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