| A2MDXer |
| Anyone recently purchased a DVD recorder (like a VCR, not a computer burner)? I always wanted one and am especially interested in transferring my home videos to DVD quickly and easily. I currently do this via camcorder to computer then edit or add menus then burn to DVD but the whole process takes a while. I am very interested in the new wave of recorders to record broadcasts and also so I can plug my camcorder right into the DVD recorder. I believe Panasonic models do not have ILink/firewire right now so they are out - am I down to Philips or Sony?? |
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| BLACK-BLING-MDX |
| If I were you, I would wait till Christmas time, prices for the older recorders will go way down and some new ones will def be coming out. |
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| Maik |
Last year I bought a Panasonic DMR HS2. Its a progressive scan DVD player with a 30gig hard drive and recorder. All I can say is that I love it. I have converted dozens of home VHS tapes, copied movies (for back up of course) and created my own home dvds via downloads from my digital camcorder.
The new version, due out next month will have an 80 gig hard drive.
Check out this website for lots more info:
http://www.thewholewideweb.com/foru...lt.asp?CAT_ID=7 |
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| ace3 |
quote:
Originally posted by Maik
Last year I bought a Panasonic DMR HS2. Its a progressive scan DVD player with a 30gig hard drive and recorder. All I can say is that I love it. I have converted dozens of home VHS tapes, copied movies (for back up of course) and created my own home dvds via downloads from my digital camcorder.
The new version, due out next month will have an 80 gig hard drive.
Check out this website for lots more info:
http://www.thewholewideweb.com/foru...lt.asp?CAT_ID=7
I'm thinking about getting something similar but it has a 80 GB HD in it. I wonder if you could upgrade yours to like a 120 GB HD or do you think its like an X Box and you like have to be a hacker to change the hard drive. |
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| A2MDXer |
quote:
Originally posted by A2MDXer
I believe Panasonic models do not have ILink/firewire right now so they are out - am I down to Philips or Sony??
Well, I should correct that and ask does anyone know whether there is a resolution difference firewire vs. S Video? I have an SVideo on the computer as well so maybe I shouldn't exclude Panasonic from consideration. |
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| Wazowski |
quote:
Originally posted by A2MDXer
Well, I should correct that and ask does anyone know whether there is a resolution difference firewire vs. S Video? I have an SVideo on the computer as well so maybe I shouldn't exclude Panasonic from consideration.
Actually, Firewire and S-Video are completely different animals. Firewire (aka IEEE 1394 or i.Link) is a high speed serial data interface like USB 2.0 or the like. It actually has nothing to do with video per se. Firewire interfaces are commonly found on computers for high speed interface connections to for example hard disk drives, digital camcorders, etc.
S-Video is a video output link to a television monitor from for example your VCR, DVD player, camcorder, etc. As I understand it, S-Video is better than an RCA connection, but not as good as a component video connection. |
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| A2MDXer |
quote:
Originally posted by Wazowski
Actually, Firewire and S-Video are completely different animals. Firewire (aka IEEE 1394 or i.Link) is a high speed serial data interface like USB 2.0 or the like. It actually has nothing to do with video per se. Firewire interfaces are commonly found on computers for high speed interface connections to for example hard disk drives, digital camcorders, etc.
S-Video is a video output link to a television monitor from for example your VCR, DVD player, camcorder, etc. As I understand it, S-Video is better than an RCA connection, but not as good as a component video connection.
OK, I understand what you are saying but my bottom line question is that if I were to transfer video from a camcorder either via firewire or via Svideo with RCA audio would I notice any difference (either speed or resolution)?? In my mind, firewire is, if nothing else, a bit easier for this.
I would have two methods for transferring videos to the DVD recorder - either directly from the camcorder or via the computer if I chose to do editing first. Since I already have a firewire external DVD burner for the computer, I am more concerned with the first method. As I understand it, if I do firewire from the camcorder it is transmitting digital data directly to the recorder. If I do it via S video it is transmitting digital video which will then be captured by the recorder, no? Is the first way faster and/or at better resolution? |
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| robrecht |
The older models are coming down dramatically in price as the next generation comes in, which is what I've been waiting for (tp).
About 4-6 weeks ago, the first model with integrated PVR (Personal Video Recorder, eg, TiVo) was announced for around $800 I think. By Christmas, there should be several options of this type to choose from with more competitive pricing.
A PVR may not be important to you, but if you're like me, you still haven't mastered the VCR! I'm expecting a PVR to make the user interface much easier.
CC: Wife
RE: Christmas List |
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| Wazowski |
quote:
Originally posted by A2MDXer
OK, I understand what you are saying but my bottom line question is that if I were to transfer video from a camcorder either via firewire or via Svideo with RCA audio would I notice any difference (either speed or resolution)?? In my mind, firewire is, if nothing else, a bit easier for this.
I would have two methods for transferring videos to the DVD recorder - either directly from the camcorder or via the computer if I chose to do editing first. Since I already have a firewire external DVD burner for the computer, I am more concerned with the first method. As I understand it, if I do firewire from the camcorder it is transmitting digital data directly to the recorder. If I do it via S video it is transmitting digital video which will then be captured by the recorder, no? Is the first way faster and/or at better resolution?
"S-Video" is a commonly term used for analog Y/C. "Firewire" or "i.Link" are commonly used terms for IEEE 1394. IEEE 1394 is all digital and will therefore be an exact duplicate. Y/C is analog, so there will be some loss in quality, even though one may not be able to notice it. Here's a linky with more info. Scroll down to the section that's titled "Is 1394 that much better than Y/C or component analog?" for the answer to your question. |
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| Maik |
On my Panasonic, there are two inputs for my camcorder. The RCA cables and there is also a "DV" input plug. It is a plug the looks like a firewire connection, but smaller. My Sony camcorder came with such a cable. I have not used it as I have been quite satisfied with the quality of both the audio and video that the RCA connections provide. The player makes editing very easy. Even I have been able to make "home" movies from movies taken with the camcorder.
The unit works very well with my TIVO set as it has greatly expanded my ability to store programing. If I run out of disk space, no problem just pop in a DVD-Ram. As a practicle matter, however, I have yet to use one. The unit has also enabled me to greatly expand my DVD movie collection. Although it was pricey ($950) when I bought it, I have no regrets and would not hesitate to recommend the Panasonic unit. It has provided lots of fun. |
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| A2MDXer |
quote:
Originally posted by Wazowski
"S-Video" is a commonly term used for analog Y/C. "Firewire" or "i.Link" are commonly used terms for IEEE 1394. IEEE 1394 is all digital and will therefore be an exact duplicate. Y/C is analog, so there will be some loss in quality, even though one may not be able to notice it. Here's a linky with more info. Scroll down to the section that's titled "Is 1394 that much better than Y/C or component analog?" for the answer to your question.
OK, thanks for the link and the clarification. Then to me, it is worth paying a bit more for the 1394 interface.
I was under the impression that the Panasonics did not have this - I could be wrong maybe the newer ones do. Maik, some of the 1394 ports (there are two versions) look smaller sort of like a rectangle with a notch in the bottom (4 pin I believe). Is that what yours is like? |
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| Mocking-DX |
i think all the DV input 1394 on DVD recorders are 4 pins which is smaller than the 6 pin some PC desktop looks like.
anyway i'm on the market for a dvd recorder also that has R/RW/HDD formats and it must have a DV 1394/firewire input for my camcorder.
Pioneer has the model 510 that has a HDD, firewire and supports DVD-R/RW. around $500 on e bay.
Panasonic have the new E100 and older HS2 that have the other feature of the pioneer mentioned above but more expensive.
i'm leaning more to get the Pioneer since it's cheaper and has more features i need for the money. I'm not sure about the video quality compared to panasonic because i heard a lot of good things about panasonics video quality.
i actually recently bought an external DVD burner for my laptop so i can edit my camcorder videos and make copies in the DVD recorders.
So my dilemma now is if Panasonic has significant video quality advantage enough to turn me away from buying a cheaper feature- loaded pioneer. |
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