from e-mail...
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My Panasonic DVD recorder that I've had for about two years is starting to act up on me, and I think it's time for a new one. What would you suggest? Hard drive isn't important. Also, didn't you have a list of sites that you suggested for shopping, and the stores would help fund this site? Where did that go?
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Hello again, yes, I have suggestions for both of those.
I remember some of our conversations from recent years about DVD recorders, and the quality of them. The Panasonic you had has a hard drive (HDD), and it did an admirable job of SP mode recordings, either to disc or the drive, for later television viewing. It was passable for VHS conversions, not the best device, but functional (better VHS-to-DVD machines are out there).
Right this minute, for a good non-hard-drive machine, I strongly suggest the Philips units from 2007-2009, and right now
Amazon.com has two of these fan favorites available as refurbished units:
Your local Walmart may or may not have this model, it really depends on location, and how much back stock they have on the floor. Note that the new price in Walmart will be roughly double the price of this refurb.
If I needed another DVD recorder for any reason, this would be top on my list. It has excellent recording quality anywhere from 1 to 4 hours
(because it drops to 352x480 beyond 3 hours, maintaining high quality image without blocks/noise) off of television, and it includes a ATSC/QAM tuner, meaning it can record your local unencrypted HD channels from cable, to a 16:9 widescreen DVD (or a 4:3 fullscreen DVD, if you so choose).
The next suggestion -- suggested because it has a hard drive -- would be the
new Magnavox DVD recorder now found at Walmart.com (search for "Magnavox 160GB"). Note that I've not seen this model in stores, only online. You can have it shipped to you, or shipped to the local store for pickup. It's more or less the evolution of the well-liked Philips 3575/3576 that commands an insane price online. It too has ASTC/QAM tuners, and is really nice quality up to at least 3 hours. Unlike the Panasonic its not an SP-mode-only type machine.
And finally...
Thanks for the inquiry about links that help This site. Yes, the affiliate list is still available,
in an announcement (click the link!) found at the top of every forum section.
