Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
Is there an NTSC DVD player out there that will do what I need?
What I want is pretty much what anyone else would want.
Yet I can't find a DVD player that does these five common things
- Plays DVD movies & VHS tapes (NTSC)
- Records TV/Cable signal to DVD or VHS (tuner input)
- Records from home VHS to DVD (very important)
- Plays MP3s stored on DVDs (very important)
- Plays AVIs stored on DVDs (important)
After doing as much research as I could, I bought, from Costco, the Sony
RDR-VX525 DVD Recorder VCR unit, which was close, but it failed miserably
on the following two items
- It does not have a tuner input
- It does not play AVIs
I can work around both issues by buying a separate tuner and by llaborously
converting AVIs to DVD - but really - I must ask if there is already a
DVD/VCR recorder/player which performs the five extremely common needs:
1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes
2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS
3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs
4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data
5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data
Can anyone recommend a DVD/VHS recorder/player which does these 5 things?
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most commontasks?
janet wrote:
[...snip]
> I can work around both issues by buying a separate tuner and by llaborously
> converting AVIs to DVD - but really - I must ask if there is already a
> DVD/VCR recorder/player which performs the five extremely common needs:
> 1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes
> 2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS
> 3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs
> 4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data
> 5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data
>
> Can anyone recommend a DVD/VHS recorder/player which does these 5 things?
There are more and more available that can do all except #5. That may be
your stumbling point. Several of the Panasonic DMR-EZxxx series have the
ACCUTUNE tuner which is NTSC/ATSC capable. See: http://tinyurl.com/yo43ak
As far as I know, none of the above support AVI playback.
There are many more manufacturers that offer NTSC/ATSC tuners in their
CVD/VCR combo units. Sony makes two models with NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners:
The RDR-VXD655 and RDR-VXD455. Again, AVI support is not mentioned. http://tinyurl.com/3bnwyw
Most manufacturers offer models that support all but your #5. Is FOUR
out of FIVE OK?
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
> There are more and more available that can do all except #5. That may be
> your stumbling point. Several of the Panasonic DMR-EZxxx series have the
> ACCUTUNE tuner which is NTSC/ATSC capable. See: http://tinyurl.com/yo43ak
>
My Panasonic dmr-ez47v will play mp3s from a cd but not from a
dvd...........I was po'd.
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:22:05 -0800, UCLAN wrote:
>> 1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes
>> 2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS
>> 3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs
>> 4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data
>> 5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data
>>
>> Can anyone recommend a DVD/VHS recorder/player which does these 5 things?
> Most manufacturers offer models that support all but your #5. Is FOUR
> out of FIVE OK?
Four out of five is going to have to be OK, if we can't find 5 of 5.
The two hardest things to find in a DVD/VHS player/burner playing MP3s &
AVIs on DVD media, mostly playing AVIs.
I'm hoping someone, anyone, out there knows of a DVD/VHS player/recorder
that does play both MP3s and AVIs from DVD media.
Is there a good reason why these two common features (for a PC anyway) are
so hard to find in a good DVD/VHS player/burner?
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most commontasks?
janet wrote:
>>>1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes
>>>2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS
>>>3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs
>>>4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data
>>>5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data
>>>
>>>Can anyone recommend a DVD/VHS recorder/player which does these 5 things?
>>
>>Most manufacturers offer models that support all but your #5. Is FOUR
>>out of FIVE OK?
>
> Four out of five is going to have to be OK, if we can't find 5 of 5.
>
> The two hardest things to find in a DVD/VHS player/burner playing MP3s &
> AVIs on DVD media, mostly playing AVIs.
>
> I'm hoping someone, anyone, out there knows of a DVD/VHS player/recorder
> that does play both MP3s and AVIs from DVD media.
>
> Is there a good reason why these two common features (for a PC anyway) are
> so hard to find in a good DVD/VHS player/burner?
It could be that DVD/VCR combo recorders are considered home theater or at
least home entertainment equipment. AVI isn't really considered a home theater
or home entertainment format. You might have better luck with stand alone DVD
players, I don't know.
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:19:26 -0800, UCLAN wrote:
> Hmmm...looks like the key is to have it Divx Home Theater Certified, whatever
> that means. Dunno.
I looked it up but I'm confused too. I think Divx is just another name for
AVI files so I think you are right - that's what I need to look for.
> Your best bet is to contact each manufacturer individually and ask them if
> they have any DVD recorder/VCR combo units that support AVI.
I called Panasonic who said I should try to find the Panasonic DMR-EZ475V
which apparently does the following
1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes (check)
2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS (check, with a digital tuner)
3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs (check)
4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data (plays MP3s but only on CD media)
5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data (it says it's DivX certified)
So, I think we have a winner IF "DivX certified" means the same thing as
"plays AVIs".
Does anyone know if this Panasonic is the solution for the five common
needs?
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
janet <janl_d@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:19:26 -0800, UCLAN wrote:
>> Hmmm...looks like the key is to have it Divx Home Theater Certified, whatever
>> that means. Dunno.
>
> I looked it up but I'm confused too. I think Divx is just another name for
> AVI files so I think you are right - that's what I need to look for.
>
>> Your best bet is to contact each manufacturer individually and ask them if
>> they have any DVD recorder/VCR combo units that support AVI.
>
> I called Panasonic who said I should try to find the Panasonic DMR-EZ475V
> which apparently does the following
> 1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes (check)
> 2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS (check, with a digital tuner)
> 3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs (check)
> 4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data (plays MP3s but only on CD media)
> 5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data (it says it's DivX certified)
>
> So, I think we have a winner IF "DivX certified" means the same thing as
> "plays AVIs".
>
> Does anyone know if this Panasonic is the solution for the five common
> needs?
Yes the Panasonic does play .avi files. Burn them to a DVD as a data disk.
That is, simply as a collection of files.
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
"janet" <janl_d@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:y9R9j.127$El5.107@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net. ..
> On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:19:26 -0800, UCLAN wrote:
>> Hmmm...looks like the key is to have it Divx Home Theater Certified,
>> whatever
>> that means. Dunno.
>
> I looked it up but I'm confused too. I think Divx is just another name for
> AVI files so I think you are right - that's what I need to look for.
>
>> Your best bet is to contact each manufacturer individually and ask them
>> if
>> they have any DVD recorder/VCR combo units that support AVI.
>
> I called Panasonic who said I should try to find the Panasonic DMR-EZ475V
> which apparently does the following
> 1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes (check)
> 2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS (check, with a digital tuner)
> 3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs (check)
> 4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data (plays MP3s but only on CD
> media)
> 5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data (it says it's DivX certified)
>
> So, I think we have a winner IF "DivX certified" means the same thing as
> "plays AVIs".
>
> Does anyone know if this Panasonic is the solution for the five common
> needs?
Sounds right. I use a Philips machine myself with similar specs to the
panasonic. Divx format is an AVI file but not all AVI files are divx. So you
might find some avi files that won't play.
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
On Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:50:27 -0800, janet <janl_d@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
>On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:19:26 -0800, UCLAN wrote:
>> Hmmm...looks like the key is to have it Divx Home Theater Certified, whatever
>> that means. Dunno.
>
>I looked it up but I'm confused too. I think Divx is just another name for
>AVI files so I think you are right - that's what I need to look for.
>
>> Your best bet is to contact each manufacturer individually and ask them if
>> they have any DVD recorder/VCR combo units that support AVI.
>
>I called Panasonic who said I should try to find the Panasonic DMR-EZ475V
>which apparently does the following
>1. Plays DVD movies and VHS tapes (check)
>2. Records TV/Cable input to DVD or VHS (check, with a digital tuner)
>3. Records from home VHS tapes to DVD discs (check)
>4. Plays MP3s stored on DVD discs as data (plays MP3s but only on CD media)
>5. Plays AVIs stored on DVD discs as data (it says it's DivX certified)
>
>So, I think we have a winner IF "DivX certified" means the same thing as
>"plays AVIs".
>
>Does anyone know if this Panasonic is the solution for the five common
>needs?
Panasonic is always my first choice in electronic equipment. Their
products are consistently top rated by Consumer's Reports.
That said, don't confuse DivX with other AVI files that are created
with other codecs. "DivX Certified" does not necessarily mean it will
play XviD, for example, and it certainly would not play some of the
older AVI files that were created before DivX became a standard.
If you are assembling these AVI files on your computer, you could use
a free utility to check for DivX compatibility before burning them to
a DVD. Any that don't comply could be converted, if you want.
Re: Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks?
On Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:08:32 GMT, root wrote:
> Yes the Panasonic does play .avi files.
> Burn them to a DVD as a data disk.
OK. I burned two 2GB AVIs onto a DVD disk as data and then bought the
Panasonic DMR-EZ475V (Costco item #200475) for $279 USD + California tax
The Panasonic DMR-EZ475 had a lot of features (digital tuner, plays DivX on
DVD media, plays MP3 on CDROM media, burns VHS & SD to DVD, etc.).
Interestingly, the Panasonic DMR-EZ475 played downloaded movie AVIs but it
did NOT play my camera AVIs. Huh? What's the difference? Isn't an AVI and
AVI?
Maybe not.
Is there a difference between digital-camera AVIs and movie AVIs?
If so, is there a way to convert digital-camera AVIs to movie AVIs?
Is there a program that will tell me before-the-fact which AVIs will play
in a DivX-certified player versus those AVIs which will not play in a
DivX-certified player?
Is there a DVD/VCR player/recorder which does the 5 most common tasks? 
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