Magnavox 537, 535, 533, 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575 - Page 422

I am ready to order Magnavox MDR-513H/F7 320GB DVR and DVD Recorder, along with the Mono price Component (YpbPr) to Composite Converter.I will be pairing these with my Scientific-Atlanta 8300 HD DVR. I want to simplify my life as much as possible. So all I really want to do is run the component cables out from the Scientific-Atlanta to the Mono price component and from their run and S. video cable into the Magnavox. And of course either a digital audio input or two RCA cables for the audio. I will then record my shows on the Scientific-Atlanta and then transfer them to the hard drive on the Magnavox for the purpose of burning the DVDs. I really don't want to hook in line with my cable system or bother trying to set up the timer on it(the Magnavox) to record things. Is this a practical approach?

It'll work, whether its practical depends how much time you have on your hands to waste on redundant dubbing. Its much more "practical" to set the manual timer on the Magnavox to coincide with the shows you've programmed into your PVR grid, and record them from the PVR line outputs simultaneously. This way, the show is recorded to the Magnavox HDD at the same time as your PVR HDD, allowing you to proceed immediately to making a DVD instead of first tediously copying over the recordings a second time from PVR to Magnavox. Prepping the Magnavox HDD recording for burning, and actually burning the DVD, takes some time on its own: adding another stretch to first dub from PVR to Magnavox can be a real drag.

Having both units record simultaneously also offers flexibility. If space is running out on your PVR, you can erase things right away without needing to dub to the Magnavox (because the shows are already backed up on the Magnavox and can sit there until you want to deal with them). For shows you're unsure whether to keep, you can watch them first in full HDTV from the PVR without fear that fast forward or rewind to skip commercials will screw up the Magnavox dub. If you decide to keep the show, you can delete it off the PVR and proceed directly to editing/burning the SD version already waiting for you on the Magnavox. If you decide the show isn't worth keeping, just delete it from both recorders. And so on.

If any one has taken the time to read the HDRW720 reviews or threads, the complainers on them put up such a fuss about how it would not do this for them and not do that for them, that it was the last of it's kind in the Philips/Magnavox/Funai line.

We really need to appreciate 234 and the effort to listen to legitamate and thought out wants/needs that can be helpful to all users instead of the whining and complaining of the past.

I am not getting on anyone's case, but just reminiscing about the evolution of the DVDR. I fell in love with the 720, and hated the 3455. Then I fell in love with the 3455 and hated the 3576. The future is looking a lot brighter with the 515. I for one like list instead of icons. List may include an icon, but I like to see the list formost. With todays technology, there should be ways to handle list. Alphabetical, Time of recording, Backward and forwards, and one day - sublists. All the little things that would speed up my hobby and allow me to do more with the time I do not have in the first place.

I know you aren't meaning to get on anyone's case, but I just wanted to say that the bolded part is exactly what I was trying to do with my suggestion on live chapter marking. Sorry if it came off as a complaint. For me, it is a HUGE time saver. If it isn't deemed important enough by consensus, then so be it. I'm used to living out on that island.

I appreciate immensely the service that 234 is bringing to us end-users.

Controls would be: commands.

Handle would be: the ability of the CEC chip to interpret and carry out the commands.


I am not sure either, but this is what I can put together so far:

1. When the DVDR / BD unit is turned on, it will turn the TV on.
2. When the TV is turned on, it will turn on the DVDR / BD unit.
3. Some controls that the TV remote can do via IR to the unit is sent through the HDMI cable instead of IR. The unit can be out of sight, but still controlled.
4. ???
5. Volume Adjust ??

It may be that in the TV menu itself you can "set" which commands/controls are available. If you cannot "set" or leave "off" a control, then that command is not able to be performed by the TV's CEC chip.

Volume would not be applicable to a DVDR since they have no volume adjustment built in. BD's may, I am not sure. Receivers would.

Wajo, I think this would be called the ability to add chapter marks during live recording (recording that is considered chase play when you hit play during a timed recording). I looked through the main list, and did not see this, unless it is addressed within the wish itself. While you cannot "edit" in chase play, maybe a discreet "flag" button on the remote would help out both in "edit" mode and chase play. Or just allow editing in chase play. Even just the ability to set a flag whenever though, would make it easier to go back and "hide" chapters later.

I'm sure everyone can agree with that statement. My reply to EPlay regarding his "live chapter marking" wish wasn't a criticism of Funai, I was recounting the history of this feature being pulled from the majority of recorders early on despite being extremely handy and popular. There are certain features that once dropped by most mfrs, never return. On-the-fly chapter marking is probably one of them. Recorder mfrs tend to move in the direction of new features and interfaces (if they move at all), not retrofitting old ones, that's all I was getting at. If Funai wants to restore on-the-fly chapter marking in the next Magnavox revision, I'm all for it, and think the positive publicity on forums like AVS would significantly boost sales. When Pioneer dropped this feature in 2005, it was the hottest topic on recorder forums for the next three years. "On-the-fly chapter marking with dedicated remote button" has probably been the most-discussed, most-lamented feature: pent up demand must be huge. So its safe to assume it's potential return on the next Magnavox would be welcomed enthusiastically.

Although personally, my use is similar to wajo's: I timeshift everything, so going into the separate erase section mode to get rid of commercials and create auto-chapter points in the process doesn't bother me. It's subjective: some of us can develop the peculiar mindset required to edit the commercials out of a show before watching it, while others prefer to watch "normally" while marking off commercial breaks for removal afterward. (If it's a show I don't plan to keep, I don't edit it at all: just watch it using the commercial skip button, then erase.)

First wish was covered.

These units do have a 6 hour buffer so wish granted.

What they do not have is a "continuous" buffer. The buffer is cleared whenever there is an interruption in the "stream". This is done now to avoid "crashes". The analog stream was a little more forgiving than the new Digital Stream. This would probably fall under faster processor and more memory wish. This would allow the buffer to be kept in tack longer than it can be now. That is why I fell in love with the 3455. It had a buffer for live/record stream; a buffer for recording to a DVD; and a buffer for doing editing allowing all to be done at the same time. I think this is being slowly worked out. I am not sure if it has properly been discussed. Most people on here have been used to the 3576, 2160, and 515. Which basically does one task (maybe) two at a time.

I am not sure what is involved in scene delete firmware wise, but being able to add your own flag on the fly allows more flexability. It allows the whole section between flags to be "deleted" as a whole. But even those who do not delete commercials; a flag at the end would allow a chapter skip on a DVD to the end of a commercial also. It also could be used to mark the beginning of a scene that does not have a flag. If the flag was attached to a frame instead of just marking between two locations, it may not "drift" as bad in HSD like it does now.

For all my displays I use an AVR as a repeater.

The SA8300 already has composite (and component and HDMI) outputs, so why do you need the component-to-composite adapter? Additionally, if you're using the component output from the SA, all video on the SA >480i will have to be downscaled to 480i. Of course this can be done, but it's an extra step and you'll need to reset it when you're finished.

In fact, I do not know what will they exhibit.
But as I am going to be there, I hope I can meet anybody.

I got my 515 Dec 23rd and set it up Dec 24th. I have, so far, avoided reading the manual as I found it worked perfectly by following the Quick Guide and intuition. I have consulted posts in the Forum for a couple of things, but have used DVR’s in the past and most things are similar in all models. I am very impressed with this machine.

The quality of the HQ recording is amazing -even if you're used to HD. Of course, I have the disadvantage of comparing it to a Panasonic EZ47 series DVR/VCR -which was an unreliable, frustrating, piece of junk from very early on. Hope the 515 holds together. I don’t miss the finicky Panasonic at all. I fought it for several years and it finally decided to commit suicide, so I bought the 515.

I love the Hard Drive -it will save wear and tear on the DVD recorder for programs I record regularly, watch and clean off of the drive. 103 hours of HQ recording is way more than I need.

Example of those programs I keep: I recorded a football game, divided it into 2 segments, transferred each to a DVD-RW disc, then took the video to my computer, reassembled them and put them on a Dual-layer DVD. I collect (Dallas Cowboys) football games and use printable DVD's which are then placed into boxes that have "covers" I make up to look like professionally manufactured DVD's. Wish the 515 recorded to dual layer, but this situation is made more livable by the ability to do high speed dubbing. I have lots of dual-layer discs, but, when they run out, I will buy only single layer and get boxes that hold 2 DVD's.

Only one thing I really don't like, if I go out of the AV outlets of my cable box to the AV in's of the 515, there is a hum which is VERY annoying. I am using higher grade cables, but the hum persists. I use a splitter and run an RF cable to the cable box and another to the 515, but occasionally need to record from scrambled signals. This is when I go from the cable box AV's to the 515's. I haven't disconnected the RF from the DVD-R when recording, so that may be the problem. I intend to research this, but grandchildren visiting from another state have taken up most of my time from Christmas day until yesterday. If that solves it, I will have no complaints about this DVD-R.

I hope this is the beginning of a long friendship.

The problem with many HD STBs and DVRs is that they insist on letterboxing everything out of their SD outputs. Recording a letterboxed signal greatly reduces the picture quality since you need to zoom the picture upon playback(if using a digital TV). Since you're wasting much of the DVD space recording black bars the picture won't be nearly as good as recording a full screen anamorphic signal.
DVRs and STBs do output wide screen over component which is why one would want to use such a converter. Also note most converters will downscale HD or pass 480i on, so you wouldn't really need to keep changing the resolution. I believe one converter only works if feeding it a HD signal(not 480i) so if you're planing on feeding it SD component you better make sure which converter you get.

I feel like an elementaly school child who received a lot of homework from teacher...

I have not read the threads, but I will say that I agree with the sentiment of the 720 being last of it's kind, at least to date. It is the reason that I have not replaced the thing in the 6 years that I have had it. I could not find a suitable replacement. The 515 is by far the closest I have seen.


I am hopeful that the bullet-proof cache of the 720 will show up in a future model. I would personally be willing to pay an upcharge for such a feature. The fact that Funai is listening to their customers is very encouraging!


Thanks! That is definitely easier that going into the Titles menu.

One additional timer feature that I think would be neat would be the ability to set an expiration date for timer recordings, so that if you record a program on a daily basis (like the evening news), you can have it automatically delete after X number of days/weeks/months. This would allow keeping a few days worth available without having to clean them up older recordings that you did not get around to watching.

Ye-s, I also was.
But I am afraid that a lot of homework appears in my nightmare.

S-Video is also there & always active

The new one for $900 must be a really special 3576 as the seller says it can "pause the tape." My 3576 doesn't have that feature. Perhaps that's why mine cost only around $220 when I purchased it back in 2008.

I wonder if they would take an Atari 400 (with the membrane keyboard) in on trade?

You'd think for $900 they could throw in free shipping
And note, they don't want it back....."**NOTE** ALL SALES FINAL, NO REFUNDS. "

The two things on my wish list are #8 and #41 -- dual tuners, and HD recording. Something to do what the CM7000pal DVR does, only better.

I had the same problem exactly five years ago when I picked up a nice second-hand Pioneer recorder around the holidays. I merrily timer-recorded hour after hour of TCM movies to the hard drive, but didn't actually play the recordings for a couple weeks. When I finally checked my recordings of the New Years 2006 Marx Bros movie marathon, I noticed ALL of them had a horrible hum on the soundtrack. After a days troubleshooting, I discovered the hum-causing culprit was my semi-pro Panasonic AG1980 vcr! Sure didn't see that one coming. Apparently the Panasonic semi-pro vcrs have lousy grounding in their three-prong power connection, which feeds back a hum that can be picked up by certain combinations of DVD recorder and cable box. Once I attached a 99 cent three prong to two prong AC plug adapter to break the ground connection of the VCR, the hum in my cable box>DVD recorder connection vanished. Strange but true! And this past weekend, after five years waiting, TCM finally reran the Marx bros. movie marathon so I could get them again!

Most likely your problem is simply an incompatible A/V cable, often the heavy-duty "good" ones put too much stress on the flimsy connection panels of recorders and cable boxes. Try swapping it for a cheap thinner yellow-white-red cord. If changing A/V cords doesn't get rid of your hum issue, try plugging the recorder and cable box into different electric outlets, try plugging them into a Belkin Home Theater Surge Suppressor Strip (available at Home Depot), and try pulling the AC plugs of other gear you may have in the room to see if they are causing a hum kickback thru the house wiring. The Magnavox is unlikely to have defective line inputs, but its possible: rule this out by making a test recording from a VCR, or bring the Magnavox to a friends house to try recording from their cable box.

Good Luck!