All,

I'd like to pick up a DVD-recorder by tomorrow (if possible), or if shipped I need it by no later than next weekend. My main purpose is to record auto racing.

I have a digital cable HD-DVR that accepts the signal.

What's a good pick out there? Will anything on the market work? I assume from poking around in here a little bit that I can't record in hi-def, but what's on the market that has shown to deliver a solid image?

Sub-$200 is the goal.

Thanks!

A "Factory Renewed" Philips DVDR3575H/37 for $199 w/free shipping is just the ticket! Car racing is a "piece of cake"!

Click on my signature for info and a link to Philips store.

Thanks, wajo.

I had done some reading in your 3575 thread and it does look like a good option. When recording, you would recommend 2-hr-SP mode? I'll be recording F1 and IndyCar races, which should fit within the 2:10 window (except for the Indy 500).

Also, if I decide I can't wait for it to ship to me (I'll miss this weekend's F1 race I imagine), do you (or anyone) recommend another option I can get locally at BB/CC?

Do any of the Toshiba, Samsung or Sony units do well?

Thanks, wajo.

I had done some reading in your 3575 thread and it does look like a good option. When recording, you would recommend 2-hr-SP mode? I'll be recording F1 and IndyCar races, which should fit within the 2:10 window (except for the Indy 500).

Also, if I decide I can't wait for it to ship to me (I'll miss this weekend's F1 race I imagine), do you (or anyone) recommend another option I can get locally at BB/CC?

Do any of the Toshiba, Samsung or Sony units do well?
You could pick one up from Wal-Mart, but it'd be new and cost ~$300. The good thing about the Factory Renewed units is they *should* have the latest FW and a hdwe upgrade for a digital tuning problem some people had who subscribed to analog cable... you're digital cable tho and should be OK either way.

I recorded some car races at 2-hr-SP mode and studied them for bit-rate tests on my Pio 640, which has a bit-rate meter. Every camera ran ~2.5Mbps even tho the normal SP rate is ~5Mbps... racing didn't make the encoder work hard at all to get a very good image throughout.

With the HDD however, you COULD even record everything at 1-hr-HQ mode and get amazing quality for WATCHING. Not sure if you then want DVD copies, but Subject #20 in my link gives some info on HQ mode and making mulitgenerational copies and even converting to 2-hr-SP in a real-time dub. SUbject #12 talks about racing.

Thanks!

I guess I could always just record the F1 race to my DVR this weekend and then transfer to a DVD-R when it arrives.

That would work. Is a F1 race like NASCAR, i.e., on an oval track, or is that the race that winds around a lot. My tests were done on oval-track racing, which is very "predictable" for MPEG2 encoding. SP should still be good for an "odd" track race tho, since it hardly broke a sweat on NASCAR races. ;)

F1 makes right-hand turns. ;) They run on road and street courses. IndyCar runs on a combination of road/street and ovals.

Thanks again for all the help!

Hi,

I am in the market for a dvd recorder too. I don't have cable. I will use an indoor antenna to hopefully catch HDTV reception. Is this machine good for that purpose? Also, can you put music on the hard drive? Thanks.

Hi,

I am in the market for a dvd recorder too. I don't have cable. I will use an indoor antenna to hopefully catch HDTV reception. Is this machine good for that purpose? Also, can you put music on the hard drive? Thanks.
Yes, the 3575 is good for indoor antenna. I tried a simple amp'd rabbit ears and received lots of channels, even tho I'm ~40 miles in either direction from big city antennas.

You can record music to the HDD, just like recording video. I did some tests on this and found you can get LOTS of music on a DVD with the Video cable off (not connected), just the L/R audio cables. I even used the lowest-quality rec mode and couldn't tell a diff. between the CD and the recorded DVD music.

Here's a post in the thread I started on making an audio DVD that shows how much music can be copied to DVD. (http://archive2.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8885598&&#post8885598)

Yes, the 3575 is good for indoor antenna. I tried a simple amp'd rabbit ears and received lots of channels, even tho I'm ~40 miles in either direction from big city antennas.

You can record music to the HDD, just like recording video. I did some tests on this and found you can get LOTS of music on a DVD with the Video cable off (not connected), just the L/R audio cables. I even used the lowest-quality rec mode and couldn't tell a diff. between the CD and the recorded DVD music.

Here's a post in the thread I started on making an audio DVD that shows how much music can be copied to DVD. (http://archive2.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8885598&&#post8885598)

Thanks. About putting music on the hard drive, what I really meant to ask was can you transfer music from your cd to the hard drive?

Thanks. About putting music on the hard drive, what I really meant to ask was can you transfer music from your cd to the hard drive?
Yes, that's what that thread was all about... copying music to the HDD from a CD/DVD player. My mention of a "DVD" was just relating to how much can be copied to a DVD, whereas it's virtually unlimited to the HDD (if you don't want any video on it also.

That's why there's two methods: copying to the HDD (first) with all 3 normal line inputs to the DVDR, and copying with just the L/R audio line inputs since video isn't involved anyway and just to get MORE music on a DVD (later).

It's just like copying a home movie to the HDD except you might not use the video cable. Once on the HDD, you can THEN make DVD copies internally, just like any other video title... no line inputs involved.

Does that explain it? Also, you can read Post #1 in that linked thread and some of the others leading up to the post with the stats.

Yes, that's what that thread was all about... copying music to the HDD from a CD/DVD player. My mention of a "DVD" was just relating to how much can be copied to a DVD, whereas it's virtually unlimited to the HDD (if you don't want any video on it also.

That's why there's two methods: copying to the HDD (first) with all 3 normal line inputs to the DVDR, and copying with just the L/R audio line inputs since video isn't involved anyway and just to get MORE music on a DVD (later).

It's just like copying a home movie to the HDD except you might not use the video cable. Once on the HDD, you can THEN make DVD copies internally, just like any other video title... no line inputs involved.

Does that explain it? Also, you can read Post #1 in that linked thread and some of the others leading up to the post with the stats.

OK, here is what I am hoping I can do. I would like to put my music cds (preferably in mp3 or wm formats) in the hard drive of this recorder so that I can play them for hours without interruption. Is that doable?

OK, here is what I am hoping I can do. I would like to put my music cds (preferably in mp3 or wm formats) in the hard drive of this recorder so that I can play them for hours without interruption. Is that doable?
If you can play the CDA, MP3, WMA, or whatever music file on a device that has L/R audio outputs, you can record that on the HDD. Press PLAY on the playing device and REC on the 3575.

You can record music to the HDD, just like recording video. I did some tests on this and found you can get LOTS of music on a DVD with the Video cable off (not connected), just the L/R audio cables. I even used the lowest-quality rec mode and couldn't tell a diff. between the CD and the recorded DVD music.You can record a standard CD directly to the hard drive? Within the unit, or just from another player?

Heck, if I'd have known that, I would've kept mine. I would love to just use a hard drive model for music-only. You can do it with the Pioneers (called "jukebox feature"), but of course, they cost a lot more.

If you really can do that, maybe I'll just go get another one from Wally World. (Remember, I'm talkin' standard form here, not mp3 or wm or anything else.)

How come they don't mention this in the features list?

All,

I'd like to pick up a DVD-recorder by tomorrow (if possible), or if shipped I need it by no later than next weekend. My main purpose is to record auto racing.

I have a digital cable HD-DVR that accepts the signal.

What's a good pick out there? Will anything on the market work? I assume from poking around in here a little bit that I can't record in hi-def, but what's on the market that has shown to deliver a solid image?

Sub-$200 is the goal.

Thanks!

If you have an HD-DVR and don't need a hard disk drive recorder -- that is, you just want to make a DVD of the race to keep, you might consider something like the Toshiba DR-400 (or KR10 - same unit). You can find them for $99 (or less). There's no tuner (you wouldn't need one for what you want to do) and it's a fairly straightforward machine to use. Very basic, not many frills or editing features, but it produces a fine quality DVD.

It will also play Divx movies very well which is a nice plus and it has up-converting built in via HDMI. Many players cost more, so it's a good value in my opinion. You can search here for more info.

If you have an HD-DVR and don't need a hard disk drive recorder -- that is, you just want to make a DVD of the race to keep, you might consider something like the Toshiba DR-400 (or KR10 - same unit). You can find them for $99 (or less).Check out J&R World - it was at an unbelievable price last week.

You can record a standard CD directly to the hard drive? Within the unit, or just from another player?

Heck, if I'd have known that, I would've kept mine. I would love to just use a hard drive model for music-only. You can do it with the Pioneers (called "jukebox feature"), but of course, they cost a lot more.

If you really can do that, maybe I'll just go get another one from Wally World. (Remember, I'm talkin' standard form here, not mp3 or wm or anything else.)

How come they don't mention this in the features list?
Yes, that's the subject of that thread I linked to. I played the CDs from a Panny combo unit to the DVDR HDD, recording it as just another Title.

The only thing I forgot to tell DavidT1 is that the music will not longer have "tracks" but will be one long CD or whatever. You COULD even press Pause and record multiple CDs, MP3s, etc. in the order you like to hear them and then just select that "title" to play continuously. Or you can record each CD etc. as a separate title, and rename the title as you want it, then play like any other video.

It's great for playing music thru you home AV system, but not so good if you want to play them in a car since most don't play DVDs. SUVs with a video player will tho.

Yes, that's the subject of that thread I linked to.

The only thing I forgot to tell DavidT1 is that the music will not longer have "tracks" but will be one long CD or whatever. You COULD even press Pause and record multiple CDs, MP3s, etc. in the order you like to hear them and then just select that "title" to play continuously, using the Loop, Programmed Play, etc,. modes of the DVDR. Or you can just record each CD etc. as a separate title, and rename the title as you want it.

It's great for playing music thru you home AV system, but not so good if you want to play them in a car since most don't play DVDs. SUVs with a video player will tho.

Or you can make a DVD-R that will hold about 1000 MP3's or more and play them with a nice on-screen folder and title list using something like the Toshiba DR-5 (and some others). You can organize them into folders by style or artist or whatever you like. Very nice for parties or just easy listening around the house. (You make the DVD on your PC or laptop, of course.)

Another thing I sometimes do is to make a slideshow to play along with the music. This is an ordinary DVD and plays in any player. More work, of course, but once you get set up it's not too bad and people are really impressed. ;)

Cool! Just want to make sure I understand this -- I can transfer music from my cds to the hard drive of this recorder -- all done from the same machine. Then I play this recorded music. Does it play continuously all the music even if they recorded separately? Thanks again.

I just read bron's post. It's nice that it can play music from dvd as well.

Went to Amazon and read the reviews. They are not very encouraging.

Cool! Just want to make sure I understand this -- I can transfer music from my cds to the hard drive of this recorder -- all done from the same machine. Then I play this recorded music. Does it play continuously all the music even if they recorded separately?
The 3575 can't record from CD internal in the machine, have to use a separate CD/MP3 player with RCA audio outputs. (Pio 640 can.)

Once on the HDD as a Title, you have to select it to play, so basically it plays one at a time, requiring you to select each Title and press PLAY.

If you had lots of music you wanted to play thru for a long, continuous time, you could record each CD/MP3 etc. to the HDD, press pause between CDs/MP3s, then continue recording each one in the order you like, so the entire music thread will be one title on the HDD. If you really wanted, you could record genres together, in any order you want to hear back, etc.

Once you have one title playing, the Philips 3575 has a multi-function INFO button (described here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12304095&postcount=21)) that you can use to select which Title to play (1, 2, 3, etc.) if they're in separate titles, so you don't have to let each finish and go back to the title menu for each CD/MP3, etc. You'd just have to know the order they're in cuz the INFO menu uses numbers to identify titles, chapters, tracks etc.

If you really wanted to make it a project, you could add chapter marks at each song beginning so you could at least jump from song to song with the Chapter advance button.

P.S. While the Philips 3575 won't copy a CD from its DVD drive (plays only), the Pio 640 and prob. some others WILL, so you wouldn't need an external player... but you'd have less control since you can't pause an internal copy like with an external player.