Help with DVD Recorders

Sony RDR-GX120s

The Sony RDR-GX120s is a great general-purpose dual-format DVD recorder, replacing our former recommendation, the Sony GX210. It supports DVD+RW , DVD+R formats, can be set to record 40 events, uses Smartlink (with supported digital TVs), and has a number of quality settings to squeeze from 1 to 8 hours recording time from a single 4.7Gig DVD.

The GX120 is available for upwards of £140 from Amazon and Currys.
See our Sony GX120 Review for more.

Panasonic DMR-EZ28EB-K DVD Recorder/Freeview

Top quality DVD recorder with built-in Freeview tuner and HDMI upscaler, for better picture.

• DVD Recorder: DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW, +R, +R DL, and +RW.
• Has an HDMI socket for use with High-definition TVs - 1080p upscaling.
• Supports DivX playback.

Output: 2 x SCART , RF loopthrough

Available for £159.99 from Dixons online
Available for £179.99 from Currys
Available for £199.99 from Play.com
Available for £199.99 from Comet

Panasonic DMR-XW380 EBK - DVD and HDD Recorder

Storage: Freeview HD, 250GB Hard Drive

Features: DVD Recorder with Twin Freeview HD tuner, Freeview +, High Speed Archive to DVD, SD transfer, DivX, MP3 and JPEG playback

• £385.90 at Amazon.co.uk
• £393.66 at Laskys
• £393.00 from Dixons
• £479.99 from Play.com
• £449.95 at Comet.co.uk

Panasonic DMR-EX78 DVD Recorder/PVR/Freeview

250Gb HDD Recorder (for up to 441 hours), Freeview Tuner and DVD recorder.

• DVD Recorder: DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL.
• Has an HDMI socket for use with High-definition TVs - 1080p upscaling.
• Supports DivX, MP3 and JPEG compatible.
• USB Flash Drive playback

Output: 2 x SCART , RF loopthrough

Available for £259.99 from Argos (Cat no: 085/1077)

Panasonic DMR-Ex88 DVD Recorder/PVR/Freeview

400Gb HDD Recorder (for up to 700 hours), Freeview Tuner and DVD recorder.

• DVD Recorder: DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL.
• Has an HDMI socket for use with High-definition TVs - 1080p upscaling.
• Supports DivX, MP3 and JPEG compatible.
• USB Flash Drive playback

Output: 2 x SCART , RF loopthrough

Available for £391.29 from Argos (Cat no:085/1084)

Pioneer DVR-540HX-S With PVR and Freeview

160Gb HDD Recorder (for up to 455 hours), Freeview Tuner and DVD recorder.

• Formats: DVD-R / DVD-RW / DVD-R dual-layer , DVD+R / DVD+RW / DVD+R dual-layer , DVD-RAM
• Input: 1 x SCART , RCA , S-Video
• Output: 1 x SCART , RCA , Component Video output , S-Video , Coaxial Digital Audio

Analogue and Freeview digital tuners. Live pause, high-speed copy. MP3 and JPEG compatible.

Available for £315.99 from Amazon.

Sony RDR-GXD310 - With Freeview

Freeview receiver and DVD recorder combined. Supports DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD video, CD, CD video, CD-R, CD-RW and MP3 playback compatibility.
With Dolby digital DTS sound system and D-Matrix noise reduction. Has Intelligent scene chaptering and SmartLink.

Outputs: 2 x SCART, S-Video In/Out, Analogue AV In/out, Digital audio.

Available for £229.99 from Argos (Cat:085/0267)

Sony RDR-GXD360 - With Freeview

Features: Freeview receiver, 8 day programme guide. Supports DVD+R , DVD+RW , DVD-R , DVD-RW as well as MP3 and JPG.

Available for £199.98 from Currys
Available for £199.99 from Comet .

Sony RDR-HXD560 - With PVR and Freeview

Features: Freeview receiver with 80 Gig hard disk and a DVD Recorder.
Supports access to Freeview , recording onto DVD (multiple formats supported: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW ). PVR records up to 106 hours onto built-in hard-disk

Output: 2 x SCART, S-video, digital audio.

Available for £329.99 from Argos (Cat: 085/0360)
Available for £319.99 from Play.com

Sony RDR-HXD710 - With PVR and Freeview

Features: Freeview receiver with 160 Gig hard disk and a DVD Recorder.
Supports access to Freeview (with 8 day EPG), recording onto DVD (multiple formats supported: +R ,-RW,+RW,-R). PVR records up to 269 hours onto built-in hard-disk

Output: 2 x SCART, S-video, digital audio.

Available for £378.95 from Amazon
Available for £429.99 from Play.com

Wharfdale DVDRHD400- With PVR

Features: 80 Gig hard disk (up to 111 hours recording) and a DVD Recorder.
Records to DVD+R and DVD+RW.


Under £100!
Available for £99.99 from Argos (Cat: 533/4018)

If you're having trouble connecting up your DVD recorder to your TV, to Sky or to a Freeview or Virgin Media box, see our TV Connection Help section for some general advice (including our interactive TV Connection Advisor).

Also check out the rest of the questions in this section. If you still need help, try asking in our forum - include details of the exact problem you're getting, what connections you have on your equipment, and what you're trying to achieve.

We're often asked for help with recording the output of Freeview, Sky Digital, Freesat, BT Vision or Virgin Media onto DVD.

• Freeview: To be able to record Freeview, you need a Freeview receiver - This could be a set-top box, a receiver built in to your TV, or a receiver built in to your DVD recorder.
• Sky / Freesat / Virgin Cable / BT Vision: To record satellite TV, Virgin cable or BT Vision onto DVD, you'll need to connect your digital TV set-top box to the DVD recorder, typically using a SCART lead.

Here's some help to get you started:

1. Make sure you have connected the digital receiver to your DVD recorder correctly - See our TV Connection Help section for general help and advice
2. Make sure the DVD recorder is tuned in correctly, so that it can 'see' the output of the set-top box - as we explain below.

Set-top box to DVD:

This section helps those connecting a set-top box to a DVD recorder (see below for TVs with Freeview).

To record onto DVD from a digital TV set-top box (such as a Freeview, Sky, Virgin or BT Vision digibox), the most common method is to connect the digibox output to a Line Input socket on the DVD recorder using a SCART lead.

You'll need to set the recorder so that it can 'see' and record the output of the set-top box. Here's how:

1. Make sure you have a SCART connection between your set-top box and the recorder, and then a connection from the recorder to the TV set (help)
2. Switch your TV to the DVD recorder's playback channel (as if you were watching a DVD)
3. Set your DVD recorder to the SCART input using the remote control - this may be labeled "Line In/AUX/AV" feed. Refer to your DVD recorder's manual if you're in doubt. Once you've set the recorder to the SCART feed, you should see the output of your set-top box on your TV via your DVD recorder.
4. That should be it - record a test sample onto DVD and play it back.
   

• Most (but not all) TVs with built-in Freeview do support outputting the Freeview receiver via SCART, so it should be a case of connecting from the TV's output SCART to the DVD recorder Line In SCART, and setting the recorder to record from the AV/Line In channel
• Some TVs have restrictions that mean you can't record a digital channel while you're watching an analogue channel - some TVs can only record what's on screen - meaning that the TV must be switched on to make a recording - which is not always practical.
• Some TVs give you the option to record either analogue or digital, and you have to make a choice - there may be a menu option in one of the TV's setup screens that lets you select whether the TV sends analogue or digital to the SCART socket(s)

Your best bet is to check the TV's manual - it's bound to have something about how to record the digital channels. If you still have no joy, try contacting the manufacturer of your TV to check whether it's possible to record Freeview with your model.
Another option is to consider buying a cheap Freeview set-top box (£30) just to connect to your DVD recorder (thus giving you the option to record one digital channel while watching another).

If you still have no luck, post a message in our forum, including the model numbers, how you're connecting, and what problems you're getting, and one of the regular visitors should be able to help.

As outlined, there are several different DVD formats out there, and you need to buy blank discs that match the supported format of your recorder. Note that RW stands for Re-Writable. Here's a quick summary of the formats:

• DVD-R: Capacity of 4.7Gig. One of the more common formats. Plays back in most domestic DVD players. Needs "finalising", after which no further recording is possible.
• DVD+R: Plays back in most domestic DVD players. DL (Dual Layer) version also available. Needs "finalising", after which no further recording is possible.
• DVD+RW: Capacity of 4.7Gig. Recordable up to 1000 times. Automatic finalisation, so that you can play back in most domestic DVD players. +RW allows you to un-finalise so that you can add extra recordings.
• DVD-RW: Capacity of 4.7Gig. Recordable up to 1000 times. Plays back in about 75% of domestic DVD players. Requires finalising, but recorders can 'un-finalise'. Plays back in most domestic DVD players

Our disc of choice is the Philips DVD+RW. These re-recordable 4.7GB DVD discs take 120 minutes of standard-quality DVD recordings (or more if you select a lower recording rate).

These are available from outlets such as Currys. You can also get blank DVDs from online retailers Misco, Maplin and Amazon.co.uk.

Most (if not all) DVD recorders offer some kind of timer facility, similar to a video recorder, so you can set a show to be recorded while you're out, or watching another channel. The options are normally manual, VideoPlus or selection from an on-screen Electronic Programme Guide, depending on the model.

If you're keen to find out how the timer facility works on a model you're considering buying, perhaps download the manual online from the manufacturer's website, and explore the features in more depth.

Many people are now transferring their old VHS video cassette collection over to DVD - partly to prevent deterioration of videotape, and partly as video recorders are no longer being sold by places such as Dixons.

Just about every DVD recorder is capable of recording via a Line In socket, so it's a case of:

1. Connecting from a VCR to a DVD recorder via a SCART lead
2. Connecting your DVD recorder to the TV and setting the TV to watch the output of the DVD recorder
3. Setting your DVD recorder to the SCART input using the remote control - this may be labeled "Line In/AUX/AV" feed. Refer to your DVD recorder's manual if you're in doubt. Once you've set the recorder to the SCART feed, you should see the output of your set-top box on your TV via your DVD recorder.

Note that DVDs typically hold 2 hours worth of video at standard resolution, whereas a videotape holds 3-4 hours. With many machines, it's possible to alter the recording settings, to get more DVD recording time at the expense of quality. In many cases, this can be fine for archiving old TV shows from VHS cassette. Refer to your DVD recorder manual for 'Recording Mode' or something similar, for details of how to alter the recording quality that we can record at.

At the time of writing, our favourite DVD recorder is the Sony RDR Gx120 - this supports recording of up to 8 hours on a single DVD.

For more on archiving your video tapes, check out Show 21 of our audio show, FrequencyCast, or see FrequencyCast's Archiving your Media page.

As you probably know, the UK is set to "go digital" by 2012, when the old analogue TV service is turned off. For that reason, you may want to consider getting a DVD recorder that supports digital TV (i.e. Freeview). Look for the "get set for digital" logo when buying a DVD recorder.

But what about if your existing recorder doesn't have a digital recorder? Well, the good news is that most (if not all) DVD recorders are able to make recordings of content via their "Line in" sockets - So, for example, you can connect a Freeview set-top box to your DVD recorder via a SCART lead, set your recorder to "Line in" and record the output of your Freeview box onto DVD. Not having a built-in digital tuner will make it harder to make recordings, as you'll have to remember to a) set the DVD to start recording the "line in" at the right time, and b) make sure that the Freeview box is switched on and tuned to the right channel. Slightly more tricky, but still fairly straightforward.

We've been asked by a visitor to our podcast site, FrequencyCast, whether it's worth considering getting a DVD Recorder with a built-in Freeview receiver, or getting a stand-alone Freeview box, and connecting it to a DVD recorder. Here are the pros and cons:

• Built-in Freeview: Less clutter and wiring (single box), easier to programme recordings (as you don't have to remember to set the set-top box onto the right channel)
• Separate boxes: Less to go wrong (e.g. if DVD recorder breaks, the Freeview box still works)

Discs recorded on a DVD recorder in some formats need to be "finalised" after recording. This sets the disc in such a way that a standard DVD player sees the disc as being 'complete'. Different disc formats handle finalising differently:

• For DVD+R and DVD-R discs, you'll need to finalise the disc before it will be able to play in a machine other than the machine that the disc was recorded with. If it isn't finalised, a standard DVD player won't recognise it. Once finalised, you can't add to, or edit, the contents of the disc
• The DVD+RW format does an auto-finalise when the disc is ejected, and supports editing and recording after it's been finalised
• The DVD-RW format has two modes, -RWVR doesn't need finalising when used in VR-compatible equipment. -RW Video discs will need finalising before they will be able to play in a machine other than the machine that the disc was recorded with. For both of these options, your DVD recorder should have an "unfinalise" option to allow further changes to be made

If you're experiencing a problem with playback of discs, here are a few things to check:

• Make sure the disc you're playing is in a format supported by your machine (e.g. if your machine doesn't support DVD+R DL format, don't be surprised if a DL disc doesn't play back).
• If it's a disc that's been written in the DVD+R, DVD-R or DVD-RW format, the disc needs to be finalised in the machine that recorded the disc. Unfinalised discs won't play back in other machines
• Region-protected discs from other regions won't play back (see FAQ)
• If the disc itself won't play, or skips - the disc could be dirty or scratched. Try cleaning the disc - Disc cleaning kits are available from Amazon and Maplin
• It could be that the lens on your DVD player / recorder needs cleaning - Special DVD laser lens cleaners are available from Amazon and Maplin

If you're having problems with your DVD recorder, here are some suggestions of things to try:

• Reset the recorder to factory defaults - this can fix some software problems. Pulling out the mains lead may achieve this, or there may be an on-screen reset option in the DVD recorder's menu
• Look in your DVD recorder's manual for help
• Contact the manufacturer's Technical Support or Customer Services department. Use Google to find their contact details
• Try asking for advice in our DVD Recorders forum
• If you're really not happy with your DVD recorder - contact the place of purchase asking for a refund or replacement - use your consumer rights

Most DVD recorders are region-coded, to prevent viewing of DVDs from other regions around the world (all to do with copyright protection in different parts of the world). Make sure you get a machine that's appropriate for your region. There more on the subject of DVD Regions in our Glossary.
Please do not contact us regarding chipping / hacking of DVD recorders, or trying to bypass a DVD recorder's region or copy protection.

Note that region coding doesn't affect recordings that you make on a DVD recorder - so if you record something yourself from the telly or a copy from a VHS tape, it'll play back on a machine that's in a different region.