Dvd Video Recorder With Hard Drive

[loong]

Hi

Sometimes, I like to watch a bit of TV, but often program timing is not convenient.

Also drives me mad, when watching a show and is interrupted every 5 minutes to show the same, repetitive trailers. (UBC series, much better idea, 40 minutes of uninterrupted program and then 20 minutes to do something else.)

Anyway, I want to buy a video recorder and would welcome suggestions or comments re the following

VHS video tape - days are numbered, very much old hat.

DVD recorder with hard drive - I fancy getting one of these, but have not seen any in Thailand for sale.

Has anyone bought one, or know anything about them and availability in Thailand, cost?

I can buy one in UK for less than £300 (22,000 Baht), but is only supposed to play region 2 pre-recorded DVDs. Not really too much of an issue, will not be buying DVDs, besides, I understand they can be unlocked and most DVDs will be pirates anyway.

If I buy in UK, any likely problems with Thai customs? You are only allowed 10,000 Baht personal possesions. If stopped, what would the import tax be?

Thanks for any advice.

I am posting this in General topics and the computer forum as not sure where I will get the best advice.

[Firefoxx]

You need to keep in mind that recording UBC is a bit harder than recording normal TV. With UBC, you need the decoder box to choose the channel, and you need to leave it on at that particular channel.

Another option may be to use your PC to record. A TV tuner or AV in/out card isn't that expensive.

[loong]

You need to keep in mind that recording UBC is a bit harder than recording normal TV.  With UBC, you need the decoder box to choose the channel, and you need to leave it on at that particular channel.

Another option may be to use your PC to record.  A TV tuner or AV in/out card isn't that expensive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, but I'm afraid I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to computers.

What is involved with recording TV onto computer. Can you then transfer onto DVD if you have a writer, or to CD in VCD format? Is it possible to add a remote control?

The unit I have looked at in UK apparently can also synchronise with satellite set top box and will change the channel. How this works, no idea and I don't know if it would be compatible with UBC box.

Edited I put in BBC instead of UBC

Edited July 30, 2005 by loong

[Nordlys]

If I buy in UK, any likely problems with Thai customs? You are only allowed 10,000 Baht personal possesions. If stopped, what would the import tax be?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heard the import duty on AV appliance is 30% (of CIF). Plus VAT on import duty + CIF.

[Firefoxx]

You would need to check on the compatibility (with the set top box) as not all boxes are created the same. If it can actually do the channel switching, it would be nice. Don't worry about the duty, there's very little chance you'll be charged, or even searched.

Most computer TV tuners come with a remote, and a lot of the recording programs will record to mpeg/mpeg2, which can be written as DVDs/VCDs (once authored).

[Guest endure]

You won't be able to record 'off-air' programmes using the DVD tuner as Thailand uses a diferent version of PAL to the UK. I originally got a cheapo from from Richer Sounds. It turned out to be crap so I swapped it for a Panasonic (multi-region) which is the mutt's nuts.

[ZZZ]

I have used a Samsung DVD/HDD for the last 3-4 years. The price when I it bought was Bath 32,000 (Emporium, Bangkok) but think it will be much lower now.

Unfortunately the DVD is only for playback, with the newer units you can dump what you have on the hard disk to a DVD which would be nice if you want to keep something.

The hard disk recording works fine, about 12 hrs recording. The problem, as stated above is that you have to leave the sat decoder box on the channel you want to record.

The great thing with hard disk recording is that whatever you are watching live is buffered on the drive (can set to 30min to 2 hrs). This means that if you get interrupted you just press the pause button. You can also do your own instant replay and slow motion.

Another option is a portable unit like the Archos, http:// www.archos.com. This unit works like the bigger unit but it also has a small IR transmitter that you mount near the sat decoder. The unit will then change sat channels as per your programming of the unit.

Being a portable unit, half the size of a paperback, obviously brings a lot of other possibilities. Cost about Bath 35,000 in Bangkok for the 80Gb model.

[Firefoxx]

Actually, with the sat UBC system, the output is fed through composite or S-video, which is simply PAL (not PAL-B, PAL-I, etc). So if the DVD recording unit can indeed control the channel of the sat set-top box, there won't be any incompatibility issues. Only TV signals (which are PAL-something) will have problems.