HD-TVs, DVD Recorders, Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs????
 

Well within the next 12 cmonths I plan to get a new dvd recorder and a HD-TV.

Well my local Wal-Mart has a nice floor model widescreen HD-TV on clearance last one for $960.00 hopefully its not gone, I need to save up for it lol.

But if I dont get this one, which widescreen hd-tv would you recommend for around a grand here is the model I plan to get, been wanting it for a while now:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3757031

Will I need this as well:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=2598451

I may just order it online if the store doesnt have it after all its only about $200 higher. but if someone can find me a better deal online for both a HD-TV and a good DVD recorder with a HDD :)

I think Im going to a JVC DVD Recorder with built in HDD but tech is always changing.

And will we soon have to switch to Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs???

Brent

No. HDTV is overrated. It is unlikely that most stations or cable will ever adopt HD aside from a couple major networks and major cable channels (HBO, pay per view, etc).

BluRay and HDDVD will likely never catch on. It is the laserdisc and S-VHS of video, something that is destined to fail. Whatever video format comes to exist in 2010-2015 will be the next format. The DVD market has still not hit saturation, and VHS is still not phased out. The whiz-bang BluRay and HDDVD will be super expensive, like the NeoGeo of video games, only owned by the rich and/or techie dorks.

DVD is not going anywhere. Neither is standard definition.

Yeah, and now there are DVRs that will downsample HD so it can be viewed on a standard def TV. There's one with my name on it that I will be acquiring soon - first I have to convince my Mom to let me add another dish to the house. Life would've been so much simpler in some ways if she'd come to live with me in Boston, rather than me moving home to Philly ... :?

If your going to get a HD big screen, dont goto wal-mart..Get a mitsubushi, its worth the money, thats what i have. 48 in. widescreen. Hitachi are good also..It just depends on what u want to spend too.

I have a 46" Samsung DLP that works great for me. The HD portion looks fantastic, but the SD channels vary widely as far as quality. I think a lot of that has to do with compression quality from Dish Network though?
Composite DVD output also looks very good.

You might as well save up for a nice 60" or larger plasma... better brand models only run ~$6,000 :)

I've got my eye on a Panasonic 32 inch widescreen at Sam's Club. I don't have room for a really big TV.

The DLP Tobal mentioned is designed to where you can change the bulbs, it works like bulbs with refractors, (correct me if I'm wrong) so the tv lasts longer, not sure what the life expecancy of the bulbs are though or how expensive they are.

I've got a 42" Panasonic Plasma screen EDTV and love it, not sure what the life expectancy is of it either, but I'm sure the more you use anything the sooner it will give out in any given time.

And yes, quality cables do make a big difference. I haven't used the HDMI connection yet, has anyone used this?

Isn't HDTV backwards compatible with analog tv x_x? I'm sure it would be seeing as though all those news channels that are HDTV is on analog also.

Well I did some checking on the JVC DVD Recorders with built in HDD they do not offer a edit mode similar to the panasonics. So I do not know what to do now as I need a built in HDD with editing capabilities. Heck there is a new Panasonic with a 400 gig hard drive.

Im torn though, I would love to have the JVCs quality, but it seems the editing features are lacking in the HDD side :(

Brent

Look into the new Pioneer 500 series HDD recorders if you want editing. These also have some added filters, though still not as good as JVC filters.

What could I use to improve those filters say going from VCR or Cable box to the recorder??

To make it as good as the JVC?? is there a outer unit I can get??

Brent

This is the only unit i found on amazon.

I don't think it the right one though:

http://tinyurl.com/dokmr

Brent

Or is this the right one, sounds like it. Sad thing is Im going down by HALF HD space if I get this one LOL.

http://tinyurl.com/bj5zl

Brent

Pioneer DVR-531H
Pioneer DVR-533H

Sold at Walmart.
Comes stocked with a 80GB drive, but supposedly can have 300GB swapped.

Then there is also LG HDD DVD recorders to look at. These use LSI chips too.
Very similar to JVC units.

Although I would suggest you go test a JVC DVD recorder that has HDD, and not rely on stuff you read online, even if it's from JVC itself. I have a funny feeling it does all kinds of editing, but just has poor documentation (yet should be fairly common sense to use).

I just got thrown by this thread http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/avt-8710-and-556.html then read a few reviews here and there by customers unhappy with the editing capabilites.

Maybe I will get a JVC and then test record a show I normally dont record and see how the editing features go. I wonder if Ton_N_Jonna have gotten any headway on their JVCs editing??

Brent

Why not invest in a cheap PC to do your editing with? You can use it to burn discs with and also do some fancy menus using photoshop.

You could probably put one together for a couple hundred dollars. That way you don't have to sacrifice quality for some added editing functions.

The pc I have could easily do this but I honestly don't think I could lol. It all just seems way to complicated heh.

Brent

These are out of stock at wal-mart.com :( I need to keep looking for a good dvd recorder that has a HDD with good editing skills.

Brent

Here it is yah. And it records to Dual Layer DVDs :)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B000A6XASS

Brent

I'm getting the hang of the editing functions on my new LiteOn 5045. The biggest problem I'm having is getting material *off* the unit - none of the good discs I have on hand are on the preferred disc list, and so I've been forced to use CompUSA discs to test creating discs. And so far, I have not been able to duplicate any of the discs I've made. I have an order for TY discs from Supermediastore on its way, since that brand is on the preferred disc list. I know I've been able to copy other people's discs made on that brand, so we'll see. If I can't duplicate anything I make on this recorder, I may have to rethink ...