[ablang]

Opinions or comments anyone?

http://www.rca.com/content/viewdetai...-CI258,00.html


RCA Scenium Digital Media Recorder: Total Entertainment Package


For the avid TV viewer who hates to miss his or her favorite TV programs, the RCA Scenium Digital Media Recorder (model DRS7000N) is the ideal gift. The DRS7000N is the first Personal Video Recorder with no monthly charges for the guide, and includes a DVD player with cinema and video mode progressive scan and a 40GB hard disk drive that offers up to 30 hours of recording time. Key features include the convenient free GUIDE Plus+ interactive TV Guide that delivers one-touch time shift recording, the ability to pause a live program for up to 45 minutes, 10-second review and the ability to watch one program while recording another.


The DRS7000N also lets consumers store thousands of their favorite digital JPEG photos and mp3 audio files on its hard drive, for use during family gatherings. The DVD player is compatible with DVD, CD, CD-R/RW, mp3, VCD, and DVD+R/RW playback discs. The suggested retail price is $599.

 

[dave2297]

At that price, methinks the program subscription fee is included, and not really free.


Dave W.

 

[ReplayLyndon]

They forget to mention that the guide doesn't work if you have satellite. It's only antenna and cable last time I checked.

 

[elvindeath]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why would they make a unit like this with such a meager hard drive, when 80 GB and up units are so prevelant and cheap ? Is it an availability issue on the production end ? Is it because they anticipate the average consumer is relatively unsophisticated and can't draw the paralell between computer hard drive prices and consumer electronic storage prices ?


I'd really give this a look if it was an 80 hour unit, and there was some info on the potential for storage upgrades.

 

[seekins]

It uses the same "free" guide that the RCA TV's and some PC TV cards use - GemStar's GuidePlus. It's ok. Not amazing, just ok. We have it on our ProScan TV, and it works pretty well for free. You only get a few days of listings (not 2 weeks like we get with the RTV).


I played around with that unit at CC and it was not bad - the MP3 interface was pretty bad, but at least you could play them. Also, the price was pretty high ($599?) - I looked at the RTV, for $100 less (including lifetime subs) - and there was no question. Now - had the the RCA thing been $250, I would have thought hard about it.

 

[jason_j_a]

How does this TV Guide PLus thing work without connecting to the phone line or something? Obviously something is being sent over the cable system, but how does it know what stations are what and such? Anyone have a good technical explanation of what they are doing here?

 

[Roto]

Quote:

Originally posted by dave2297 At that price, methinks the program subscription fee is included, and not really free. Dave W.

The guide service is Guide+ or whatever that service is that is included for free on many TVs. I believe it goes over cable or through the airwaves? Anyway, no dialing in or internet access is involved.


I think they went with the 40 GB drives because of the timing of when they must've been building these units. They announced it quite a while ago. They'll probably make larger capacity units soon enough unless this one is a complete flop. I don't think the price difference is too big if that's the MSRP.

 

[KenL]

A step above a VRC (barely) but still far short of any Replay. Not only does not have listings for satellite, but (as mentioned) guide is only a few days, clunky, and not searchable. Reminds me of the pain of having to navigate DBS guides. Only 14 manual recording events... more like a VCR.


Well I suppose it could replace a TiVo... after all the Scenium does have spam in the guide! I would almost pay a monthly fee (if I had to) just to avoid that.

 

[SuperDave]

Guide plus is horrible, i have 5 channels not shown in guide.

 

[BrettStah]

What exactly does this have to do with Tivo?