DVD Recorders..............Aaaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!

[anniesdad]

We exchanged a faulty Phillips DVD recorder for a Sony one, but now, and I'm surprised by this (I swear by Sony), I'm actually having technical difficulties with it. It seems that when I load a blank DVD+RW disc, it asks whether to auto-format, to which the answer is "yes". The auto-format does its business and I can record. However, if I eject the disc and re-load it asks whether to auto-format again! Every time you load a disc the auto-format query is asked, if you cancel auto-format, the disk is ejected. This is rather frustrating as I might actually want to keep something!

It seems just......temperamental. Does anybody have any similar experiences with these bloody things. Shoud I just hook the video up again and have done with it?

Don't ask me if it's still under warranty and I know the obvious answer is take it back to the shop. I was just wondering if anyone else has had a rough time with their DVD Recorders?

Should this have gone in Computers and Stuff?

Cheers

S

[polus]

I take it this is a stand alone unit? not a 5 1/4 computer drive.

[anniesdad]

It's this.. DVD-Recorder

[scared but happy]

IMO they are utter st! I have a phillips one that sometimes records (or not). Does not close the session correctly and therefore will not work in other players and to top it all says the disk is corrupted or a data disk .
The best bit though is I purchased it to copy all my 300 videos onto disk and the quality is less than VHS standard.

Digital quality** my arse. Scrap the lot of them and get a quality analogue SVHS video recorder.


**A clever ploy to make people believe the hype

[granville]

You should have gone for a Panasonic or JVC.

They're as good/better performance-wise, have most boxes ticked and far better value.

[anniesdad]

derestrictor said:

You should have gone for a Panasonic or JVC. They're as good/better performance-wise, have most boxes ticked and far better value.

Thanks. Any model suggestions? If it's still under warranty I may be asking the retailer for an exchange (after waiting 28 days - again! - to see if they can repair it), if I can get a bit of cash refunded, then all's the better.

[mandat]

Have you tried changing the brand of disks that you are using.

If they are unbranded / unknown variety, this may be the cause of your problems.

[anniesdad]

mandat said:

Have you tried changing the brand of disks that you are using. If they are unbranded / unknown variety, this may be the cause of your problems.

They're Phillips DVD+RW's? I've not tried Sony ones.

[granville]

Steve,

The Panasonic DMR-EH50 is a default choice for many, featuring an 80gb drive and a price tag marginally greater than a blow out session at McD's.

Even greater value is to be gained from the sibling branded JVC DRM-H50's 250gb capacity (long enough to record the second coming) which also has an i-link front connector for downloading digital video footage (special PH rates well below £300).

I'd go for the latter because like Bill Duke in 'Commando,' "I like Cadillacs."


Toodle schnell.

[GregE240]

derestrictor said:

Steve, The Panasonic DMR-EH50 is a default choice for many, featuring an 80gb drive and a price tag marginally greater than a blow out session at McD's. Even greater value is to be gained from the sibling branded JVC DRM-H50's 250gb capacity (long enough to record the second coming) which also has an i-link front connector for downloading digital video footage (special PH rates well below £300). I'd go for the latter because like Bill Duke in 'Commando,' "I like Cadillacs." Toodle schnell.

Clearly not been to a MaccyDs at feeding time with you then, you Scouse bastard

De "none of that veggy shit in MY burger, theres a good chap" restrictor....

[anniesdad]

derestrictor said:

Steve, The Panasonic DMR-EH50 is a default choice for many, featuring an 80gb drive and a price tag marginally greater than a blow out session at McD's. Even greater value is to be gained from the sibling branded JVC DRM-H50's 250gb capacity (long enough to record the second coming) which also has an i-link front connector for downloading digital video footage (special PH rates well below £300). I'd go for the latter because like Bill Duke in 'Commando,' "I like Cadillacs." Toodle schnell.

Thanks Simon,

I'll look them up on t'internet. If I need one of these, do I come to you for one then? Where's the shop?

Steve

[308GTB]

mandat said:

Have you tried changing the brand of disks that you are using. If they are unbranded / unknown variety, this may be the cause of your problems.

That's very true.

I have a Philips DVD recorder (not sure on model) not that old either and had trouble recording to inferior quality discs.

One thing to check is the speed, I bought 8x discs and these would not work at all.

With the correct discs and good quality ones it records really well and is comparable to a pre-recorded DVD when recording a digital satellite signal.

[allnighter]

anniesdad said:

We exchanged a faulty Phillips DVD recorder for a Sony one, but now, and I'm surprised by this (I swear by Sony), I'm actually having technical difficulties with it. It seems that when I load a blank DVD+RW disc, it asks whether to auto-format, to which the answer is "yes". The auto-format does its business and I can record. However, if I eject the disc and re-load it asks whether to auto-format again! Every time you load a disc the auto-format query is asked, if you cancel auto-format, the disk is ejected. This is rather frustrating as I might actually want to keep something! It seems just......temperamental. Does anybody have any similar experiences with these bloody things. Shoud I just hook the video up again and have done with it? Don't ask me if it's still under warranty and I know the obvious answer is take it back to the shop. I was just wondering if anyone else has had a rough time with their DVD Recorders? Should this have gone in Computers and Stuff? Cheers S

Stick the Verbatim media , the most reliable i have come across especially for dual layer recording.Buy one disc and try it out.

As far as Panasonic being better , I beg to differ on that one , Pannies are slow and take an eternity to load up a disc.I have a Panny PVR freeview recorder and I had nothing but trouble with it, and it's my 2nd one under warranty.

My next purchase will certainly be a Sony Freeview DVD/HD recorder.

>> Edited by allnighter on Wednesday 14th December 14:59

[Frik]

Der, YHM.

[anniesdad]

allnighter said:

Stick the Verbatim media ,

Thanks for the tip. Will do.

[polus]

Isnt there a harddisk solution? DVD-RW just doesnt like a good media for this...

[blaineuk]

have you trisd using a ram disk as you can recored lote of titles on to them at any time, where as if you use a dvdr i think you will find that it will record over what is already on the disk