Got my new dvd recorder today
 

I just got my new DVD recorder today, I brought the Pioneer DVR-230. my question is how do i get the full effect quality wise on this dvd recorder?

I do have it on SP mode, but their is also other settings like noise reduction, DVD-RW init video mode or VR mode. Just want to get the full use of this dvd recorder from using the best settings.

So far its way much better then my past recorder, especially like the feature with the menus where i can select a episode and a mini screen at the tops plays the episode.

That's a decent choice in recorder, especially if you're recording direct off tv to DVD.

I don't remember the exact "MN" setting, but you want 180 minutes (3 hours) for the best setting off tv. Yes, even better than 2 hours. Only use the noise reductions on the input when you're working with VHS tapes.

It's been a while since I used a Pioneer 220-225-230, so I don't remember everything about it.

Verify that your recorder does 3 hours at 352x480 and not 704 or 720x480. Record something, put it on the computer, then open a video VOB (not menu one) in GSPOT 2.5.

the modes i have got is -

XP - 1 hour
SP - 2 hours
LP - 4 hours
EP - 6 hours
SLP - 8 hours
SEP - 10 hours

i have tried 2 hours and the 4 hours and really didn't see much difference in the quality. after reading the mannual a bit more, i have to finalize the disc in order for it to play on my dvd rom. (the dvd recorder uses dvd-RW discs)

which actually takes about 29 mins to do (useing memorax dvd-RW). which is a pain in a butt then my last dvd recorder. in the mannual it says on vr mode it can take up to 1 hour, in video mode its 20 minutes.

Never use VR mode. Never. Not for any reason. Never use DVD-RAM discs either. Never, not for any reason. Pretend none of those options exist.

A disc must be finalized a minimum of 1GB to play according to the DVD-Video spec. If you record 30 seconds of video and go to finalize, it'll probably take 15 minutes or more. If you record 2 hours of content, it'll only take 3-4 minutes to finalize a disc.

In addition to preset "modes", you should have the ability to set incremental times of your own. Often referred to as "flex recording" or "FR mode" on a DVD recorder. Read you manual. It should have one. If not, then this would be the first machine Pioneer ever made that lacked the feature in the 3-4 years they've made DVD recorders.

It is true that, one a good machine at least (not Panasonic! not Philips!) that 2-hour and 4-hour will look about the same. Why? The specs are the same, in terms of bitrate allocation. The res and bitrate are both halved. The 3-hour will look closer to 1-hour mode, because it has higher bitrate allocation. While can often get away with 4-hour directly off a clean satellite signal, it's better to use 3 hours, especially off VHS tapes.

Read the manual that came with the machine. Don't believe it to be a bible on video or anything, but do at least pay attention to what features the machines has, and how to turn them on or off using the remote.

Why don't use ever use VR mode when recording on to a RW disc? I always thought you could edit a program in VR mode, finalize it and then covert it to video mode on your computer and put menus on.

well ionly use dvd-RW anyway, i never use ram discs. i have set all my dvd-rw in video mode, so i will defiently avoid using vr mode.

i have read my mannual twice and it mentions nothing about fr recording, but i did check pioneers site and the dvd recorder i got does have MR. but i havn't a clue how to hack the dvd recorder to change the mode.

here is the link about the dvd recorder i got - http://www.pioneer.fr/eur/product_de...nomy_id=42-125

DVD-VR is not the same kind of video as DVD-Video. There are a number of things different about it, not to mention RAM discs are harder to read in computers and will take 45-60 minutes to read one disc. Unlike DVD-RW which can take about 10-15 minutes most of the time.