| Author |
Message |
Rotes Sapiens
Guest
|
 Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:42 am Post subject:
Re: Panasonic Dvd Recorder |
|
|
On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:19:30 +0100, Humbug <humbug@tofee.net> wrote:
| Quote: | "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said "Daver"
jbrockley@hotmail.com>, "I always pay it extra."
Unfortunately this is one area where cheaper units often leave you wishing
you'd spent the extra.
I bought a Lite-On 5045, which has a 160GB hard drive in addition to the
DVDR capability, both + and -. It seemed like the perfect device,
especially for $300. I rapidly found out otherwise. Not only was the
interface and remote difficult to use, but you couldn't even watch a DVD
if
the HD was recording a TV show. I understand that many HD/DVDR devices
don't have that issue, but they cost considerably more.
My LVW-5045 was fine at first, but then the DVDs started getting a bit
iffy in other drives, to the extent that eventually it was the only
machine which could play its own recordings. The HDD failed a number
of times; erasing everything and/or defragmenting "cured" that a
couple of times, but the last time it just totally failed.
After 7 months it's gone back to eBuyer for a refund.
Now I'm sort of considering a Topfield TF5800PVR which has two DTT
tuners and a HDD, and you can record two programmes simultaneously, or
watch one whilst recording another. It doesn't have a DVD drive, but
the (possibly) big plus is that it has a USB port for transferring
files to/from a computer. I have three PCs with DVD writers which are
much more consistent than the LiteOn was.
|
Are you sure about the USB port? I understood it can only work with
jpeg, mpeg and mp3 gadgets. To my knowledge, it's not a USB port like
the one in a computer.
| Quote: | I'm just not sure about the recording format - it looks like the
Topfield records something other than DVD compliant MPEG, so some kind
of conversion will be necessary. I wonder if VideoReDo can open the
files?
I've heard nothing but good reviews of the Topfield (mainly for
Australians), but looking at the specs, I'm not sure if it is such a
Good Thing.
FTTB I'm slumming it with my trusty old Hauppauge WinTV PVR-350 in No.
2 Desktop ... :-)
|
Sig:
"The cat was once revered as a god. They have never forgotten this" - Anon
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Humbug
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:51 pm Post subject:
Re: Panasonic Dvd Recorder |
|
|
"When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Rotes Sapiens
<rs@redplanet.mars.org.cy>, "I always pay it extra."
| Quote: | On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:19:30 +0100, Humbug <humbug@tofee.net> wrote:
Now I'm sort of considering a Topfield TF5800PVR which has two DTT
tuners and a HDD, and you can record two programmes simultaneously, or
watch one whilst recording another. It doesn't have a DVD drive, but
the (possibly) big plus is that it has a USB port for transferring
files to/from a computer. I have three PCs with DVD writers which are
much more consistent than the LiteOn was.
Are you sure about the USB port? I understood it can only work with
jpeg, mpeg and mp3 gadgets. To my knowledge, it's not a USB port like
the one in a computer.
|
Now that I've taken the plunge and bought one, I can say with
authority that the USB port *can* be used to transfer video files. You
need to have an application called Altair to do it, which is available
from Topfield's website. It isn't mentioned in the manual ...
| Quote: | I'm just not sure about the recording format - it looks like the
Topfield records something other than DVD compliant MPEG, so some kind
of conversion will be necessary. I wonder if VideoReDo can open the
files?
|
I can also say with authority that VideoReDo *can't* open the files.
The recordings made on the Topfield are transport stream [1] files,
which VideoReDo recognises, but tells you straight away that it can't
open them because it needs programme stream files.
The only application I've found to convert them so far is ProjectX,
which runs on Java and is not particularly intuitive - but it works!
I've just authored my first DVD of a programme recorded on the
Topfield :-)
[1] I am encouraged by this, as it seems that the Topfield records the
transport stream off-air without any processing.
--
Humbug |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Humbug
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Oct 08, 2005 8:32 pm Post subject:
Re: Panasonic Dvd Recorder |
|
|
"When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humbug
<humbug@tofee.net>, "I always pay it extra."
| Quote: | You
need to have an application called Altair to do it, which is available
from Topfield's website. It isn't mentioned in the manual ...
|
I have maligned them ... it *is* mentioned near the bottom of page 55
:-)
| Quote: | I can also say with authority that VideoReDo *can't* open the files.
The recordings made on the Topfield are transport stream [1] files,
which VideoReDo recognises, but tells you straight away that it can't
open them because it needs programme stream files.
|
That's also wrong - I've found that *sometimes* VideoReDo will open
them without a murmur, and sometimes it prompts me to use QuickStream
Fix, which can be found in the Tools menu - and it works!
--
Humbug |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in