BEST  DVR

 Pioneer DVR-640H-S

New 550H Model    New Lower Price
Best DVR
New Pioneer DVR-550H-S or newer Philips

UPDATE: The 640H-S has become impossible to find new so for now, Spring 2008, I suggest the International Pioneer DVR-550H-S or the lower priced Philips DVDR3575H  

This is my favorite piece of electronics. I have used the previous Panasonic model E80H for over two years with no problems and bought the new model E85HS as soon as it became available. I should add, I bought both DVRs  at Amazon.com and have not had any problems at all. I did read the manual before I unpacked the unit as I do with anything complex. This model is more intuitive than most but knowing idiosyncrasies like the "hidden" reset button are important. You can also do some things the manual doesn't cover, like record from a DVD to the hard-drive.  Like ALL consumer DVRs, it will not copy a copy protected DVD.  That includes just about all US releases. However, copying a personal DVD, TV program or VHS tape is a breeze. It is easy to do a variety of edits and make a very useable menu for your DVD version.  And you can copy^* a "copy protected" DVD or tape, ANY movie really using a simple attachment; the Sima  CT-2.  This magical little device by GoDVD is inexpensive and very simple to use.  GoDVD's Sima CT-2  Works on ALL TYPES OF MACROVISION (LEVEL 1 & 2) CLICK for DETAILS

Panasonic's DVR-640H-S DVD Recorder lets you enjoy your favorite shows more easily. With a big 160GB Hard Disk Drive at your disposal, you can record your favorite TV shows, plus hours and hours of home movies, into temporary storage. Once they're recorded you can watch them whenever you want, delete them, or burn them to DVD. The DVR-640H-S, with its 160GB Hard Disk Drive, can hold up to an amazing 340 hours of content (at lowest video quality). With Disc Backup, a Pioneer exclusive, you can record from DVD back to the Hard Disk Drive -- from that you can make as many copies of your home movie as you want, all at blazing speed. Jump past the commercials and watch TV while recording, with the Advanced Disc Navigator. The on-screen menu makes all the key functions really easy to operate. Plus, thumbnails from the beginnings of your recordings are shown in full motion with sound. PureCinema 2:3 Progressive Scan gives you a more film-like presentation, while the 54MHz/10-bit video DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) delivers beautiful video quality. The latest Dolby Digital and DTS Digital surround sound outputs give you a superb musical performance. Wide Playback for homemade DVDs containing TV content or home movies Commercial Skip lets you jump past the ads. 

I highly suggest you use the SP speed, so instead of 340 hours of theoretical recording time you really have about 70 to 105 hours max which is still great! I only use the fastest XP speed when it is important to see fine details (i.e. swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated video;-) or I am going to make a permanent copy of a less than 2 hour program to a DVD-R. Then by using the variable speed recording choice I end up with the best possible DVD-R copy. Longer movies I use a DL disk. With Panasonics filters the finished copy can indeed look better than the original source but do not expect miracles. I often use DVD-RAM for temporary storage of programs I do not want the rest of the family to see and the high speed transfer is a great convenience. Playback is excellent even with an older TV but your TV works with progressive scan this model will display a very high quality image indeed. This new models play a wider variety of VCDs (the E80H did reasonable well) and if you like to play music through your TV entertainment center it play CDs and CD-Rs just fine.  I use my region free unit as the source drive for recording European and Asian region or PAL DVDs to the US standard on the DVD-R copy.

I have found the DVD-Rs it makes to be viewable in a wide variety on DVD players as I am the one that converts the family movies to DVD-R and distributes them all over the country. I also sell some travel movies I made and copies of foreign films on my website and have not had any returned. No coasters (ruined disks) and between my two units I have made well over 100 DVD-Rs. However, I have only used name brand blank DVD-R and DVD-RAM disks, so that probably has been a factor. 

Features like time-slip and one button switch to TV makes viewing a pleasure. Yes, you can really watch a program while still recording it, or watch a different program from the hard drive or DVD tray. The remote control takes a while to get used to but has it all at your fingertips.  I noticed some reviewers have had technical problems with the EH50S unit but the three I have used personally (self, sister and neighbor) have worked fine but this model is more complicated to use than the E80 and E85 models.  

So top spot goes to the   Pioneer DVR-640H-S  or the new  Pioneer DVR-550H-S

  Since the FCC required manufacturers to put an HD turner in new DVRs starting late 2007 they stopped shipping them to the US market so you have limited new choices or buy used. For now (2009) the best option in the US is the Philips DVDR3575H/37 1080p Upscaling DVDR with Built-In Tuner     (FREE shipping too)  or the  Pioneer DVR-550H-S

If you want to record directly from your camcorder, then Model Panasonic DMR-E100HS is recommended with several " media readers" built-in.  Sometimes   Wal-Mart offers a lower price when they have it in stock but the bottom line cost has been consistently lower at Amazon.com  .    More Info   or the  Pioneer DVR-550H-S

I also like the  JVC DRM H30 DVR very much.     And for outstanding storage capacity there is the Panasonic DMR-E500HS  with a huge 400 GB hard drive which will record hundreds of hours of your favorite shows!

        Reviews of the many versions of iPod and also great accessories.   CLICK for REVIEWS

You have probably seen Tiger Direct on TV demonstrating various computer systems.  They also have everything associated with computers and at low, low prices.  I have bought from them many times and their service is first rate.

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