General Forum

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

clifft — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:44:22 GMT

Thanks, Alex. As always, you explain things very well!! Cliff

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Alex — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:46:28 GMT

clifft:
Please excuse my ignorance in these matters in advance, but there is a point I do not understand. Having recorded a tv programme onto the hard disc of HDR2, presumably it sits there as some type of file. When you playback the file, it is sent to the tv which 'reads' the information and displays it as picture and sound. Why, therefore, cannot this file information be sent to your computer instead and made into a file such as Quicktime or Eye-tv so you can store it there and even burn it onto a dvd. No doubt the tech-savvy of you are laughing out loud about now but this is an area I, obviously, know nothing about so please indulge me. Clifft

You're mostly correct, the recorded TV sits on the HDR2 as data just like on a computer. The difference here is that the data is converted into 'video' inside the HDR2, and then sent to the TV as a standard type of video, in exactly the same way video travels from a VHS player to your TV. Once it's left the HDR2, it's no longer a 'digital' kind of signal also found in computers.

As Peter says, you can burn this to a DVD with a DVD burner, or you can connect this to an Elegato Eye-TV and 're-capture' the video. To me it just seems like a rather unnecessarily complex method.

If you were watching from Freeview, the signal would go Digital > Analogue > Digital > Analogue > Digital, and each time it's converted between the two you get a slight loss of picture which will eventually add up...

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Peter — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 04:32:49 GMT

You can certainly connect an external DVD-R to the HDR2 - the user manual suggests such an arrangement. This connects via the Aux SCART so I dare say you can connect to your computer as long as it can accept the input from a SCART. That should be possible.

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

damatt — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:17:35 GMT

You cannot connect the HDR2 digitally to the computer.

The only way would be to take out the hard disc and connect that to the computer.

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

clifft — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:44:25 GMT

Please excuse my ignorance in these matters in advance, but there is a point I do not understand. Having recorded a tv programme onto the hard disc of HDR2, presumably it sits there as some type of file. When you playback the file, it is sent to the tv which 'reads' the information and displays it as picture and sound. Why, therefore, cannot this file information be sent to your computer instead and made into a file such as Quicktime or Eye-tv so you can store it there and even burn it onto a dvd. No doubt the tech-savvy of you are laughing out loud about now but this is an area I, obviously, know nothing about so please indulge me. Clifft

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Alex — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:10:50 GMT

As I said, I'd go for a pre-loved (second hand) DVD1. Unless you're going to use the HDR features of the DVD2, the DVD1 seems much more sensible...

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

sinuhe — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:11:32 GMT

So,

it is a good/ok/fully integrated system even if the HDR" does not have a digital tuner? Ease of use?

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Keith Saunders — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 05:40:41 GMT

The DVB/T-S digital module for the Beosystem 3 does have EPG and you can select the progromme and record.

The HDR2 also has a build-in STB controller which then provides full integration.

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

kawo — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:42:54 GMT

Hi,

one advantage I see for the DVD2 is the Electronic Program Guide. I have the same technology Guide+ in my Panasonic DVD Recorder. This EPG works very well with non-digital signals.

As I do not have a B&O digital SAT modul in my BS3, does this one come with an EPG so that you could browse through it and select the program you would like to record on an HDR2? Or can you do the same with an external STB?

At least from my point of view it looks like to be the best to go with an external STB with a build in HD to record TV signals and a DVD player as well (both on the PUC list). Or do I miss an important point here?

thanks

karsten

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Keith Saunders — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:08:46 GMT

Ken, Alex, Christian and Eduard,

I could see the points you have raised coming from the day we first saw the release of the DVD2.

The DVD2 is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) product meaning it has been designed to be re-badged and menus etc changed to suit the acquiring company’s requirements. The OEM manufacturer provides special software and will do hardware modifications where required provided volumes make it worth-while.

For a long time B&O dealers had been in the difficult position of not having a DVD writer and in my view had pushed B&O into providing the DVD2 quickly (well certainly quicker than B&O would normally develop a product). They had the HDR2 in the pipeline which was designed and developed by B&O and is a fully integrated product, but under pressure needed a DVD writer to be released at a similar time the the HDR2. Clearly compromises were needed to meet this objective and by using a OEM product the biggest compromise was one of total integration into a B&O system.

The two biggest compromises it was forced to make were:-

Ø Not having a STB controller built into the DVD2 as it is in the HDR2

Ø Not having a Digital Tuner

As many members have noted the DVD2 is a complexed product and this is fundimentally born out of the fact that it is an OEM product meaning it is trying to be “all things to all men” wherever possible.

Now, first turning to Ken’s points:-

Ø If you are just going to compare the spec’s of the HDR2 to the DVD2 you are not comparing like for like. Yes they both record and play back video from hard disk, the HDR2 does not have a DVD writer and the DVD2 is not a fully integrated product.

Ø The DVD2 is a little cheaper, but if it does not fit your needs, then price does not come into the equation.

Ø Having more menu functions does not make it a better product and many people would say the benefit of B&O products is that they are easy to use because they do not have lots of functions that are never used.

I think the core question you need to ask yourself is “Do I really need/want a DVD writer or would recording to hard drive only be enough”

Now, to the core technical questions raised:-

The DVD2 is fundentially controlled by the AVL signal on pin 8 of the SCART in the same way as the DVD1. This is a one way signal to the DVD2 meaning it has no means of providing feedback to the controlling Beovision. From a recording viewpoint this means you can record from the following source:-

Ø Internal analogue Tuner

Ø SCART input EXT1 or EXT2

Ø CAM1 input

What this means is you can do a manual record from any source input, but you can only do a multiple timer setup using the internal analogue tuner. A single timed record can be achieved only by setting up the externally connected source seperately as Jazz has highlighted.

So, this is why a DVD2 is NOT a fully integrated product because it would require two way data transmission between the Beovision and DVD2 to achieve that objective.

So, if like me, you want to have a fully integrated B&O system which is easy to use and creating DVD’s is not a priority, then the HDR2 is the product to purchase. If you want fully integrated system and the ability to write DVD’s then perhaps you will need both products which is overkill, but perhaps that is what B&O were hoping users would do !!

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:07:54 GMT

Oh please Keith, if you know of a solution, please let us know.

jazz

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Christian — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 08:15:30 GMT

Just wanted to add:

The DVD2 is a reboxed Phillips, whereas the HDR2 is B&O.

Re: DVD2 vs. HDR2

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:32:36 GMT

apart from the issues of the DVD 2 being ridiculiously difficult to operate, the main advantage of HDR2 is that it can make a timer recordig from a digital tuner. Either triggering the tuner connected to it, or via the TV.

DVD2 can not do a timer recording from an external digiatl tuner (unless the external tuner is pre set to be on the channell you want to record.) This is no good if you want to set several timers to record from different channels.

Of course you can still make timer recording from the internal analogue tuner if you want. and if you are happy with this then DVD2 is probably ok for you.

jazz