I need to buy a DVD recorder and will want to edit the file I record. Is there a particular feature I need to have or to avoid?

I'm sorry, but your OP is not very clear.

The term "DVD recorder" refers to a many kinds of devices.

Are you talking about a camcorder?

Is the file a data file or audio/video file?

Are you wanting to author a DVD movie?

Do you mean digital video recorder (DVR)? This type of DVD recorder records to a hard drive and has DVD authoring software with limited features.

Once you write to a DVD, it cannot be changed. DVD-RWs can be erased and be re-recorded.

Please explain some more as what you want to try to do.

To record tv programmes off of one of the few things worse tha UBC?True... Thai tv. I have my reasons, please don't mock.

This is not about computers, but if I can then put the file onto my pc to edit I'd be very heppy.

To clarify, a dvd recorder that plugs into the tv, to record tv.

dont gat a DVD recorder, you get tomany problums with them ,laser not read ,over heat, in england i had many makes all trubble, same in thailand try to get repaired here, give up ,mine spent somuch time in shop,, iv gone over to mutimeda player/recorder HD ,all ok so far

To record tv programmes off of one of the few things worse tha UBC?True... Thai tv. I have my reasons, please don't mock.

This is not about computers, but if I can then put the file onto my pc to edit I'd be very heppy.

To clarify, a dvd recorder that plugs into the tv, to record tv.

You really don't want a DVD recorder.

As mentioned above, it is not as reliable as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) recorder, PVR (Personal Video Recorder), or DVR (Digital Video Recorder). All of these names are referring to a device that connects to a TV to record the program to a Hard Disk Drive.

A DVD recorder has a very limited amount of recording time and not as many features.

Read this article for more information about DVRs:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/dvr.htm

As the OP mentioned this thread is not about computers, it should be move to the Home Theater Forum for better responses.

I have a Dreambox 7020S as my satellite receiver.

It has an internal hard disk and is networked (LAN)

to my PC in the house.

A simple interface allows me to transfer files from the DB to the PC

and VideoRedo allow me quick and simple editing.

My daughter's going to be on tv and I want a record of it. i don't want to spend more than I need to record the crap that is on UBC and Thai tv. How much are these HDD things?

Or a DVR thing. I like the sound of them.