a few. But as was pointed out, they tend to be out of stock…
I am presently considering getting a second one. I am looking at:
Panasonic DMR-EH75V (incl a VHS recorder) approx $400
Toshiba RD-XS54 $370
Sony RDR-HX75 $550.
Note the high prices and doubful availability. But you can get them if you really want them.
I notice when I select the “where to buy” button, it’s not listed.
Also, IIRC, we’ve had a thread or two on the topic of copyright, DRM and DMCA, and that Toshiba(?) installed firmware updates to prevent their DVRs from being used the way VCRs are used to record/time-shift commercial TV programming.
[/QUOTE]
Similar, but a little older. I’ve had for … maybe 3 years now? I got it a Best Buy (in Canada, mind you).
I have no problems recording timeshift programs. In fact, I added the west coast networks to my satellite package specifically so I could (and still do).
I record digital satellite TV just fine (not analogue, not over-the-air). This specific DVR is a bit older so it only records SD (no HD), and only has 1 tuner (so it only records 1 show at a time), but I’m sure I’ve seen HD ones now with multiple tuners.
To answer Sunspace’s question, some networks can embed a copy restriction code in their stream. This restriction can be “Record to HDD only, no disks”, or “Don’t record this at all”.
The local movie-network here just started adding the “Do not record at all” restriction, so I dumped them.
The only time I’ve ever seen the “Allow HD but no disks” restriction was on hockey games broadcast on the MSG network.
It isn’t just the DVR. As you can see, there are many options out there. Where the problem lies is in the software. Tivo, if I recall correctly, has never made a profit off its boxes. Where Tivo will survive the onslaught is licensing its technology.
I tried the cable DVR. The interface sucked. Really sucked. Now, if I never had Tivo, I probably would not have noticed how badly it sucked.
Even if you find a cheapo alternative, it may or may not work better than your VCR habits now, but it will not be the unfettered joy of life with a Tivo. Seriously, I am not a TV watcher. I watch a handful of shows. I still find it worth every penny.
Now if I could just get my husband to stop recording MXC and SurvivorMan that air 47 times a day…