Four New DVD Recorders

DVD recorders are suddenly everywhere … but unique features can complicate choosing one

By Joe Paone

You may have heard that the DVD recorder is “the new VCR”; just as you rent DVDs (instead of VHS tapes) and watch them on a DVD player (instead of a VCR), now you can record TV shows and camcorder content to DVD instead of tape.

Sounds simple, but there are big differences between VCRs and DVD recorders circa 2003. Whereas VCRs are such commodities that they’re actually placed near cash registers at grocery stores as impulse buys, DVD recorders remain far from commodity status.

The reasons go far beyond DVD recorders’ relatively hefty price tags. Five DVD recording formats exist, with varying compatibility: DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD+R. There are rewritable DVDs (DVD-RAM/-RW/+RW) and write-once DVDs (DVD-R/+R). There are recorders with TiVo-like hard drives built-in, or certain unique software functions, or front-panel connections for mem-ory cards and camcorders or a combination of these attributes and others. There are so many variables involved in these products that a blind purchase of any ol’ DVD recorder is a mildly risky move. Your DVD recorder will surely record TV shows or camcorder videos, but will it do it in the best way to suit your needs?

Consider what you’d like your DVD recorder to do. Will you be playing your recorded DVDs on other DVD players, and if so, what recordable DVD formats can those players play? (Take stock of the DVD drives you own, find out what formats they play, and buy a DVD recorder accordingly.) Will you be using the recorder primarily to record TV, or to preserve camcorder content? Will the DVD recorder be your primary DVD player, or even your primary content playback machine (audio CDs, MP3s, digital stills, etc.)? The application-aware consumer is better armed to choose the right DVD recorder for his or her particular needs, and believe me, once you get adjusted to the DVD recorder experience, you’ll be a happy consumer.

Numerous recorders are available, with most priced from $449 to $599, some higher, some lower (Best Buy closed out 2002′s entry-level Panasonic recorder for $349 this summer). I tried five recorders, each with unique properties (all progressive scan players). Note that some features described briefly in a particular product’s review may be available in another’s, too. They’re all fine systems; maybe one of these is the best out there for you.

PANASONIC DMR-E60 ($599.95 SRP)

U.S. market leader Panasonic has a full line of four DVD recorders for 2003, each suited to various user needs. This recorder is best for amateur videographers/photographers. Sure, you can record TV shows on it, but if that’s your primary intention, Panasonic’s other models (two of which have TV recording-friendly hard drives) are better choices.

On the inviting front panel, you have virtually everything you’d need to burn DVDs of your precious moments. There’s an SD/MMC memory card slot and a PC card slot (which accepts Compact Flash, Smart Media, Memory Stick, xD picture card and other formats through a PC card adapter). Under a cover there are camcorder connections — a DV (1394/FireWire/iLink) input and composite A/V and S-Video ins. Basic playback control buttons round out the front panel. The back panel features two sets of composite and S-Video ins and outs, component video out, digital optical audio out (to connect to a receiver) and RF in/out.

The DMR-E60 records to the rewritable DVD-RAM and write-once DVD-R formats, and can play back those formats as well as DVD-Video, audio and video CDs, DVD-Audio and MP3 files on CD-R/RW.

Panasonic’s calling card is the wonderful DVD-RAM — for my money, the most editing-friendly, reusable format on the market. Unlike the other rewritables (DVD+RW, DVD-RW), which record linearly (analogous to a VHS tape), DVD-RAMs are random access; with the other formats you must clear a sequential, uninterrupted block of time on the disc (a blank hour for an hour-long program), while with DVD-RAM, all you need is an hour’s worth of space somewhere, anywhere on the disc. In terms of recording strategy, think of DVD-RAM as you would a PC’s hard drive (a removable one); think of DVD-RW and DVD+RW as you would a “digital” VHS tape.

Panasonic offers some compelling features, provided you use DVD-RAM. The only time you should use DVD-R is when you know you’ll want to keep something for posterity, or play a recording back on someone else’s DVD player. The downside of DVD-RAM is that it doesn’t play in many other DVD players. Ideally, you want to put a DVD-RAM in your DVD recorder and forget about it; you can rewrite to it 100,000 times (unlike 1,000 times for DVD-RW/+RW).

DVD-RAM sounds great for general-purpose TV recording, but how does it enhance camcorder videos? For one thing, it takes advantage of features like the DMR-E60′s DV Automatic Recording, which automatically records and creates programs and playlists to DVD-RAM when you connect a digital camcorder to the recorder’s DV input. You can delete scenes or portions of scenes, or use playlists to rearrange scenes in an order you’d prefer. It’s fast, easy and not terribly laborious. Meanwhile, you can use the memory card slots to display digital stills or record them to DVD-RAM.

The software behind all of this is rather user-friendly. The remote and user interface feature time-saving shortcuts that make most operations easy. My favorite is the Direct Navigator button, which provides instant access to all programs on the disc. Want to erase a program? Select it and press the Erase button. The Functions button provides the same sorts of shortcuts to the main applications of the recorder. Want to view JPEGs from a memory card? Press Functions and select that menu function.

As for TV recording, the DMR-E60 is the least compelling choice in the Panasonic line, but it’s certainly capable. During DVD-RAM recording, you can enjoy features such as Chasing Playback (press play while recording and watch from the beginning of the recorded program while live recording continues); simultaneous record and play (watch a program you recorded previously while recording another program); and Time Slip (check if a program is being re-corded correctly, or view previous portions of the recording, by going back to any period of time while the recording continues). You can also watch live TV while recording something else.

My favorite advanced playback feature is the CM Skip button, which skips forward a full minute to bypass commercials. You can mark positions to play again through the Marker button. The Position Memory button allows you to resume play from a memorized position even if the unit is turned off; simply press play to resume.

VCR Plus+ is available to schedule recordings, or you can manually schedule channels and times. The programming function tells you if you can or can’t record something due to disc space or other issues. You can enter program titles, create playlists and edit unwanted content from your TV recordings.

One drawback of the DMR-E60 is that to take a DVD-RAM recording and burn it to a DVD-R to play on other players (or just to save permanently), you would need a second DVD recorder.

You can record up to six hours on a single-sided DVD-RAM/-R disc or 12 hours on a double-sided DVD-RAM disc. Flexible Recording mode automatically fits a new recording to remaining available space on the disc at the best possible quality. Audio can be recorded in Dolby Digital, DTS Digital Surround and, in the highest-quality mode, two-channel LPCM.

SHARP DV-RW2U ($799.95 SRP)

If DVD-RAM is a superior VHS replacement for frequent re-recording (provided you only want to play the disc on the recorder) and DVD-R is excellent both for permanent archiving and playing recordings on most DVD players, think of DVD-RW as straddling the fence. It’s re-recordable, but as Sharp’s recorder allows, it can also be played back on many other DVD players. Unfortunately, to enjoy the most DVD-RAM-like aspects of DVD-RW — rich editing functions, flexible re-recording, erasability — you must use a recording mode that forces you to lose a significant degree of compatibility with other players. Nevertheless, if you want rewritable recording that maintains a level of compatibility with other players, recorders like the Sharp DV-RW2U are for you.

Sharp’s first and, to date, only DVD recorder supports both DVD-R and DVD-RW recording and playback, and also plays back DVD-Video, CD-RW, CD-R, audio CD, Video CD and MP3.

Recording to DVD-RW takes some getting used to. There are two recording formats — VR Mode and Video Mode. VR mode allows repeated recording, erasing, and editing functions, while Video mode offers more limited editing, but allows high compatibility with other DVD players. With Video mode, recording time can only be increased by erasing the last title on the disc, whereas with VR mode you can erase any title on the disc and open up space. Non-erasable DVD-R discs can only use Video mode. You have to decide which format to use on a particular disc; you can’t mix and match modes.

You can create playlists, navigate and rename titles through thumbnails, create chapters, edit, move and add scenes, but again, certain features are only available in DVD-RW VR mode. Using playlists, you can edit recordings without altering the originals.

The DV-RW2U features four recording modes, from one to six hours on a disc. By turning on the Exact Rec function while timer recording, the machine adjusts its recording mode to fit the recording onto the available disc space. Timer recordings are enabled by VCR Plus+ or through manual settings. With DVD-RW, the machine always alerts you if you’re in danger of overwriting something, and asks what you want to do.

The front panel sports DV, composite A/V and S-Video ins beneath a cover. Under another cover are basic playback controls. The back panel finds two sets of composite and S-Video ins, composite and S-Video outs, component out, RF in/out, and an optical digital audio out. There’s a Dolby Digital encoder embedded in the system for both recording and playback, and there’s also DTS output. One interesting feature, Digital Gamma, works on 480i signals to enhance dark and “obscure” portions of images; Digital Super Picture purports to sharpen detail and reduce picture noise. If your TV doesn’t have a good video processor, you might find these features appealing.

The remote is larger than those of the other recorders I reviewed, and loaded with buttons, but doesn’t feature the shortcuts that the Panasonic remote does so well. While Sharp isn’t a major player (à la Panasonic and Philips) in the DVD recorder market yet, this product is certainly functional enough to be a solid purchase. And unlike the other products reviewed, its SRP is not as reflective of its street price (I’ve seen it online for $499). If you seek a basic DVD recorder that’s equally suited to TV and camcorder recording, the DV-RW2U delivers.

RCA DRC8000N ($599 SRP)

Thomson/RCA has some major things going for it in the DVD recorder sweepstakes. Its products traditionally have been heavy on included, enhanced software, and the DRC8000N indeed features a superior user interface and uses the Gemstar GUIDE Plus+ interactive programming guide (the Philips DVDR80, reviewed below, also uses this guide). Think of GUIDE Plus+ as better than VCR Plus+ but not as good as TiVo (the DRC8000N also includes VCR Plus+). RCA wants you to regard the DRC8000N, a DVD+RW/+R recorder, as a TV recording device, albeit without a hard drive. It seeks TV fanatics who want “the new VCR,” without a TiVo subscription.

The DRC8000N plays back DVD+RW/+R, as well as DVD-Video, DVD-R/-RW, DVD-ROM, audio CD, CD-R/-RW, MP3 CD, Video CD and Super Video CD. Included are Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS pass-through, as well as SRS TruSurround.

RCA claims that the same DVD+RW/+R disc can be used in its DVD recorder for video, and then in most DVD-ROM PC drives for data (as well as many DVD players for playback); also, there’s only one re-cording “mode” (unlike VR and Video modes in -RW).

The front panel features basic playback controls and, underneath a cover, composite A/V and S-Video ins, but instead of a DV in, there’s a USB 1.1 input for connecting a flash card reader to view MP3s or digital stills. The back panel features composite A/V and S-Video ins and outs, component video out, a progressive scan switch, coax and optical digital audio outs, G-LINK jacks, and RF in, but not RF out, a curious decision; an included two-way splitter is required to watch one program while recording another. The other recorders simply include RF out and pass through the signal. As for the lack of a DV in for camcorders, RCA claims “the quality difference between S-Video in and DV in is virtually undetectable to the average user.” (But it also requires three cable connections, counting the audio L-R, compared to one with DV.)

GUIDE Plus+ doesn’t work with satellite programming, but it allows the DRC8000N to control a cable box — great news for those who normally can’t use the built-in cable tuners of VCRs and DVD recorders because their cable providers require the use of cable boxes for tuning. This is especially problematic for timer recordings; you have to set the channel on the cable box that you want to record; if you want to record two shows on two different channels while you’re out, you’re in trouble. RCA’s remedy is G-LINK (more generically, an IR blaster) — a cable with a jack at one end and a “wand” at the other. The jack plugs into the recorder. Place the wand near the remote control sensor on the cable box and voilà, you can now set timer recordings and tune them from the recorder.

The main menu screen exemplifies the DRC8000N’s simultaneous adherence to functionality, layout and ease of use. It invites you to watch TV, go to GUIDE Plus+, play a disc, view the disc library, set up timer recordings, access setup menus, and, when you connect a memory card, access photo and music files. Everything you’d want to do is right there.

The remote is the smallest of those I reviewed. Its simple and intuitive design features buttons such as Again, which replays the last 10 seconds of the DVD you’re playing, and Advance, which acts as a commercial skip by fast-forwarding 30 seconds. The Info button reveals the running amount of time left to record; during playback, it provides a top on-screen menu that offers a wealth of shortcuts for easy-to-use functions. Setting up timer recordings manually is easy through a straightforward timer screen, or you can use GUIDE Plus+, which is even easier. Like any programming guide, try GUIDE Plus+ and see if you like it. Its effectiveness may vary depending on your cable service, or your personal preferences.

Beyond titling files and creating chapters for particular discs, you can build a disc library, assigning and sorting by title, genre and date. The library, stored on the recorder, allows you to assign numbers to each disc to which you’ve recorded.

The DRC8000N’s six recording quality modes range up to eight hours, and the SmartRecord feature fits the remaining time on the disc to the best possible quality as the disc fills up.

PHILIPS DVDR75 ($599 SRP / DVDR80 $699 SRP)

Philips, which currently owns much of the market that Panasonic doesn’t, definitely produces the most stylish boxes. That’s in line with the stellar design principles behind Philips’ entire CE line.

Both recorders I received from Philips compare roughly with others we reviewed. While the DVDR75 compares most closely with Sharp’s, the DVDR80 is very similar to RCA’s. But there are significant differences. The Sharp records to DVD-R/-RW, while the Philips DVDR75 records to DVD+R/+RW. And the Philips DVDR80 features RF passthrough and includes a DV input, while the RCA uses an RF splitter and eschews a DV in for a USB in.

Both Philips machines record to DVD+RW and DVD+R; they also play back those formats, as well as DVD Video, DVD-R/-RW, CD, Video CD, Super Video CD, CD-R/-RW and MP3 CD. Both are well-built and well-designed products. The difference between them boils down to the DVDR80′s use of GUIDE Plus+, which makes it superior for TV recording (both also include VCR Plus+). The DVDR80 also features a Disc Manager that indexes and labels all discs to which you’ve recorded. While both offer progressive scan playback, the DVDR80 employs digital noise reduction for “noisy” analog signals, as well as Faroudja DCDi video processing. The DVDR80 can record up to eight hours on a disc, while the DVDR75 can record six hours. And the DVDR80 includes the G-LINK wand for cable box control. All of these features are very similar to the RCA DRC8000N’s, although the DVDR80 made it to market earlier.

Philips employs an icon-heavy user interface that’s extremely light on excess verbiage and isn’t very inviting to a user who hasn’t first read the manual. While the RCA recorder in particular holds your hand through every step with highly explanatory, plain-English menus, the Philips systems don’t reveal their charms until you get comfortable with the icons. Conversely, the Philips systems may seem less intrusive and simpler to use once you get used to the icons.

The DVDR75′s front panel features basic playback controls, and under the cover, S-Video and composite A/V ins and a DV input; the DVR80′s is essentially the same with the addition of a GUIDE Plus+ button. The DVDR75′s back panel sports RF in and out, a set of S-Video and composite A/V ins/outs, component A/V in and out and coax digital audio out; the DVDR80 adds an optical digital audio out and G-LINK out.