| |
| |
|
Hardware Information |
|
|
|
DVD Recorders: Getting Started
IMO, these sd work 'like a VCR' as far as recording and playback. There are models w/ harddrives, VHS players, etc. built in, but to me that's overboard. Bells and Whistles The VHS option is not bad, but you most likely already have one you can plug into the inputs of the DVD recorder. I have a DVD recorder for archiving TiVo shows as opposed to accessing my TiVo from my PC. This is nice because it means I can also archive VHS tapes, camcorder tapes, etc. w/no extra work. I do have a TV card in my PC so I can do this, but using the DVD recorder is easier. My motto is: buy what you WILL use and not what you CAN use. I've bought lots of things that CAN do a lot, but in reality I don't use all the extra features. Not in all cases, but in this case, I say pass on the bells and whistles. Again, there are models w/ all types of features, but if you buy one that is a DVR, DVD recorder, VCR, TV tuner all in one and one part breaks, it's all broke. Realize Something About Technology Remember - this is new technology and will only get better and cheaper. If you buy the top of the line today, it's going to be out of date and/or cheap tomorrow. Test the waters w/ a 'good' model and upgrade when the time is right. Editing Your Recordings Chances are - you won't. It's a pain for the most part and usually requires DVD-RAM or DVD-RW discs to do it and they're more expensive. If you have a lot of free time for this, you're a rare person. I was looking for this type of solution in getting ready for having a baby and I knew I wasn't going to be sifting through and editing hours of video. If you're really interested in editing, look in to PC options. Pinnacle, ArcSoft, Adobe, etc. - they have good solutions for that. DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW DVD+R and DVD-R are like VHS and Beta: they're both ok right now, but eventually we'll probably land on one or the other. It seems to be leaning towards DVD-R which tend to be less expensive also. Many recorders and players do both, but cost more. I say save some money, pick one (probably DVD-R) and move on. If you pick the wrong one, chances are in a couple years you'll be buying a new one anyway. Moreover, you'll probably be able to get a cheap one w/ a built in converter or two trays to duplicate one to the other. DVD-RAM and DVD-RW are the rewritable types. They're more expensive and for my purposes aren't worth worrying about. My Recommendation I got the Panasonic DMR-E55K: It records to DVD-R like a VCR. I don't use it to record live TV so I don't use VCR+, but it has it. Also, it has TimeSlip which lets you watch something while it's recording (start recording "24" at 8pm and start watching it from the begining at 8:20 to speed thru commercials like a TiVo). Again, I don't use this, but it has it. Plain and simple, it records my TiVo, camcorder, digital camera (RCA cable output), VCR, etc. to DVD - that's what I want it to do and that's what it does. It's easy, creates a good menu w/ thumbnails and my chosen titles, it's a name brand w/ good reviews and was fairly cheap (there was a rebate at the time). Also, it plays CDs and mp3 CDs w/ a good interface so not only does it replace a CD player, but since you can put so many songs on one CD, it replaces a CD changer. An interesting trick: If you have a digital camera w/ RCA cable output, you can hook it directly into the dvd recorder and create a quick slide-show dvd. Many cameras even have a slide show function built in! You can use the sound from a music channel, CD, etc. Summary If you're going gung-ho into all the nitty gritty about DVD recorders, you're either just starting here or haven't bothered to read this far. If you're looking for a good, relatively cheap solution to digitize your tapes, archive TiVo, etc., I recommend the Panasonic DMR-E55K. Bear Cahill is a software engineer in the Dallas, TX area and runs a few websites: The Armchair Geek (thearmchairgeek.com), Webpage Hosting Info (webpagehostinginfo.com), Go To College Online (gotocollegeonline.com) and The Video Exchange Community (videoexchange.org) Publish freely if this resource box is included and links maintained as links.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Where does technology come from? Ever wonder where all the cool gadgets come from? Ever wonder who gets to try this stuff out first? Usually the war machine scientists get it first, try it out and find an application by using it for destruction; an obvious outlet for the human species and our desire to blow things up. It then moves into the private sector for important projects like, Microwave Ovens, Nuclear Energy, aviation space travel, telecommunications, Internet (which of course Al gore created first?), even Hummers, the ultimate SUV was created to cruise troops around in, Helicopters, hydrofoils, you name it man it came from military first. Ten Tips to Safeguard Your Laptops The following is a list of tips to help safeguard your laptop while traveling or conducting business.1. All In One Printers - Home Office Workhorses All in one printers, also known as multifunction printers (MFPs), are printers that also can copy, scan, and in some cases, fax. These machines perform all of these functions, generally using a single set of ink cartridges for both printing and copying. 10 Solid Reasons To Make Your Next PC A Notebook Notebook computers are becoming very popular. They seem to be popping up everywhere: on tv shows, on airplanes,in movies, or in your friend's lap. RAID Disk Recovery RAID is short for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, a category of disk drives that employ two or more drives in combination for fault tolerance and performance. RAID disk drives are used frequently on servers and increasingly being employed on personal computers. Buying / Selecting Computer Components This is the step takes the most time and consideration. Which parts do I buy? Which are best?There are many good places to buy computer parts. Ink Cartridges - A Humble Beginning Computers and their accompanying printers were huge years ago. In the past toner reservoirs and toner cartridges were used instead of ink cartridges like those used now. Recordable DVD Formats Explained Picking your way through the ton of information available on recordable DVD formats can be a nightmare. To help you out, we've done our best to distill it into this summary. The Merging of Humans and Computers Soon the human brain will be completely interfaced with the computer. The benefit to mankind will be truly significant. Getting The Proper Laptop Screen Size Are you sick of viewing everything on that small screen that your current notebook comes with? Do you want your next laptop to have screen size that you are more comfortable with? Well read on.In this article we will take a look at all the common screen sizes found on the many various laptops currently in existence, as well as which ones may be best for you and why. Flash Your ATI Video Cards BIOS Flash your ATI video card BIOS.You will need the following:1. Laptop Computers Instigate Classroom Revolution! Have you noticed that laptop computers are beginning to dictate what happens in the classroom? Additionally, mobile technology is changing where learning takes place. This is especially true as laptops are entering the educational arena in ever increasing numbers. Getting to Know Inkjet Printers Inkjet printers were born in the 1980s, replacing the popular dot matrix printer. Inkjet printers drop droplets of ink onto printer paper to produce text and images. Security Risks and Ways to Decrease Vulnerabilities in a 802.11b Wireless Environment IntroductionThis document explains topics relating to wireless networks. The main topics discussed include, what type of vulnerabilities exist today in 802. How To Buy A Printer That Won't Break The Bank OK I confess I've bought at least 10 inkjet printers in the last 5 years and finally found one that I really like. I'm not going to mention the brand here but I will tell you what the must have features are for me. Using System Restore to Save Yourself from Formatting Your Hard Drive It is the most annoying thing when one day you use your computer and nothing seems to work fine. Program freezes, files get corrupted or internet doesn't work. Used Laptop Computer: Your Quick Purchase Inspection Guide - Part 3 Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you sift through the mass of available used laptop computers to narrow your search down to the right laptop for you? This is the third part of a series of articles designed to give you a few suggestions for your next purchase. Motherboard Basics A recent Tech Tip covered the basics of selecting a computer case and made mention of the various sizes that correspond to motherboards of different form factors. A few people wrote in expressing interest in understanding more about the basics of motherboards, and that's exactly what this Tech Tip intends to address. War of the Disks: A Close-in Analysis of the Hard Disk Drive vs. the Solid State Disk Much has been written about solid state disks (SSDs) becoming the next big thing1 in the IT industry(1). But as to whether or not we have enough knowledge of how it will revolutionize the industry is a different question. JunxionBox -- WiFi Access Everywhere Now you can more easily access the Internet wherever mobile phone carriers offer high-speed data service coverage.The JunxionBox enables multiple computing devices with Ethernet or Wi-Fi (like laptops, desktops, handhelds and remote computers) to connect with the web through your mobile phone service provider's wireless PC Card modem.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
