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DVD recorders
Not high-def yet, but they still have a lot to offer
CR BEST BUY The Panasonic DMR-EZ17 offers fine DVD recording and playback for $180.
DVD recorder gives you a whole lot of bang for the buck. It's easy to use, offers better recording quality than a VCR, and
allows random access to sections of a disc. It can replace a DVD player, and many incorporate VCRs. Some fine models, including
two CR Best Buys, cost under $200.
But there's a hitch: DVD recorders remain standard-definition in a world that's increasingly high-def. While everyone waits for the HD recorders expected soon, fewer standard-def models are being introduced. Several companies, including Pioneer, no longer make DVD recorders.
Your best bet for recording HD programs now is to lease a hard-drive digital video recorder (DVR) from a cable or satellite company. Buying a high-def TiVo DVR is another option. If you don't mind a more complicated process, buy a computer with a Blu-ray or HD DVD burner.
Even if you don't want to record HD, you might still want to consider a DVR--a standard-def model. Whether standard- or high-def, a DVR offers pluses no DVD recorders can match. It integrates with your TV service and program guide and allows flexible scheduling. For example, you can automatically record all first-run episodes of a TV series. But capacity is limited, and a DVR can't archive recordings or play DVDs or VHS. Also, it comes with ongoing service fees, typically $5 to $10 a month for cable and satellite DVRs and $8 to $17 for a TiVo. With a DVD recorder, you buy the box and that's it.
But there's a hitch: DVD recorders remain standard-definition in a world that's increasingly high-def. While everyone waits for the HD recorders expected soon, fewer standard-def models are being introduced. Several companies, including Pioneer, no longer make DVD recorders.
Your best bet for recording HD programs now is to lease a hard-drive digital video recorder (DVR) from a cable or satellite company. Buying a high-def TiVo DVR is another option. If you don't mind a more complicated process, buy a computer with a Blu-ray or HD DVD burner.
Even if you don't want to record HD, you might still want to consider a DVR--a standard-def model. Whether standard- or high-def, a DVR offers pluses no DVD recorders can match. It integrates with your TV service and program guide and allows flexible scheduling. For example, you can automatically record all first-run episodes of a TV series. But capacity is limited, and a DVR can't archive recordings or play DVDs or VHS. Also, it comes with ongoing service fees, typically $5 to $10 a month for cable and satellite DVRs and $8 to $17 for a TiVo. With a DVD recorder, you buy the box and that's it.
