| Ah, you think, as you take a look at your year's old | | | | for a relatively inexpensive machine it offers a few |
| collection of VHS tapes - all the enjoyable hours you | | | | pleasant surprises, such as an HDMI port that allows |
| spent watching each movie and deciding if it should be | | | | you to connect with an HD-TV, plus in-front inputs for |
| added to your home theatre selection. What a great | | | | camcorder use. While it doesn't offer a VCR or a hard |
| collection of movies. But wait - technology has not only | | | | drive, the picture and sound quality are comparable to |
| crept up on you, it's left you in the dust. DVD's are the | | | | more expensive models. |
| gadget of the moment - they're faster, cleaner, have | | | | If you're looking for a machine that has it all, you may |
| better sound quality and way better picture quality. Oh, | | | | want to consider the Panasonic DMR-EH75V - which |
| no, you think - you'll have to convert all those old VHS | | | | will set you back about $375 - $400 or so. Even |
| tapes to DVD if you want to "keep up with the Jones." | | | | though it's pricier than some other models, it offers a |
| But which DVD recorder should you choose? Which | | | | DVD player/recorder, an integrated VCR and an 80 |
| will give you the most features for the lowest price? | | | | GB hard drive that allows you to pre-program your |
| A DVD recorder is different from a DVD player - as | | | | recordings even when you're not there. This model has |
| the name would indicate, a DVD player does just that | | | | excellent picture quality, and it records particularly well |
| - it will play movies for you as long as there is battery | | | | in LP mode, meaning you can get more programs on a |
| life left or electricity to power the unit in your home. A | | | | single disc. It also offers an HDMI output jack so you |
| DVD recorder, on the other hand, allows you to copy | | | | can connect to an HD-TV, as well as an SD card slot |
| DVD's from the original media to a recordable DVD | | | | if you want to display digital photos. |
| that you can then add to your collection of movies - | | | | Samsung offers a model DVD-VR335 that runs about |
| replacing all those VHS tapes that are collecting dust. | | | | $280, placing it mid-range among other models. It also |
| DVD recorders also can record directly from your TV | | | | features an HDMI upconverting DVD recorder, with an |
| to a DVD. | | | | integrated VCR, composite video jacks in and out and |
| A big consideration is whether or not to buy a DVD | | | | Dolby digital capability. It can record on most DVD |
| recorder with a hard drive - no, I'm not trying to | | | | media, as well as playing DVD and CD media and |
| confuse you with computer jargon - it's not like you're | | | | MP3 audio. |
| buying a laptop. The reasons you might want a model | | | | What's the advantage to having an integrated VCR as |
| with a hard drive are twofold - you have more editing | | | | part of your DVD recorder? Most people use this |
| options, plus you can choose whether or not to | | | | feature to convert all those old VHS tapes to DVD |
| archive a recording to disc. Another feature that's | | | | format - updating and cleaning up their movie or |
| included with a hard drive is that you can pause what | | | | television show collections. End result - the vast |
| you're recording as it's being recorded and not lose | | | | majority of consumers who have this feature end up |
| any of the show since that is how the unit is made. | | | | using the DVD recorder the same way they used their |
| For a good, basic DVD recorder, take a look at the | | | | old VCR's - taping or copying everything from their |
| RCA DRC8060N - it comes in at just over $200, but | | | | favorite TV shows to movies from their collection. |