Re: Best DVD recorder for home use ?

[Ian]

"Trevor S" <bill@gates.com> wrote in message
news:Xns94507DF9D9446billgatescom@130.133.1.4...
> Possibly a better solution would be the twin tuner PVR HDTV STB, once
> again, the only caveat is the inability to archive, unless the USB 2
> connection allows you to transfer video material ?
>
> http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/product.asp?SKU=TF5000PVRT

According to the units user manual it does;

--snip
File download and upload via USB

You can upload or download the TAP(Topfield Application Program), MP3 and
the
recorded services to or from your PC. You need to the Altair.exe to enjoy
it.

You can download the TFD-down.exe, TFDN_USB.exe, Altair.exe at Topfield
website http://www.topfield.co.kr.
--snip

What I want to know is, will it output Dolby Digital seeing that it's only a
SD unit?

I take it that if it did, it'd have to grab the Dolby Digital stream from
the high definition broadcast and marry that with the SD vision.

If this unit does do that, my credit card had better get ready for a bit of
a beating..

Ian

[tony_h]

"Ian" <testing@not-here.com> wrote in message
news:3fdb00d4$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
>
> "Trevor S" <bill@gates.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns94507DF9D9446billgatescom@130.133.1.4...
> > Possibly a better solution would be the twin tuner PVR HDTV STB, once
> > again, the only caveat is the inability to archive, unless the USB 2
> > connection allows you to transfer video material ?
> >
> > http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/product.asp?SKU=TF5000PVRT
>
> According to the units user manual it does;
>
> --snip
> File download and upload via USB
>
> You can upload or download the TAP(Topfield Application Program), MP3 and
> the
> recorded services to or from your PC. You need to the Altair.exe to enjoy
> it.
>
> You can download the TFD-down.exe, TFDN_USB.exe, Altair.exe at Topfield
> website http://www.topfield.co.kr.
> --snip
>
> What I want to know is, will it output Dolby Digital seeing that it's only
a
> SD unit?
>
> I take it that if it did, it'd have to grab the Dolby Digital stream from
> the high definition broadcast and marry that with the SD vision.
>
> If this unit does do that, my credit card had better get ready for a bit
of
> a beating..
>
> Ian

It looks like ABC and 10 Sydney both broadcast MPEG and Dolby Digital (2ch
only, according to my amp) in the SD stream. WildSwans on ABC SD last week
was 5.1 DD as a nice bonus. You can certainly choose either the MPEG
stream or DD stream if broadcast in the SD stream (it appears to output the
MPEG as PCM, and DD correctly out the Toslink connector).
I haven't worked out if you can choose the HD stream audio (you can
certainly hear it with this STB, but you get "Scrambled or HD signal" up on
the screen).
There are some manual tuning options with PID stuff, but it doesn't appear
to let you choose an HD audio vs SD video stream (that I can tell.... anyone
help here?)

Yesterday I recorded a HD stream for the heck of it, moved it across to my
PC, converted the .rec format to a program stream, and to my amazement, PC
software (windvd) plays it!. It was the 9 loop demo here, and WinDVD tells
me it is 13.5Mbit/s, so will quickly fill the harddrive at this rate!

If you are still pondering what to get, I would hold off for a week or so as
there are a few glitches that will hopefully be sorted soon, and if you can
hold off for ages (6 months??) then the Topfield HD dual tuner version is
coming out.

Join the dbaforums for more info on users opinions and discussions on the
Topfield 5000PVRt:

http://www2.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=2072&st=140

Cheers
Tony

[Ian]

"tony_h" <tony_h@REMOVE.bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:1eECb.51008$aT.48222@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> If you are still pondering what to get, I would hold off for a week or so
as
> there are a few glitches that will hopefully be sorted soon, and if you
can
> hold off for ages (6 months??) then the Topfield HD dual tuner version is
> coming out.
>
> Join the dbaforums for more info on users opinions and discussions on the
> Topfield 5000PVRt:
>
> http://www2.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=2072&st=140
>
> Cheers
> Tony

Great advice and link - thanks Tony.

Ian

[Trevor S]

"tony_h" <tony_h@REMOVE.bigpond.net.au> wrote in
news:1eECb.51008$aT.48222@news-server.bigpond.net.au:

<snip>

> If you are still pondering what to get, I would hold off for a week or
> so as there are a few glitches that will hopefully be sorted soon, and
> if you can hold off for ages (6 months??) then the Topfield HD dual
> tuner version is coming out.

Thats the one I will wait for, and connect to my projector.

Trevor S



--
Trevor S


"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
-Albert Einstein

[Footy Fan]

one of the issues is that an SD stream is not natively compatible with DVD
you need to copy the stream from the unit to your Hard Disk and then
demux and remux it so that it can then be prepared to record to DVD

So transfer a 5gb stream on USB 2.0 at maybe max 100mbps 10 mins
(I know spec is 480mbps - but my experience is avg 100)
you then have to run it through something like
http://www.haenlein-software.de/haenlein-software/index2.php?navigation=dvr-studio&s=3&unav=nav_progs&sprache=english
and then all this applies
http://www.haenlein-software.de/Anleitung_eng/FAQ.htm

it is no simple matter to create a DVD recording from an SD or HD stream

I lookeds at this but have decided that I don't care about the pure high level video/audio
my needs are more about timeslip and recording for later viewing so I am going
to get a DVD HD PVR. we are being treated a bit shabbily in OZ atmo as there
are far more models available than are on our market and I believe they are doing it
just to keep the prices up as several are available for $600USD = $800AUD yet
we have only a couple available the cheapest is about $1500

so I will wait until next year when a few more should hit the market then
I can copy all my VHS to DVD, have timeslip, keep on HD and only burn
DVD when I want to.

These DVD Recorders without HD are a waste of money IMO as you have
to burn the DVD when all you may want to do is timeslip.

gregf


"Ian" <testing@nothere.com> wrote in message news:3fdb29d8$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
>
> "tony_h" <tony_h@REMOVE.bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
> news:1eECb.51008$aT.48222@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> > If you are still pondering what to get, I would hold off for a week or so
> as
> > there are a few glitches that will hopefully be sorted soon, and if you
> can
> > hold off for ages (6 months??) then the Topfield HD dual tuner version is
> > coming out.
> >
> > Join the dbaforums for more info on users opinions and discussions on the
> > Topfield 5000PVRt:
> >
> > http://www2.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=2072&st=140
> >
> > Cheers
> > Tony
>
> Great advice and link - thanks Tony.
>
> Ian
>
>

[Trevor S]

"Footy Fan" <noflow@flow.com.au> wrote in
news:brh0la$tca$1@au-nws-0001.flow.com.au:

<snip>

> I lookeds at this but have decided that I don't care about the pure
> high level video/audio my needs are more about timeslip and recording
> for later viewing so I am going to get a DVD HD PVR.

Unless you want to archive (you made no mention of this) then you don't
need a DVD recorder, just a HDD PVR.

If all you want to do is timeslip and timeshift as you indicate, then don't
bother with a DVD based recorder.

> These DVD Recorders without HD are a waste of money IMO as you have
> to burn the DVD when all you may want to do is timeslip.

Not if you use DVD-RAM. It works exactly like HDD, albeit at 4GB or
thereabouts. I have the Panny E-100 (DVD recorder and HDD recorder) which
does a great job but only has an analogue tuner.

--
Trevor S


"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
-Albert Einstein