DVD Hard Drive Recorders

DVD hard drive recorders offer flexibility when it comes to storing the contents. With a hard drive in a recorder, you don't have to hassle with finding suitable discs to record day-to-day programs. Instead, you can use the hard drive, which works in many similar ways as a TiVo or ReplayTV system.

The recorders with a hard drive are very popular systems, and it has been estimated that 50% of the DVD recorders sold in the U.S. in 2005 will have a HDD unit.

When you've then decided on what programs need more permanent storage, you can then transfer the programs to a recordable DVD disc.

The DVD hard disc drive recorders work much like the computer drives used in personal computers. The amount you can store in the hard drive unit of broadcast programming depends on how big the storage space is and what type of recording mode you use.

For example, an 80 GB had disc drive in select Toshiba models gives you up to 75 hours of recording time on a LP mode. The quality of the recording is deteriorated somewhat from the original in this mode, however.

Most DVD hard drive recorders also have smart recording unit, which will record, if the DVD disc hasn't got enough space, the remainder of the program onto the hard drive.

There are several companies supporting DVD hard drive recorders. However, you'll mostly find this feature in Panasonic and Toshiba recorders.

DVD Hard Drive Recorders - Toshiba

* Toshiba RD-X2 * DVD-RAM, DVD-R * 80 GB hard drive

The RDX2 is now a bit older model. Other, newer Toshiba's with HDD include RD-X32 and RS-TX60.

DVD Hard Drive Recorders - Panasonic

* Panasonic DMR-HS2* DVD-RAM, DVD-R* 40 GB built-in hard disk drive

* Panasonic DMR-E80H* DVD-RAM, DVD-R* 80 GB built-in hard disk drive (stores up to 104 hrs of recording in EP mode)

In addition to these, the newer Panasonic models with a HDD include DMR-E95, DMRE100, and DMRE500.


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