CyberHome CH-DVR 1500 Progressive-Scan DVD+R/+RW Recorder and Player (Silver)

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Manufacturer: Cyber Home
Price at amazon.com: Used & new from $179.99

List price $299.99



Product Features:

• Records DVD+R and DVD+RW discs, which allow on-disc editing and auto or manual chapter marking
• Front-panel composite- and S-video inputs ensure simple hookup with camcorders and other video devices
• Progressive-scan video output renders seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Compatible with DVD-Video, MP3 CD, and JPEG image CD playback
• Record off-air TV programs through built-in NTSC tuner and 8-event advance programming

Product Description:

One of the most affordable stand-alone DVD recorders to date, the CyberHome CH-DVR 1500 offers DVD+R and DVD+RW recording and high-resolution progressive-scan DVD playback, making it equally well suited for recording TV programs, archiving your home videos, and enjoying your favorite movies on a high-definition or HD-ready TV. As it's increasingly more common for standard DVD players to play DVD+R/+RW discs, this is a great way to share personal footage with distant loved ones. With the CH-DVR 1500 you can digitally record superb picture and sound--up to six hours a disc, in your choice of resolution (only one hour at the highest-quality setting). Use the timer and scheduler for advance recording of up to eight favorite TV programs, or record "live" to disc at your whim. The recorder lets you add markers and thumbnail images with auto chapter or set chapter markers manually. A major benefit of the DVD+RW (rewriteable) format is the ability to edit programs as you're making a disc, ensuring through handy add and delete buttons that you'll only commit to disc the segments you intend. Further, there's no finalization required before playback of DVD+RW--you can use DVD+RW discs pretty much the way you use VHS videotape, only without the cumbersome fast-forwarding and rewinding. DVD+R lets you edit--add, move, remove--but you can't reclaim recorded space once it's been burned, so your total disc length shrinks as you make cuts. Front audio/video inputs (composite- and S-video) accommodate feeds from camcorders and other devices, and the recorder offers 9-bit analog-to-digital encoding from video sources. An onscreen disc title navigator gives you quick, easy access to your recordings. As a player, the unit handles everything from DVD+R/+RW, DVD-Video, and DVD-R to VCD, SVCD, and CD-R/CD-RW, including CDs filled with MP3 music files. Progressive scanning doubles the scan lines of an interlaced signal by scanning all 525 lines in 1/60 of a second for each full pass. The higher-density video signal creates film-like DVD images with rich detail, extraordinary depth of field, and precise color reproduction. Composite- and S-video outputs accommodate most televisions, and a choice of either PAL or NTSC video output lets you use the player/recorder with either monitor type. The unit offers an RF passthrough for TV tuning, but be aware that this channel signals from the onboard NTSC tuner only--not from DVDs. If you have an older TV without a composite-video (yellow RCA jack) input, you'll need an RF modulator to go between the DVD recorder and your TV. What's in the Box DVD player/recorder, remote control, two AAA batteries, AC power cord, stereo analog audio/composite-video interconnect, RF audio/video interconnect, RF splitter, user's manual, registration/warranty info, three blank DVD+RW discs, and disc holder.

Description from Manufacturer:One of the most affordable stand-alone DVD recorders to date, the CyberHome CH-DVR 1500 offers DVD+R and DVD+RW recording and high-resolution progressive-scan DVD playback, making it equally well suited for recording TV programs, archiving your home videos, and enjoying your favorite movies on a high-definition or HD-ready TV. As it's increasingly more common for standard DVD players to play DVD+R/+RW discs, this is a great way to share personal footage with distant loved ones.

With the CH-DVR 1500 you can digitally record superb picture and sound--up to six hours a disc, in your choice of resolution (only one hour at the highest-quality setting). Use the timer and scheduler for advance recording of up to eight favorite TV programs, or record "live" to disc at your whim. The recorder lets you add markers and thumbnail images with auto chapter or set chapter markers manually.

A major benefit of the DVD+RW (rewriteable) format is the ability to edit programs as you're making a disc, ensuring through handy add and delete buttons that you'll only commit to disc the segments you intend. Further, there's no finalization required before playback of DVD+RW--you can use DVD+RW discs pretty much the way you use VHS videotape, only without the cumbersome fast-forwarding and rewinding. DVD+R lets you edit--add, move, remove--but you can't reclaim recorded space once it's been burned, so your total disc length shrinks as you make cuts.

Front audio/video inputs (composite- and S-video) accommodate feeds from camcorders and other devices, and the recorder offers 9-bit analog-to-digital encoding from video sources. An onscreen disc title navigator gives you quick, easy access to your recordings.

As a player, the unit handles everything from DVD+R/+RW, DVD-Video, and DVD-R to VCD, SVCD, and CD-R/CD-RW, including CDs filled with MP3 music files. Progressive scanning doubles the scan lines of an interlaced signal by scanning all 525 lines in 1/60 of a second for each full pass. The higher-density video signal creates film-like DVD images with rich detail, extraordinary depth of field, and precise color reproduction.

Composite- and S-video outputs accommodate most televisions, and a choice of either PAL or NTSC video output lets you use the player/recorder with either monitor type. The unit offers an RF passthrough for TV tuning, but be aware that this channel signals from the onboard NTSC tuner only--not from DVDs. If you have an older TV without a composite-video (yellow RCA jack) input, you'll need an RF modulator to go between the DVD recorder and your TV.

What's in the Box
DVD player/recorder, remote control, two AAA batteries, AC power cord, stereo analog audio/composite-video interconnect, RF audio/video interconnect, RF splitter, user's manual, registration/warranty info, three blank DVD+RW discs, and disc holder.Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Think Twice!! Rating:
I have had nothing but problems with the CyberHome product I purchased. The machine will not record on timed recordings, sometimes there is color, other times, no. The customer service @ Cyber Home is a joke, no responses. The sound quality leaves much to be desired, and recording quality is not good. You may only use certain types of discs with this machine, I have found only one type to work.

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Comment: DON'T BUY CYREHOME PRODUCT Rating:
This unit works fine but the nightmare begin as soon as u need support. My unit start to lock up a while back. Send them countless emails to ask for help and never get any reply. Finally get a hold of their support phone number and I gave up after being on hold for 2 hrs each - 2 times in a row.

If anyone from Amazon is reading this: You guys should stop carrying this brand.

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Comment: Clunky; I hope future software updates make it more reliable Rating:
I have all available updates and have the following observations:
1. Power-on or even just changing disks always resets the Source to the Tuner input. It should remember that I left it at S-Video In 1
2. I never use DVD+R recording anymore. Too many disks wouldn't finalize even after only using recommended media brands. I record to DVD+RW and copy to +R or -R on my computer. That works 99% of the time.
3. Contrary to some reviews, there is a menu command to set the clock to 12 hour mode. Only problem I've had there is occasional problems if I try to set a timer to end between 12 noon and 1 PM.
4. One reviewer said that there was no way to erase words when editing a title. Navigate to the end of the word and use the "C" button on the remote. I would like it if the C-Skip button doubled as a "Change case" button when editing. Editing titles is cumbersome, but gets the job done. I'd like to be able to edit the record date and time. The 0 through 9 keys are a convenient way to insert characters in the middle of a title or quickly navigate to near the start of the upper-case or end of the lower-case series.
5. I've never been able to get another DVD Player or computer to recognize Chapter marks that I've inserted on DVD+Rs. Also, inserting Chapter marks and the Title thumbnail is a hit-or-miss proposition. They seem to land about 1-3 seconds later than what you thought you set. Trying too many times to change the picture or Chapter marks seems to make finalizing less reliable, also.
6. Lockups are a constant annoyance. Make sure you keep the wall-cord or back panel switch where you can get at it. I agree with another reviewer who said that Eject should override any other command.
7. When I was using DVD+R disks, the "Edit Title" command was the first item in the Edit menu. The first time I recorded to a DVD+RW disk and went to the Edit menu, I discovered to my horror that "Erase Title" was the first menu item. "Erase Title" means erase the recording, not just clear the title of the recording so it can be re-entered from scratch. There was no confirmation message and the 4 hour recording I had just made that couldn't be re-recorded was lost forever. Was I upset?
8. Would I buy it again? Probably not. I'd look for something with more editing features and more reliable.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)