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Philips DVDR3575H/37 160G HDD DVD Recorder w/ ATSC tuner - Page 71  

post #2101 of 4792
10/9/07 at 11:29pm
Local Best Buy had 7 units arrive in the evening, by noon the following day they were sold.
Using a satellite receiver in and out to HDTV with a hdm1 cable . Gee after a week and reading, found all functions working with out a hitch. I was curious about the Hard drive question as to whether it could be replaced by the user , when required. Any info ?

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post #2102 of 4792
10/10/07 at 2:24am
DVDR3575 Viewing the FW Data Screen and Using the DVD Manufacturer's/Media ID (MID) Utility

The Firmware (FW) data screen in the Philips 3575 can be accessed by pressing SKIP-1-2-3. A grey screen pops up with a list of model and FW version data.

While in that screen, you can also use a neat utility that is unique among DVDRs: if you arrow right, you can use the next screen to identify the DVD disc type and Manufacturer's ID (MID), which is good to know and check against the Classes listed in digitalfaq.com... esp. good to know before using a new batch of discs for precious memories you want to last a long time.

Insert a DVD and let it load up and read the MID. Leave the screen up and check as many other blank or recorded discs as you want.

To exit, press the left arrow key back to the FW screen, then use ONLY the BACK key to exit, NOT the OK key.

Pressing the OK key on the FW screen will reset the 3575 to factory settings, which you might want to do sometime but only to clear a problem and start from scratch. The Philips-recommended complete factory reset is to unplug the 3575, then plug back in while holding the Standby-On button on the front of the unit.
post #2103 of 4792
10/10/07 at 5:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks11 View Post

FuzzyJCT,

What was the problem you were having? My 3575, pack date April seems to record from it's internal digital tuner with no problem. Maybe I'm missing something.

I did seem to have a problem where all my timer programming disappeared. I was using the "day of the week" so it should have stayed programmed, but the other day when I didn't find something recorded that should have been, I found all the programming was gone. Checking now to see if it happens again.

Thanks,

sparks11,

The issue I was having wasn't with recording from the digital tuner exactly... it was the channel memory issue that has been widely discussed here. My recordings would be fine at first. But, sooner or later, the digital tuner would lose it's channel memory and then my timed recordings wouldn't be able to tune into the channel it was supposed to record. So, instead of possibly missing a recording, I recorded off the analog side. Now that I've got my replacement unit, I'm recording off the digital side again and haven't had a problem.
post #2104 of 4792
10/10/07 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wabjxo View Post

rosej, I don't think anyone has tried replacing the HDD since the 3575 is so new.

On your other question, the FW data screen can be accessed by pressing SKIP-1-2-3. A grey screen pops up with a list of model and FW version data.

While in that screen, you can also use a neat utility that is unique among DVDRs: if you arrow right, you can use the next screen to identify the DVD disc type and manufacturer's ID (MID), which is good to know and check against the Classes listed in digitalfaq.com... esp. good to know before using a new batch of discs for precious memories you want to last a long time.

Insert a DVD and let it load up and read the MID. Leave the screen up and check as many other blank or recorded discs as you want.

To exit, press the left arrow key back to the FW screen, then use ONLY the BACK key to exit, NOT the OK key... using the OK key on the FW screen will reset the 3575 to factory settings (which you might want to do sometime but only to clear a problem and start from scratch?).

Attn: wabjxo.. thanks for the info
post #2105 of 4792
10/10/07 at 10:31am
FuzzyJCT and wabjxo,

Thanks for your comments. So far the programming has not been lost since I reprogrammed it a week ago. Maybe it was a brief power outage, we'll see.

I was concerned since I received my unit from Amazon and it had a pack date of April, but so far so good. I have not had a problem recording from the digital tuner, nor have I lost the channel programming.

Thanks,
post #2106 of 4792
10/10/07 at 10:34am
When I record a program and look at the titles screen, it shows the time and date of the recording. Is there any way to make the machine show the program title as well? I hate having to remember what I recorded and having to play back some of the program to see what it is.

Thanks
post #2107 of 4792
10/10/07 at 10:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks11 View Post

When I record a program and look at the titles screen, it shows the time and date of the recording. Is there any way to make the machine show the program title as well? I hate having to remember what I recorded and having to play back some of the program to see what it is.

Thanks

There's an Edit Title Name function for changing the name
after a recording is finished, but there is no way to assign
a title name to a recording in advance.
post #2108 of 4792
10/10/07 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck44 View Post

There's an Edit Title Name function for changing the name
after a recording is finished, but there is no way to assign
a title name to a recording in advance.

Exactly, and this has to be one of the biggest blunders of intentional design that I have seen on a DVD recorder. Together with the lack of a 'replace' recording feature and the overall clunky timed recording navigation system, the 3575 represents a serious step backwards in the domain of time shifting.

This weakness alone tempts me each and every day to return the 3575 to the store I bought it from and to restore my trusty old E80H to full time usage, despite all the many other advantages this 'latest generation' DVD recorder brings to the table.
post #2109 of 4792
10/10/07 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by karst View Post

Exactly, and this has to be one of the biggest blunders of intentional design that I have seen on a DVD recorder. Together with the lack of a 'replace' recording feature and the overall clunky timed recording navigation system, the 3575 represents a serious step backwards in the domain of time shifting.

This weakness alone tempts me each and every day to return the 3575 to the store I bought it from and to restore my trusty old E80H to full time usage, despite all the many other advantages this 'latest generation' DVD recorder brings to the table.

I think you're right on this...no one should have to suffer through the pain you're in...not when you have an easy remedy!?
post #2110 of 4792
10/10/07 at 11:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by djp952 View Post

Hi folks! While I can't say I've read all 60 pages of this thread, it was most helpful in my decision to buy one of these Philips units. There were a couple things I caught that I can clear up (if they haven't been already):

1. HDTV pass-through on the RG6 works fine. More than fine, actually. I had no signal loss at all by passing the antenna through the DVDR3575H/75.

2. This is the important one: My box DOES do 16:9 correctly! I swear! I just finalized a few minutes of test HDTV footage from yesterday to a DVD+R disc, and popped it into my oldest DVD player and I swear to you it was full screen 16:9. I get true 16:9 when recording to the HDD, recording to DVD+R, *and* after the DVD+R has been finalized.

My user manual still states that it will record to 4:3, but they must have done something to the more recent units. My unit's pack date code is "35 August 2007".

I recorded a few minutes of an HD football game yesterday, which was probably 1080i since it was CBS. I suppose it's possible the unit has more trouble with the aspect ratio on different broadcasts, like perhaps 720p, but frankly I don't see how. I really think they changed something here. Talk about a pleasant surprise!!

Anyway, I love it. Sure, I would have rather had something that could record to the HDD and play back in true HD, but given the price and considering what other options there are (almost none unless you enjoy paying Tivo $180/yr), I think it's great.

If I had ONE complaint to make it would be the transcoding it uses against full HD signals. My Windows Media Center PC does a significanly better job crunching HD down to SD, but then again, it also take me 8+ hours to burn a DVD. Things like the on-screen graphics during the HD football game are overly sharp and just look bad. An algorithm tuned more for smoothness rather than sharpness would have been better ... in my opinion.

Anyway, thanks again for all the great information, and I'm sorry that so many people have had trouble with 16:9. Maybe Philips can update the firmware or something in the older units. Or maybe I'm just on crack. Either way, I'm happy!!!

I agree with you about the image quality coming from the 3575's tuner. It's a little disappointing. The OTA tuner in my Directv H20 receiver viewed through the 3575's s-video input has a noticeably clearer picture than the 3575's tuner on the same channel. Otherwise, I think the 3575 is great. I just use the external tuner for anything important. I especially like the convenience and excellent recording quality of the hard-drive, and chasing playback has turned out to be something I now consider a must-have feature.
post #2111 of 4792
10/10/07 at 11:37am
Maybe this has been addressed before, but using the same OTA antenna, I've noticed I can get some digital/HD channels via the pass-through (recorder off or TV set to antenna) that I can't with the recorder's tuner and vice-versa. For instance, the recorder gives me nothing but blue screen for my local PBS stations.
post #2112 of 4792
10/10/07 at 11:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shk795 View Post

I agree with you about the image quality coming from the 3575's tuner. It's a little disappointing. The OTA tuner in my Directv H20 receiver viewed through the 3575's s-video input has a noticeably clearer picture than the 3575's tuner on the same channel. Otherwise, I think the 3575 is great. I just use the external tuner for anything important. I especially like the convenience and excellent recording quality of the hard-drive, and chasing playback has turned out to be something I now consider a must-have feature.

This is interesting!

Since I would expect an HD tuner to show a better pic than the SD tuner in the 3575, the fact that you see a better HD pic thru the 3575's S-Video input *could* mean the 3575's line inputs pass thru an HD signal, just as it does thru the RF in/out!?

Altho the S-Vid line input is a "position" on the tuner, I'm wondering if those line inputs downconvert the HD signal ONLY to the recording system...i.e., like the RF in/out loop, could there also be a line-input loop that passes a raw signal but only downconverts when you "engage the recording system" (record thru the 480i system to the HDD or DVD drives)? This is even more possible if you consider the line inputs don't have to send the signal thru a channel "slot" on the tuner!?

I just realized one of my tests might bolster this theory: I was checking digital-channel stability by surfing thru the dig. channels and decided to start the tuner on an external input (E1, USB, etc.). After using the channel up/down button to do my digital surfing, every time I went back to the analog tuner, it was on an analog channel, not any of the external inputs I left the tuner on...it was always on a channel at the low or high end of the analog tuner. This might be an indication that selecting an external input "divorces" the tuner from a channel relationship and it becomes a pure pass thru? Using the channel up/down button might be "remarrying" the tuner to its previously blissful channel relationship???

And they lived happily ever after!

post #2113 of 4792
10/10/07 at 11:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by erzug View Post

Maybe this has been addressed before, but using the same OTA antenna, I've noticed I can get some digital/HD channels via the pass-through (recorder off or TV set to antenna) that I can't with the recorder's tuner and vice-versa. For instance, the recorder gives me nothing but blue screen for my local PBS stations.

Have you tried another Auto Channel Preset scan to see if your channel memory is "up to date" with current OTA conditions?
post #2114 of 4792
10/10/07 at 12:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks11 View Post

FuzzyJCT and wabjxo,

Thanks for your comments. So far the programming has not been lost since I reprogrammed it a week ago. Maybe it was a brief power outage, we'll see.

I was concerned since I received my unit from Amazon and it had a pack date of April, but so far so good. I have not had a problem recording from the digital tuner, nor have I lost the channel programming.

Thanks,

sparks11,

Out of curiosity, are you using your 3575 hooked up to an OTA antenna? Or are you get a QAM signal from your cable provider? I ask because the channel memory problem only seems to affect the QAM side of things. The OTA antenna doesn't experience the problem. So, if you are strictly over the air, then you shouldn't have a problem with losing the channel memory. Fwiw... my original unit also had an April pack date.
post #2115 of 4792
10/10/07 at 12:51pm
Sparks11 is on Cablevision I/O, whatever that is. What I'd like to know is if that's analog or digital cable?
post #2116 of 4792
10/10/07 at 1:47pm
Anybody have the Philips DVDR3545V - DVD recorder/ VCR combo? It's similar to the HDD of this thread, but since I have a Cablevision HD DVR, I figger the HDD is not necessary. I just bought one, when the price dipped to $200, but haven't put it thru its paces yet.

daloosh
post #2117 of 4792
10/10/07 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wabjxo View Post

This is interesting!

Since I would expect an HD tuner to show a better pic than the SD tuner in the 3575, the fact that you see a better HD pic thru the 3575's S-Video input *could* mean the 3575's line inputs pass thru an HD signal, just as it does thru the RF in/out!?

Altho the S-Vid line input is a "position" on the tuner, I'm wondering if those line inputs downconvert the HD signal ONLY to the recording system...i.e., like the RF in/out loop, could there also be a line-input loop that passes a raw signal but only downconverts when you "engage the recording system" (record thru the 480i system to the HDD or DVD drives)? This is even more possible if you consider the line inputs don't have to send the signal thru a channel "slot" on the tuner!?

I just realized one of my tests might bolster this theory: I was checking digital-channel stability by surfing thru the dig. channels and decided to start the tuner on an external input (E1, USB, etc.). After using the channel up/down button to do my digital surfing, every time I went back to the analog tuner, it was on an analog channel, not any of the external inputs I left the tuner on...it was always on a channel at the low or high end of the analog tuner. This might be an indication that selecting an external input "divorces" the tuner from a channel relationship and it becomes a pure pass thru? Using the channel up/down button might be "remarrying" the tuner to its previously blissful channel relationship???

And they lived happily ever after!


Sorry if I misled you. Although the H20's S-video picture is better than the 3575's tuner, the H20's picture (through the 3575's S-video input) is not even close to HD. I have a separate component (HD) connection from the H20 directly to a different TV input. Through that connection an HD broadcast looks like HD (much better than the 3575's tuner or the H20's S-video output).
post #2118 of 4792
10/10/07 at 2:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shk795 View Post

Sorry if I misled you. Although the H20's S-video picture is better than the 3575's tuner, the H20's picture (through the 3575's S-video input) is not even close to HD. I have a separate component (HD) connection from the H20 directly to a different TV input. Through that connection an HD broadcast looks like HD (much better than the 3575's tuner or the H20's S-video output).

No problem...just dreamin'. Forgot that the H20 downconverts the HD to SD to get it thru the analog S-Vid connection! Drats again!
post #2119 of 4792
10/10/07 at 2:21pm
Thanks for your responses with regard to Title change for recorded programs.

My cable provider is Cablevision in New Jersey. I/O refers to their digital offering, so I would think that when connecting my cable to the 3575 I am at least getting some digital channels. I'm not sure if they are all digital though since I can connect directly to my old TV and receive channels as well. I think for sure the HD channels must be digital. I have a Cablevision DVR on my 50" plasma and am using the 3575 connected to my 27" LCD TV.

If I use the internal tuner on the 3575, I can tune channel 2,4,5,7 and others in the analog tuner mode. If I use the digital tuning mode, I can tune these channels on 2.1, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1, etc.

I hope this answers the questions.

Thanks,
post #2120 of 4792
10/10/07 at 2:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks11 View Post

...I think for sure the HD channels must be digital...

Yes. All HD is digital.
post #2121 of 4792
10/10/07 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks11 View Post

My cable provider is Cablevision in New Jersey. I/O refers to their digital offering, so I would think that when connecting my cable to the 3575 I am at least getting some digital channels. I'm not sure if they are all digital though since I can connect directly to my old TV and receive channels as well. I think for sure the HD channels must be digital. I have a Cablevision DVR on my 50" plasma and am using the 3575 connected to my 27" LCD TV.

Curious again...what kind of connections for the DVR > plasma and 3575 > LCD, and how do the DVR and 3575 receive their cable feed?

Also wondering if you're taking advantage of the active RF passthru of the 3575's coax in/out loop?
post #2122 of 4792
10/11/07 at 1:19am
Has anyone had a problem recording to the 3575 from a digital cable box, using audio/video inputs? (Problems as in some sort of copy-protection kicking in, either not allowing the 3575 to record something, or not allowing a transfer from the hard drive to a DVD?)

I'm on the verge of getting one, and would like to know what to expect. (Have been very pleased with my 3455, but that's only using analog cable. No box. With the 3575 I'm going for digital cable.)

Anyone had any problems with copy-protection on cable?
post #2123 of 4792
10/11/07 at 7:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wabjxo View Post

Have you tried another Auto Channel Preset scan to see if your channel memory is "up to date" with current OTA conditions?

Thanks. Will do so tonight.
post #2124 of 4792
10/11/07 at 9:26am
>>what kind of connections for the DVR> plasma

DVR is Scientific Atlantic cable box with DVR built in. I'm using the component out from the DVR to the plasma.


>>3575 > LCD

I'm trying to remember how I did this one. I'm pretty sure I'm using the component out of the 3575 to the LCD.


>>how do the DVR and 3575 receive their
cable feed?

DVR receives the cable directly. On the 3575 I first ran the cable to a splitter, then one side to the cable box and the other to the 3575. Cable box has a component out to the LCD as well. The LCD let's me choose which of the two component inputs I want to watch, cable directly from the box or signal from the 3575.


Also wondering if you're taking advantage of the active RF passthru of the 3575's coax in/out loop?

No, I'm not. When I was setting this whole thing up, I was actually getting myself a little confused and kept experimenting until I found something that worked. Is there any advantage to using the 3575's coax in/out loop?


Hope this is the info you wanted.
post #2125 of 4792
10/11/07 at 9:48am
DVDR3575 Using the RF/Coax Passthru as a Built-in No-Loss Splitter

Note: This info applies to all DVDRs except for VCR/DVD combo units... their RF in/out works differently when the VCR is ON, so better to keep them out of the coax chain to your TV. Also, not all DVDRs have an "active" RF passthru.

With the 3575, you don't need a splitter to get separate incoming signals to other components, including your TV. The 3575 has an active RF passthru thru its ANTENNA IN/OUT loop...as long as the 3575 is plugged in (doesn't have to be on), it's passing thru the incoming cable/ant signal with either NO loss or a slight gain in signal strength.

A splitter has a minimum signal loss of -3.7dB from each output or, if a cheap unbalanced splitter, -3.7dB from one output and -7.4dB from the other. With a strong signal, that loss is not a lot, but every dB counts in some areas and in some systems. String a few splitters together to cover a whole house, esp. those with more than two outputs which have higher -dB loss, then you ARE talking about significant, cumulative signal loss.

Here's where many people don't take advantage of the pass-thru nature of their DVDR's ANT in/out coax loop... one less splitter everywhere you have a DVDR (w/o a VCR).

I've got straight analog cable, no box, with a 3575 and Pio 640 "daisy-chained" (connected together in series) on the incoming coax to the TV. My 3575 is first in the coax chain to take advantage of it active RF passthru.

My Pio 640's RF in/out loop is passive, so no signal boost from it. In fact, a passive loop reduces signal strength a little...less than -1dB, as reported by a testing web site tech.

See this post for more info on the test for active/passive passthru.

EVEN IF all your channels are scrambled, making the 3575 tuner useless, you should still connect the 3575 1st in line for the coax feed since its active passthru will add a little boost to the signal for downstream components.
post #2126 of 4792
10/11/07 at 12:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gastrof View Post

Has anyone had a problem recording to the 3575 from a digital cable box, using audio/video inputs? (Problems as in some sort of copy-protection kicking in, either not allowing the 3575 to record something, or not allowing a transfer from the hard drive to a DVD?)

I'm on the verge of getting one, and would like to know what to expect. (Have been very pleased with my 3455, but that's only using analog cable. No box. With the 3575 I'm going for digital cable.)

Anyone had any problems with copy-protection on cable?

I haven't, but others on the forum seem to have copy problems. It may depend on your location and cable provider. I'm in NYC with TWC, and have sucessfully recorded (and dubbed) from most of the premium channels. I have an HD STB connected via composite cables to my 3537, and component cables from the 3575 to the TV. Never seen copy protection...
post #2127 of 4792
10/11/07 at 1:13pm
I did a search and didn't see this question asked...if it has, my apologies.

Does anyone know how to or if it is possible to connect the philips 3575's HDD to your home computer network?

I record shows on the HDD...then connect with my slingbox and am watching the shows remotely (streaming) and the quality is so-so. But, I thought if I could access the HDD files directly I could download the entire recorded programs to my PC and watch it in higher quality.

I live out of the country, so I wouldn't physically be able to burn the shows and pop the DVD into a computer either.

Thanks,
-mark
post #2128 of 4792
10/11/07 at 2:20pm
The idea with Slingbox is that it sends video from a local TV connection over the internet to a remote location, which could even be in another country. The classic use to to see TV from home while traveling.

Unfortunately there's no way to connect the 3575 to a computer network. The only way to transfer video in either direction is by burning to a physical DVD.
post #2129 of 4792
10/11/07 at 4:09pm
wabjxo,

Thanks for the info. The splitter I am using is high quality, and seems to work fine. I'll have to try using the "active" RF passthru. I didn't use it because I wasn't sure I'd be able to record one show while watching something else with the cable box.

Thanks.
post #2130 of 4792
10/12/07 at 5:34am
Hi Everyone,

I received my recorder two days ago. Set it up last night...

Not doing so well from the get go...

When I ran the auto-tune (analog & digital) the unit stops at CH 117 and doesn't go any further...It never completes the tuning...

Any ideas why?

Thanks....
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