A
recorder's storage capacity varies in actual usage. DVD
recorders store content at different compression settings and thus at
different quality levels. For the best image quality, you have to
record programming at the device's lowest compression, yielding as
little as one hour of recording. To get the maximum capacity
advertised'Äîtypically six or eight hours'Äîyou have to use the
highest level of compression, which gives the lowest quality.
All
rewriteable DVD formats let you edit, to varying extents, what you've
recorded. DVD-RW in VR mode and DVD-RAM recorders let you edit more
extensively than DVD+RW or DVD-RW in video mode. Besides letting you
watch one program while recording another, recorders with DVD-RAM
capability and some with DVD-RW in VR mode let you watch an earlier
section of a program while you're still recording it.
As
with VCRs, DVD recorders might use VCR Plus to ease the setup
of time-shift recordings. Some also come with TV Guide On-Screen,
a free interactive program guide that gets several days of listings
at a time from your broadcast TV signal and many cable services. It
offers point-and-click setup of recording events.
In
addition to commercial DVD titles, DVD recorders often support
playback or display of many other disc formats. They include CD-R/RW
discs containing standard CD-audio information; the recordable DVD
formats DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, and DVD-RAM; Video CD (VCD); and
DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD). They can also play CD-R/RW discs
containing MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) files and JPEG picture
files. Make sure a model you're considering plays the discs and
formats you use now or might want to use in the future.
DVD-based
movies often come in various formats. Aspect-ratio control
lets you choose between the 4:3 viewing format of conventional TVs (4
inches wide for every 3 inches high) and the 16:9 ratio of newer,
wide-screen sets.
A
DVD recorder gives you all sorts of control over the picture'Äîcontrol
you may never have known you needed. Picture zoom lets you
zoom in on a specific frame. Black-level adjustment brings out
the detail in dark parts of the screen image. If you've ever wanted
to see certain action scenes from different angles, multiangle
capability gives you that opportunity. Note that this feature and
some others work only with certain discs.
A
DVD recorder, like a DVD player, enables you to navigate the disc in
a number of ways. Unlike a VHS tape, most DVDs are sectioned. Chapter
preview lets you scan the opening seconds of each section or
chapter until you find what you want. A related feature, chapter
gallery, shows thumbnails of section or chapter opening scenes.
Go-to by time lets you enter how many hours and minutes into
the disc you'd like to skip to. Marker functions allow easy
indexing of specific sections.
HOW
TO CHOOSE
Decide
whether you want to record on removable media. DVD recording is
the best option for those who want to share video recordings with
other users or those who want unlimited storage, allowing recordings
to be saved indefinitely. They're also space efficient, since they
can replace a separate DVD player. But if none of these attributes is
important to you, consider a hard-drive-based DVR instead. If you've
decided on DVD recording, here's what you should consider in
selecting a unit:
Choose
between a DVD-only recorder or a combo unit. DVD-only models can
cost about half the price of units with a second recording platform
such as a hard drive or VCR. The combos are pricier and bulkier but
more versatile.
Look
for time slip capability. It allows you to pause your
viewing of a TV program you're recording while the unit continues
to record. You can resume viewing where you left off. Time-slip
models also let you view a previously recorded program while
recording another. A feature of all hard-drive-equipped recorders,
time slip is also available on most stand-alone DVD recorders that
record to DVD-RAM discs, one of five disc types recorders use. (All
models use at least one write-once and one rewriteable disc type; DVD-RAM
discs are rewriteable.) However, DVD-RAM discs can be played on fewer recorders
or players than discs using formats that are more widely compatible.
Some models that record to DVD-RW discs in VR mode also have
time-slip capability.
Decide
what kind of TV-programming capabilities you want. When it comes
to programmed recording, a typical DVD recorder can do everything a
VCR can. And as with VCRs, some DVD recorders can control a cable or
satellite box, allowing you to program the unit to record from
various channels without setting the box to the correct channel
before each recording. DVD/hard-drive recorders designed to work with
TiVo, the subscription programming service, also offer automatic
recording of your favorite shows (or performers) whenever or wherever
they're on. But that added functionality has a cost: a monthly fee
of about $13 (longer terms may be available). TV Guide On-Screen is a
free interactive program guide available on some models that works
with broadcast TV and many cable services. While not as versatile as
the TiVo programming guide, it does offer point-and-click recording
ability.
Weigh
the importance of video editing. A DVD-only model that records to
DVD-RAM discs or to DVD-RW discs in VR mode allows scenes to be
subdivided and rearranged onscreen. But the discs aren't compatible
with all players, and even if they do play, edits you make on those
discs might not show up. DVD/hard-drive models, except for tested
models allied with the TiVo service, give you the ability to edit
video on the hard drive. You can then burn images to a range of disc
types for maximum compatibility with other players.
Copyright © 2003-2007
Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
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