DVD Recorder / or DVD/VCR Dual Recorder???

[Honnold]

I'm revamping my TV/video set-up for first time in years and just bought a 40" Sony Bravia which I will connect to Direct TV satellite along with the latest DVR they provide. I'm not a video connoiseuer and am hesitant to shell out the additional $300 to get an HD-DVR instead of plain DVR. At the same time, I want to make sure what I get isn't obsolete in 2009. It shouldn't be, right? It's still digital, isn't it?

Anyway, I also want to purchase a DVD recorder for 3 main functions:

1) Record DVD's of programs/movies I record on DVR.

2) Transfer VHS tapes of previously recorded programs to DVD to save space, etc. [NOTE: I already have an old VCR which works fine, so I don't necessarily have to get a DVD/VCR Dual recorder].

3) Record TV programs directly onto DVD.

So can anyone suggest a great DVD Recorder or DVD/VCR Dual Recorder that fits the bill?

Right now, I'm circling around the Panasonic DMR-EZ17, but it's fairly new and hasn't been reviewed much.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[skitty4gzus]

Sorry i cant be much help on this, but i own a samsung VR325 and all ive used it for is watching dvd's!!! Its a dual deck like your looking for, but i have yet to use it to burn dvd's. So far though i like it, its a nice piece and it hasn't given me any problems. I have used a couple different HD DVR's in Cincinnati for home theather use and i can say they are worth their money. But, make sure they have a BIG hard drive because they fill up fast. The only ones i used were through the cable company, so sorry no recommendations on one through Dish.

[Honnold]

Thanks for the reply. I had a really bad experience w/ Samsung over a printer, so they're not an option, but your imput is much apprecitated.

I'm thinking if I find a good DVD recorder that can receive input from my old VCR, I probably don't need it to be a Dual Deck (DVD/VCR).

[skitty4gzus]

i cant say for all recorders but mine has a standard coax input, standard A/V inputs and an S-Videoo. it also has all those as outputs as well as HDMI, optical audio, digital audio and component video output. im sure most have at least that.

[bill bolton]

Right now, I'm circling around the Panasonic DMR-EZ17

I've been using a Panasonic DVD/HDD recorder for about 18 months now and it been wonderful. I can't remember the model number, but its a now discontinued model with an 80Gb hard disk.

We have never come close to filling up the hard disk. We usually don't keep recorded program for more than few weeks, and if it is one of the rare ones we still want it after that time, we burn a copy to DVD.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[rkawakami]

I've been using a Panasonic DVD/HDD recorder for about 18 months now and it been wonderful.

One of the early Panasonic DMR-E series perhaps? I have had a DMR-E85H (120GB hard drive) for about two and a half years and it's been operating fine. Except for a recent operator screw-up (me ) the system has not missed recording a show or locked-up bad enough to require a full reset. Everything gets recorded to the hard drive and if important enough, written later to DVD-RAM. I have not ever tried to record a show directly to a DVD. There is built-in, primitive, editing functions to split a show into separate pieces and then write them to separate chapters on a DVD or to select clips and assemble them into a playlist (think editing out commercials here).

There are three complete sets of inputs; S-Video, composite video and L + R audio. Output from the Dish Network satellite receiver goes into one input, VCR output into the second. The third set is up on the front panel for dubbing from camcorders. Comcast cable goes into the RF input. No HD equipment (yet).

[skitty4gzus]

I have a separate DVR through DishNetwork and its a beautiful thing, but the only thing i would do again is get a DVD Burner with HDD built in. its a lil quirky burning shows to the burner from the dvr or live burning. If anybody knows how to unload the DVR to a computer via the USB port on the back please let me know. Thanks