| Advantages Guideplus; several recording | | | | the discs on your PC) Just use the up and |
| modes; plays CDs and MP3s | | | | down arrows on the remote to find the one you |
| | | | want, press OK and it loads. Fast forward and |
| Disadvantages Missed programme endings and | | | | rewind buttons work well, though watch out |
| occasional freezes | | | | for anything over 8 speed as you can find |
| | | | you've reached the end of the programme quite |
| Setup | | | | quickly. The chapter forward and back buttons |
| | | | tend to do about 6 minutes at a time, the |
| Connecting the cables is relatively | | | | default chapter setting. |
| straightforward using the enclosed diagram. | | | | |
| The first time I set it up, I couldn't get | | | | Quality Sound quality on playback is |
| the electronic programme guide to work | | | | excellent at all recording settings, with no |
| (probably because of a poor TV signal in my | | | | distortion at high volumes when played back |
| area), although I learned to live with it as | | | | through my hifi. Picture quality varies |
| I was still able to pre-programme recordings. | | | | depending on the setting used, though even on |
| When I moved house, setup went as described, | | | | M8 colours are crisp and clear. Fast motion |
| so I must presume that my first negative | | | | tends to blur on the lower settings, though, |
| experience was a glitch. The EPG works well | | | | so sports fans may want to record the big |
| now and is always up to date. | | | | game on M2 or M1. |
| | | | |
| The DVDR-80 can record from two external | | | | Other features The monitor button on the |
| receivers (satellite set-top boxes, to you | | | | remote control lets you switch between the |
| and me). UK users beware, though: not all | | | | disc and the TV tuner. This is especially |
| makes of satellite receiver appear in the | | | | useful when recording from an external set |
| setup process. | | | | top box (such as a satellite receiver) as it |
| | | | allows you to check that you're recording |
| Recording There are several recording modes. | | | | what you think you are. |
| These range from M8 (the manufacturers | | | | |
| describe this as video quality, though I | | | | The disc manager (another button on the |
| think it's better than any recording on my | | | | remote control) is a key feature. You can add |
| best VCR), giving you eight hours' recording | | | | discs to the disc manager (I have named mine |
| time on a 4.7GB DVD-R or DVD-RW disc to M1, | | | | 'disc' and the number) and then it stores |
| which gives you an hour of ultra-high quality | | | | information about all the recordings as they |
| DVD. The average home user will be very happy | | | | are made. You can then browse this list by |
| with M6, giving you 6 hours of | | | | title or by disc. Selecting a recording in |
| better-than-VCR quality. | | | | this mode brings up a message telling you |
| | | | which disc to insert to play your chosen |
| Programming a recording is straightforward, | | | | recording. |
| using either Guideplus, Videoplus, manual | | | | |
| programming or safe record. The Guideplus | | | | The disc menu stores an image of your |
| recording works well; but you'll need to pay | | | | programme as well as the date and length of |
| attention to the end times. Unlike the | | | | recording. Typically, this is an image from |
| Videoplus, Guideplus doesn't seem to pick up | | | | the first few seconds of recording, so if the |
| the programme start and end signals, so you | | | | image showing is from an ad, you might want |
| could end up missing something important, | | | | to change it for one relating to the |
| like finding out whodunit in a murder | | | | programme. You can do this with favourite |
| mystery, for example. Unfortunately the | | | | scene select tool on the remote control. This |
| recorder doesn't auto select a blank area | | | | tool also allows you to divide up recordings |
| when you've programmed a recording; you'll | | | | (in case, for example, you left it running |
| have to do that yourself or you may find | | | | and have recorded several programmes) and to |
| you've overwritten something you really want | | | | change chapters. |
| to keep. The safe record function is also a | | | | |
| mixed blessing. This works by pressing and | | | | Annoyances The most irritating feature is a |
| holding the record button on the remote, at | | | | tendency to freeze from time to time. I still |
| which point it defaults to the end of your | | | | haven't figured out what sets this off, but |
| disc - fine if you've got a three hour slot | | | | pressing buttons repeatedly once it's gone |
| at the end. If you haven't you may find that | | | | does NOT help. The only solution at that |
| you've only managed to capture 10 minutes of | | | | point is to pull the power cable out and |
| that vital programme. | | | | start again. Don't worry, that doesn't mean |
| | | | starting the setup process again. It's simply |
| With programmes you've recorded through | | | | a reboot and then back to normal |
| Videoplus or manual programming, it's easy to | | | | |
| go into the disc menu and rename it to | | | | I was also not happy that it didn't integrate |
| something you'll remember. Pressing the | | | | as promised with my Philips Freeview box. |
| numbers on the remote when in this mode | | | | However, I have learned to live without that. |
| provide a shortcut to certain letters. | | | | |
| | | | Summary In spite of my gripes, I've never |
| Playback When the recorder comes on - | | | | regretted buying this recorder. Apart from |
| there's usually a slight delay - the on | | | | the minor annoyances, the only useful |
| screen menu shows all the programmes on the | | | | addition would be a hard disk as well, and |
| disc.(This is exactly the same when loading | | | | Philips has another model with this feature. |