DRH-5400x DVD Recorder in Lidl; Bargain ?

Hmm_Messiah

Any one an opinion if this is good value / worth the money ?

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20061214.p.DRH5400xDVDRecorderwith250GBHD

DRH-5400x DVD Recorder with 250GB HD
Time Shift
Double Layer Recording
Inbuilt Tuner
Easy recording from hard drive to DVDHDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface
Record up to 300 hours of video
Double layer DVD recorder
€338.99 +€1 Producer Recycling Fund
Price per item

KStaford

Im seriously tempted, anyone any opinions?

markyboy

Bought their last version of this. Couldn't recommend it highly enough. If you don't have $ky+ it's yer only man.

Gibs

More info here. Looks very good....

MarkR

Also have the previous version, A+. Get a phontom ovr with t and you're laughing. HDMI on thos, not sure if it's a gimmick or does it upscale.

Gibs

MarkR wrote:

Also have the previous version, A+. Get a phontom ovr with t and you're laughing. HDMI on thos, not sure if it's a gimmick or does it upscale.

What's a phontom ovr?

Drag00n79

I bought their last version (160G0b) about this time last year for about €269 if I remember correctly. Its very good and simple to edit recordings etc. My only gripe with it is that you cannot record in RGB. However this one seems to have that covered.

MisterAnarchy

Its a so so price.
I'd much rather get this machine instead,cheaper too,and no need to queue with the savages.
http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=1734

MarkR

Gibs wrote:

What's a phontom ovr?

Oops. I meant phantom pvr.

Ghost Train

MisterAnarchy wrote:

Its a so so price.
I'd much rather get this machine instead,cheaper too,and no need to queue with the savages.
http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=1734

the note near the end of the page might mean it's not an option
"Please Note: Due to warranty issues, LiteOn DVD Players and Recorders are not for export outside of the UK mainland."

10000maniacs

This is definitely a good price for a 250GB recorder model with HDMI output.
A nice extra would have been a USB input to directly play your downloaded DivX movies without having to copy them to DVD, but we can't have everything.

consumerwatcher

I too bought the the previous model from Lidl (DRH-5000, 160GB). The price
was EU450, as I recall it. So this new DRH-5400x 250GB model looks like
a bargan.
The older DRH-5000 has the capability to edit out bits of a recording
(e.g ad. breaks), which is a really useful feature [in fact, I'd go so far as to
say essential, given the amount of ads. that are in a typical one-hours worth
of TV especially Sky and TV3]. It does actually delete the edited out bits (as
opposed to just skipping over them) and you recover the wasted disk space.
However, there was one nasty problem with the DRH-5000. When you edited
out the ads. the sound and video lost sync - VERY annoying. Not all the time
but sometimes, and was especially noticable when you archived your edited
recording to a DVD disk. It's a known problem - and Targa posted a firmware
fix for it, which I applied to my machine, but the problem persisted. Arrrr..

There is insufficient detail in the Lidl info (which is next to useless for
making a purchasing decision) or anyplace else I can find to establish
whether or not the editing feature has been retained in the 5400x
and if the sound/video sync problem has been fixed. A lot of DVD recorders
don't have the editing feature.

So beware. If you do purchase, check this feature out (if it exists) the minute
you bring it home, and return it if it doesn't work.

doggsy

Does anybody know, does this unit play High Definition DVDs? Can't think of what else the HDMI interface would be for, yet it doesn't seem to mention it in the description.

MarkR

I would guess no. It doesn't even mention upscaling, so I think it's a bit of a gimmick really.

CJhaughey

Specs

http://www.targa.co.uk/index.jsp?SID=0&NAV=236&DOC=&PAGE=1857&PCAT=3&PROD=332&PTUBE=14&PARAMS=undefined&PARAMS2=undefined&SPCAREA=undefined

The Recliner

Hi Lads

Just a quick couple of questions

It mentions the ability to pause live TV, can you rewind it also like on Sky+

Also can you set it to record easily like using the guide on Sky plus or is that why the Phantom PVR is a must, to make it possible to use with NTL

Thanks

MarkR

That's what the phantom is for all right. Without that you would have to use timer record with the sky box. I don't know whether it works with NTL. They have them in maplins for about 50, well worth it. I do miss the first few seconds of a program sometimes, but it's usually a particular series, so I think it's the way they code the broadcast.

freq modulated

Thinking about buying one of these. There is Video inputs on the machine, scart etc, i take it this means you can back up VHS movie etc!? doesnt actually say this on the lidl website or brochure, just want to make sure before i buy!

Cheers

MarkR

You can record from composite input, firewire etc so you should be able to.

blastman

Bought the previous version of this last year at this time and it's a great machine. The only complaint I have that the output from the speaker outs (rather than the surround outputs) is very low and weedy and the sound through the SCART is poor also (although I have the same problem from my $ky box, so that may not be a problem with the Targa.)

mega

Does anyone know if you can record from Disc to HDD as is the case with the LiteOn HD-A760GX.

aidanh

mega wrote:

Does anyone know if you can record from Disc to HDD as is the case with the LiteOn HD-A760GX.

The full manual is online at http://www.service.targa.co.uk/dokumente/en_DRH5400x.pdf that should answer most questions.

spanner_head

picked up on of these bad boys this morning at 8am.
Am in work now....itching to try it out!!

aodh3

i just bought one of these but i dont think i can actually use this with Magnet as their connectors dont fit in a way where you can record live tv. anyone have any ideas how to get around this???

MarkR

How does your magnet box connect to your tv? Whatever way it is there will be a corresponding incoming connection on the recorder. Then pass it from the recorder back up to tv?

On second thought - just give it to me. :-) (I have the previous version and now feel tech envy)

Rebska

Anyone know if the DVD player is multiregion - almost all our DVD's are Region 1.

Also, anyone successfully record from NTL digital?

spanner_head

Rebska wrote:

Anyone know if the DVD player is multiregion - almost all our DVD's are Region 1.

Also, anyone successfully record from NTL digital?

This hack works....just tried it earlier today....

1) Power on the machine
2) Press SET UP
3) Hightlight EXIT
4) Press 2 9 6 0
5) New menu pops up, right click then chose your required region.
6) Press SET UP again to exit

I don't have NTL Digital. But I've sky box and can record from that.

give this a shot:
Plug your scart from your digital box to the dvd recorder and then choose the scart as your source.

Rebska

Cheers! Now...I wonder if there are any of these left...

ciscokidx

Hi,

anyone know if there is a way to avoid/bypass the copywrite protection when I try to back-up my VHS tapes to DVD or HDD ?

I've tried via inputing the VCR via the RF input source as well as the scart source but no joy.

Cheers.

ScouseMouse

I know its a long shot, but does anyone know can the phantom be bought in Dublin or does anyone have one for sale. I am trying to get my new recorder set up for the xmas telly.

Thanks

Jeff

MarkR

Maplins should have it.