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SD DVD Recorders

Last week I called my local Harvey Norman store to enquire about purchasing a SD DVD recorder. I last enquired 6 weeks prior and was told although being older technology they still sold well however last week I was told they had sold their last unit on the 2nd of January and were discontinued by Panasonic, the only brand making them for many years. They have had a good run and although I have expected this it is a shame as they are an easy unit to use and are great for recording Countdown. I was told their are still a handful of units still available in Harvey Norman stores, one in Mt Gambier, 2 in Brusselton and one each in Mackay and Broome as of last week. The Blue Ray units are still available and of course you can still buy second hand units but the SD DVD recorder by Panasonic has come to an end like VHS.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

Interesting, but to my understanding the Blu Ray recorders still record to DVD in standard definition, you can select SP mode so that you can record two Countdowns per DVD. (Any quality mode above SD will not copy to DVD).

Re: SD DVD Recorders

Thanks for this info.

A blu-ray recorder should be able to do SD recording, though? I have a Panasonic one that can record SD TV as SD, anyway. I haven't really used it for digitising VHS tapes, but tried a sample from one once and it came out SD, I am pretty sure. I can change the recording settings on it, including the aspect ratio input from an external device (such as a VCR).

Unless you meant that even blu-ray recorders are on their way out (which wouldn't surprise me). Though last time I looked (a couple of months ago), JB Hi Fi were still selling Panasonic ones.

I do all of my 4:3 recording through an old Pioneer HDD DVD recorder (SD only), using a set top box for recording TV. The current one I use is the third one I've had (of the same model). The second and third recorders I've had I bought second hand on eBay. I've stuck with the same model as I like the features on it - it's much better/easier to use for editing chapters and chapter marks, for example, than the Panasonic blu-ray recorder I use for 16:9 recording.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

Matt73
Interesting, but to my understanding the Blu Ray recorders still record to DVD in standard definition, you can select SP mode so that you can record two Countdowns per DVD. (Any quality mode above SD will not copy to DVD).
This is correct.

I've never actually used my blu-ray recorder to record to a recordable blu-ray disc.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

When selecting SD on a Blu Ray recorder does it also allow you to select from XP, SP and LP modes? I'm thinking it does as you chose SP for recording two countdowns on each disc.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

I've never owned a Blu Ray recorder before so their a bit of a mystery to me. The bloke I spoke to at HN said they don't have AV plugs but that can't be right as you've mentioned plugging in an external device. Someone on here mentioned once that their were issues with setting ratios on them, although a set top box does the job fine the SD recorders I use also have an internal ratio set up for how you want the machine to display itself on TV. I assume from that comment that Blu Ray recorders also have that ration feature but could it be somehow different or less flexible with displaying older content in full screen? I'll have to get myself a Blu Ray recorder but just keen to know how simillar they are to the SD DVD recorder.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

Pioneer is the best. I've had a handful of DVD recorders over the years. The two Panasonics died in the **** as the disc drives stuffed up and cannot play discs. However my Pioneer recorder keeps soldiering on 13 years later. All the stuff i had on the Panasonic hard drives i hook up to the Pioneer recorder to burn on discs.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

Michael
Pioneer is the best. I've had a handful of DVD recorders over the years. The two Panasonics died in the **** as the disc drives stuffed up and cannot play discs. However my Pioneer recorder keeps soldiering on 13 years later. All the stuff i had on the Panasonic hard drives i hook up to the Pioneer recorder to burn on discs.
I've had a few DVD recorders - all panasonic - and none lasted longer then a year or two.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

I'd have to agree with Michael. My Pioneer was awesome. Since moving house about 4 years ago I basically hadn't used it so I recently put it on gumtree for $5 and gave someone a bargain. Checked all its functions before selling it and it still worked fine. I churned out so many discs from that thing. Great machine.

Re: SD DVD Recorders

I have a Panasonic DVD recorder (250gb), owned it since December '09 and it gets used everyday consistently, my son is consistently recording his shows, it also serves as a tuner for our 2006 Pioneer plasma that doesn't have a digital tuner. This DVD recorder has NEVER let us down once. All still works perfectly, except the disc drawer is a little squeaky. I also have the first Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder (500gb), purchased in July '09 - doesn't get used that much as it's in the media room, but is used for recording Countdown onto DVD - and again that unit has been bullet proof and is almost 10 years old. Back then it cost a whopping $1300!!