Finally happened, vcr stopped recording

[Novel8]

It had to happen sometime...it just won't playback. Just curious, do they still sell vcr's? If not, what would be the closest gadget that I can buy that would do similar functions that a vcr did? I am not looking for TIVO, or any other gadget, that one has to pay monthly just to use it.

[Peter]

Post by Novel8
It had to happen sometime...it just won't playback. Just curious, do
they still sell vcr's? If not, what would be the closest gadget that
I can buy that would do similar functions that a vcr did? I am not
looking for TIVO, or any other gadget, that one has to pay monthly
just to use it.

You can find non-TIVO (no monthly subscription) digital video recorders
(DVR) with built-in tuners (or without) by searching on the web. I've
got a Magnavox model that's about 4 years old, purchased at Walmart.com.
Today you can get DVRs that record only in standard definition, or in
standard or high definition. Prices vary accordingly.

Just as with VCRs, DVRs can be placed in series with the TV signal input
cable and either a TV or a cable box. Most DVRs have auxiliary inputs
and a choice of output (RF, component, HDMI, etc.) signal formats. If
you get a DVR with a built-in digital tuner, and you receive your TV
signal over the air, you can record one channel while simultaneously
watching another. If you get your TV signal via a cable provider and the
cable provider still sends local TV station signals unencrypted, a QAM
tuner in the DVR will also enable you to record one local channel while
watching a different channel. If you use a cable provider and all
channels are encrypted, you won't be able to use any built-in tuner in a
DVR and will have to select the program to record on the cable box and
feed the output of the cable box to the input of the DVR. In that case,
no reason to buy a DVR with a built-in tuner. The only exception to
that is: if you're willing to pay the cable provider a monthly fee for a
cable card (the fee is usually much less than renting another cable
box), get a DVR that has a cable card input. The cable card behaves as
a decoder for the encrypted cable signals and allows you to record one
channel while watching a different one.

In summary, do some research on the web and you'll probably find just
what you want. In any case, even a standard definition DVR will provide
a substantially better video image than your defunct VCR. Good luck!

[Patty Winter]

Post by Peter
You can find non-TIVO (no monthly subscription) digital video recorders
(DVR) with built-in tuners (or without) by searching on the web. I've
got a Magnavox model that's about 4 years old, purchased at Walmart.com.

Except for not supporting HD (of course, neither did the OP's VCR...),
these are *wonderful* units. I have both a 300GB model and a 1TB. (The
former is currently dead; I need to take it to a repair shop to see what
they can do about the power supply. But it was fine for a few years.)

Perhaps because these only do SD, they may be on the way out; Walmart
stopped selling the 1TB model a few months ago. They still sell the 500GB
and 320GB models. The Magnas have good interfaces and are very versatile.

Here's the web page for the 500GB model:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magnavox-HDD-DVR-and-DVD-Recorder-with-Digital-Tuner-500GB/20710258

Post by Peter
Today you can get DVRs that record only in standard definition, or in
standard or high definition. Prices vary accordingly.

Who's got an HD version?


Patty

[Peter]

Post by Patty Winter

Post by Peter
You can find non-TIVO (no monthly subscription) digital video
recorders (DVR) with built-in tuners (or without) by searching on
the web. I've got a Magnavox model that's about 4 years old,
purchased at Walmart.com.

Except for not supporting HD (of course, neither did the OP's
VCR...), these are *wonderful* units. I have both a 300GB model and a
1TB. (The former is currently dead; I need to take it to a repair
shop to see what they can do about the power supply. But it was fine
for a few years.)
Perhaps because these only do SD, they may be on the way out;
Walmart stopped selling the 1TB model a few months ago. They still
sell the 500GB and 320GB models. The Magnas have good interfaces and
are very versatile.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magnavox-HDD-DVR-and-DVD-Recorder-with-Digital-Tuner-500GB/20710258

Post by Peter
Today you can get DVRs that record only in standard definition, or
in standard or high definition. Prices vary accordingly.

Who's got an HD version?
Patty

Look at the chart at http://dvr-review.toptenreviews.com/

[Patty Winter]

In article <lpeqgh$4i6$***@news.albasani.net>, Peter <***@netzero.com> wrote:

[whole bunch of unneeded quotage deleted]

Post by Peter

Post by Patty Winter
Who's got an HD version?

Look at the chart at http://dvr-review.toptenreviews.com/

Looks like there are a few DVRs that don't require a specific
system to connect to (such as DirecTV or Dish). However, I
don't really trust that site's information given that they've
said that the Magnavox MDR533H can record 75 hours of HD video.
In fact, it can record zero hours of HD. It can record from an
HD source, but the actual recording (whether to the HDD or the
DVD) is in SD, as explicitly stated in the manual.

I forgot to mention this in my previous note, but I like having
a DVD recorder; I don't know which of those models besides the
Magna have that capability, as it's not mentioned in the chart.


Patty

[Peter]

Post by Patty Winter
[whole bunch of unneeded quotage deleted]

Post by Peter

Post by Patty Winter
Who's got an HD version?

Look at the chart at http://dvr-review.toptenreviews.com/

Looks like there are a few DVRs that don't require a specific system
to connect to (such as DirecTV or Dish). However, I don't really
trust that site's information given that they've said that the
Magnavox MDR533H can record 75 hours of HD video. In fact, it can
record zero hours of HD. It can record from an HD source, but the
actual recording (whether to the HDD or the DVD) is in SD, as
explicitly stated in the manual.
I forgot to mention this in my previous note, but I like having a DVD
recorder; I don't know which of those models besides the Magna have
that capability, as it's not mentioned in the chart.
Patty

Patty, you are literally correct, and I stand corrected! Upon further
web research, except for the TIVOs (which are really crippled boxes
without the monthly subscription), there don't appear to be any consumer
grade true HD DVRs available.

That said, with my Magnavox H2160MW9 (purchased in 2009), a HD video
source recorded at highest quality and played back on my 42" 1080p HDTV
using an HDMI cable with the DVR's HDMI output up-converted to 1080, the
video looks quite good, certainly much much better than SP speed VCR
playback, and essentially as good a watching a well engineered non-Blue
ray DVD. The most current models are likely to have even better video
image quality due to improvements both in software and in hard disc
drive technology over the past 5 years.

[Patty Winter]

In article <lph2r5$q87$***@news.albasani.net>, Peter <***@netzero.com> wrote:

[snip]

Post by Peter
Patty, you are literally correct, and I stand corrected! Upon further
web research, except for the TIVOs (which are really crippled boxes
without the monthly subscription), there don't appear to be any consumer
grade true HD DVRs available.

I assume that the DirecTV and Dish DVRs are true HD, but of course then
you need a DirecTV or Dish system...It's a good thing that Tivo offers
an option for people who want a standalone DVR. Thanks for the info.

Post by Peter
That said, with my Magnavox H2160MW9 (purchased in 2009), a HD video
source recorded at highest quality and played back on my 42" 1080p HDTV
using an HDMI cable with the DVR's HDMI output up-converted to 1080, the
video looks quite good, certainly much much better than SP speed VCR
playback, and essentially as good a watching a well engineered non-Blue
ray DVD.

I'm perfectly happy with my Magnavox MDR537H, too. If HD is important
to me, I watch in real time instead of recording to the Magna.


Patty