Need some feedback on Philips DVDR985 Dvd Recorder.
 

I would be interested in hearing some opinions from those who own this Model of DVD Recorder. I'm thinking about picking one up at Best Buy - It's on sale for $800, and with the 10% Preferred customer coupon and a $500 GC I won through one of their telephone surveys I can get it for about $220 plus tax.

The only drawback I can find is that is doesn't record in 5.1, but since I will be using this to archive Tivo recordings, Digital Camcorder videos and Vhs Tapes I don't really need this option. Also, it records in dvd+r and +rw - I know there are several different competing formats, but I'm not really sure which are the best.

Anyway, Does anyone have any opinions - good or bad - on this particular unit?

Thanks for any info,

Roy

I've owned this recorder for about 3 weeks now and am very pleased.

The DVD+RW's that I record are playable on any DVD player. I haven't had any compatibilty issues. Each DVD holds about 4 hours of video. This recorder has completely replaced my VCR.

It also turns out to be a very nice progressive scan DVD player which is a bonus IMO.

With the discount and GC you should scoop it up. If you don't like it you can always return it before 30 days expire I believe, so you won't have anything to lose.

Thanks for the reply, Low RG - I think I will give it a try - as you said I can always return it.

Do you think that the "plus" format is the one that is here to stay? While looking around and pricing media, I noticed that dvd-r and dvd-rw media seems to be available in huge quantities (and cheaply) most everywhere, while most stores only carried a few different brands of dvd+rw media, and I couldn't find the blank dvd+r discs anywhere.

I admit that I don't know much about any of the formats, but I got the impression that DVD- already has a foothold on the market. I just don't want to end up with something that's going to be obsolete in a few months.

Thanks,

Roy

Best Buy should have blank Verbatim brand DVD+R blanks for $6.99 I remember seeing them when I was there today :)

Only the Pioneer Elite DVR-7000 recorder is capable of "true 5.1" sound replication, provided that you are streaming a 5.1 audio master. I use DVD professionally and use DVCAM & DVCPRO masters with 5.1 surround encoding. The transfers are absolutely astonding when transferred to the Pioneer recorder.

How much (and where can you buy) this Pioneer Elite DVR-7000 recorder?

I purchased the DVR-7000 on Long Island (New York) from LaserLand for $1,650 with tax and it's worth every penny.

high def...why do you keep saying that the Pioneer unti will record in DD 5.1??? This is untrue. There is NO DVD recorder available that will record in DD5.1

punkass1276, you are missing the point. I recently returned the DVR-7000 (consumer recorder) for their professional series PVR-9000. The authoring software works terrific on this unit. If you are authoring with 5.1 software, as I do professionally, the PVR-9000 does indeed encode it. Without professional authoring software you are only capable of a 2.0 mix.

Here in Las Vegas, DVD+R and DVD+RW media is easy to find. In bulk, they sell for $3.00 each!

DVD-R, DVD+R/DVD+RW are here to stay. They all play in most DVD players, so there is no real format war.

Philips DVDR985 is a great machine. Beasts the pants off of anything from Panassonic, and I have both.

DVD-RAM's future isn't so certain. I do like it though, but it isn't compatible with DVD players, so I rarely use it.

Steve,

You've definitely made me steer clear of anything by Panasonic, even though here in Japan DVD-Ram is the more popular format, at least according to what I read recently in the Japan Times. I'm interested in quality and the choice I have to play my recorded DVDs on other players.