LIDL Targa DRH-5700 500GB HDD DVD Recorder Eur299

banchang

This is on special this morning. Apparently lots of them there.

Any views or reviews ?

Seems like a great price for such a large HDD.

Features

Targa brand Model number DRH-5700x
Record TV programmes directly to DVD or the hard drive.
Store up to 600 hours of video on the 500GB hard drive!
Edit out the commercials and copy it all onto DVD!
Features include:
Timeshift,
HDMI port with 1080p upscaling,
USB connection for MP3/JPG/DivX,
progressive scan output,
ShowView, VPS, Dolby Digital coaxial and optical,
stereo Double Layer Recording
500GB hard drive
Record up to 400 movies
3 year guarantee

Heres what it looks like
http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20080414.p.500GBHDDDVDRecorder

coldfire1x

I have one of the 160gb ones from Lidl for more than a year now. Working fine for me, never had any complains.

You cant go wrong with 3 year warranty.

TheDriver

Looks excellent value. HDD recorders are the business except when its full and you have to clear it out.............

alastair_doom

Some nice features on that player alright, but just make sure you'd actually use it before you take the plunge.

I you have any half decent broadband connection you can download shows in half the time it takes to record them, with alot less fidgitting, and no need to bother editing ads and such.

killer007

I have the 160gb version as well for over a year.
No problems and timeshift is the best thing since sliced bread.

Soarer

It doesn't say what inputs it has.
It'd be nice if it had component or hdmi inputs so you could record in HD to the HDD.

00sully

HDMI port with 1080p upscaling,

although i doubt it records to HD!

Soarer

I'd imagine that's an output as opposed to an input. Don't think it's two way.
That said, I've been wrong before!:rolleyes:

dSleeper

Soarer wrote: »

I'd imagine that's an output as opposed to an input. Don't think it's two way.
That said, I've been wrong before!:rolleyes:

its a bit wird I had an older one, worked fine, this one, seems to not want to to timeshift on scart input (from my ntl box) as a scart input, but will record.... something strange. It may be going back...

Deesse

I bought one of these yesterday. It seems fantastic - not that I'm any expert or anything, I just mean compared to my video recorder.
There is no country choice for Ireland in the setup menu. I guess anyone who bought one of these figured out that using Germany as the country works OK.... EXCEPT, have you tried to input a videoplus code in the timer yet???

OOPS, It's not videoplus in germany it's ShowView and IT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT - THE CODES FROM YOUR TV LISTINGS ARE GIBBERISH TO IT!

I urge you all to check this and get onto the Targa people immediately, as I have done. I'll post any reply I get - if i do get one!

Lazyfox

I bought one of these machines does anyone have the hack to make it region free?



Thx

blastman

Doubt if you need one, I bought a Targa HDD recorder model from LIDL a couple of years ago and it played region 1 and region 4 discs without needing a code.

banchang

TBH I'm thinking of the Sony RDR-HXD970 250GB which has a built in Electronic Programme Guide (among other additional features you'd expect on a Sony), so you don't have to worry about Videoplus.

500GB onboard the Targa is very attractive, but I'm concerned about all I read on this model.

The Sony can be had for about Eur360 in London, so I'm leaning in that direction, given the price difference to this Targa at Eur299

Lazyfox

Thx Blastman

It does need a region code as I put in an american DVD and it came up with a region error . Mine will currently only play region 2 DVD's.

I would not recommend it unless it can be changed to multi region.

jor el

Lazyfox wrote: »

I bought one of these machines does anyone have the hack to make it region free?



Thx

This hack is for the DRH-5400 and 5500, so it might work on the 5700 too. Worth a try.

dSleeper

dSleeper wrote: »

its a bit wird I had an older one, worked fine, this one, seems to not want to to timeshift on scart input (from my ntl box) as a scart input, but will record.... something strange. It may be going back...

And it wont pick up any channels when I chose "UK" as ireland not an option...well it will find 4....

Deesse

Thanks Banchang. I see that sony one is €288 in pixmania.com. Will that program guide thing work in Ireland?

Deesse

I made Targa aware that VideoPlus won't work when you choose Germany as your country. They rang me to say they will have a new BIOS update available next week to fix this. I'll post any info here, or you can check http://www.service.targa.co.uk/

parsi

Lazyfox wrote: »

I bought one of these machines does anyone have the hack to make it region free?



Thx

Try the one for the DRH-5600x -> http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=54768172&postcount=36

TheDriver

Pile of these still in my local Lidl along with the hdmi dvd players

5h4mr0(k

TheDriver wrote: »

Pile of these still in my local Lidl along with the hdmi dvd players

How about a hint at which Lidl that might be....

steve927

TheDriver wrote: »

Pile of these still in my local Lidl along with the hdmi dvd players

Where please??? None left in my local store:(

fkearney

Hi all, the recorders remain in stock at the Limerick Lidl store. They are not on display but if you ask they will bring from the store. I'd very much like a region hack for this.

TheDriver

Sorry for not replying sooner, it was Bandon store. They always seem to have old stock left week later and also stuff gets sold out yet few days later, they have stock back again. Not sure if DVD recorder is still there but give them a shout

fkearney

Lazyfox wrote: »

I bought one of these machines does anyone have the hack to make it region free?



Thx

Guys, found the multi region hack.
Power on system with no disk.
Press setup
Enter 8105
Press 0, then Enter
Exit the menu and power off
On power up it should be multi region, it worked for me anyway.
Link to the page I got the info from is here,
http://www.dvdboard.de/forum/showthread.php?t=126892

beenkeragh

Hi All,
There's still a few left in the Killarney store. I bought one today.

Vyger

Deesse wrote: »

I made Targa aware that VideoPlus won't work when you choose Germany as your country. They rang me to say they will have a new BIOS update available next week to fix this. I'll post any info here, or you can check http://www.service.targa.co.uk/

I have two of these and another minor problem is the Jukebox feature is restricted to around 5 or 6GB. Targa say this will be fixed with a firmware upgrade.

I found this out as I wanted to load my DivX collection to the hard drive and use all that space. Not to be just yet until that firmware upgrade.

fkearney

I had to return the first one today. The HDMI link would not work. Replacement seems fine. I even tested with a 15m cable (at 1080i) and all was OK.

r0lZ

Interesting thread, guys!

That recorder will be available soon in the Lidl shops in Belgium, and I plan to buy one. However, according to parsi, the poster of this region hack, the Targa DRH-5600x is a rebadged LG RH278H. (And I can confirm that the firmware of the LG recorders contain the TARGA logo, and that the hack works for the LGs.) I have just tried the LG RH277H some days ago, but I have been forced to return it to the shop, as it has several important bugs. Before buying the TARGA, I would like to know if it has the same bugs. As RH277H is not RH278H, I hope this one works better.

First bug:
As soon as the TV is connected to the recorder via the SCART cable, the TV "thinks" that the recorder is sending a signal, and switches to the AV port of the recorder, even if the recorder is off! That means that when I turn my TV on, I see a blue screen instead of the first TV channel. (To avoid that problem, I have to turn the recorder on, wait the end of the boot process, and press the TV/DVD button on the remote. Then I can turn the TV on normally.) Obviously, since this problem occurs also when the recorder is off, it's an hardware bug, that cannot be fixed by a firmware update.

Second bug, much more important:
In the setup menu of the recorder, there is of course an option to inform the recorder of the format of the TV (4:3 letterbox, 4:3 pan&scan or 16:9.) Since I have a 16:9 TV, I have configured that option to 16:9. The result is terrible! The image of the TV channels is completely distorted, as the recorder adds horizontal black borders and switches the TV to widescreen format! It should never do that when the input is a TV channel, as the (standard) TV is never broadcasted in 16:9! Since I would like to use the recorder also to use the timeshift feature when watching the TV, that's unacceptable.

Third bug, the most important one:
Again, this bug happens when the LG is connected to a 16:9 TV, and the 16:9 option has been set in the setup menu. When you play a commercial DVD with clips in 16:9 and other clips in 4:3, all clips are treated as if they were 16:9, regardless of the information in the VOB and IFO files! Totally stupid! Therefore, I can't use this recorder to watch a DVD or my 16:9 TV, or I have to constantly change the display mode of the TV manually!

There are also some other minor bugs, but I can live with them. For example, when the timeshift is enabled, zapping to another channel becomes horribly slow! And I hate the timeshift icon constantly displayed on screen!

Have you experienced those problems with the TARGA or the LG RH278H as well? I really would like to buy it, as the price is descent (although here it is sold at €370.)

Also, has someone tried to copy the content of the hard disc to his PC using the network connection? Does it work? It's a feature I haven't seen yet on relatively low priced recorders, and I appreciate it! (The LG RH277H has no network connector.)

Last thing I don't like in the LG RH277H: the noise of the fan.

Thanks in advance for your replies, and sorry for my approximative english.

Lazyfox

Tried your hack and it worked. I can now use my US DVD\s

r0lZ

OK, since I haven't received any reply, I bought the TARGA today. It's a rebadged LG for sure, but I don't know which one.

I did a few tests immediately, to be sure that it doesn't have the same problems than the LG RH277H.

First thing: After 10 minutes, the TARGA has almost totally ceased to work! It was impossible to use any of the buttons (on the remote and on the main panel.) Only the big POWER ON/OFF button worked! It was even impossible to remove the DVD from the drive, and the TV mode was blocked on channel 1! Return to the Lidl shop, where they exchanged it w/o problem.

First bug: The TARGA has not that bug. Great!

Second bug: Unfortunately, the TARGA has also that bug. However, the TV seems to work almost correctly. Some times, the image is still stretched without reason, but if you turn the TARGA off and on, the problem is solved... until it comes back!

Third bug: It has that bug too! That makes the TARGA totally useless to watch commercial DVDs. That's crazy! They have the hardware to process the signal correctly, but they insist to ignore the DVD standard! Pity!

The timeshift feature works much more better than with the LG, and there are no pause when zapping. The timeshift is always enabled (unless a recording is in progress), as it should. But it is impossible to record the timeshift buffer on disc. That's really a big disadvantage, as you cannot miss the beginning of the movie you want to record. It's frustrating, as you know that it is on the HDD, but you simply can't keep it!
The RH277H has some very powerful features to record in timeshift mode, and it is even capable to join several user definable segments of the timeshift buffer and record them as a new title to HDD. The TARGA misses all those features, and can only record the live signal, like an old VHS recorder! Pity, pity, pity!

The editing features of the TARGA are very similar to the ones found in the LG, and I haven't tried them all. But with the LG, it is possible to use the < and > arrows to select the editing point with great precision. The TARGA has only some limited and not user friendly ways to select the editing point.

The image quality is relatively good, but some TV channels are disturbed by some magnetic interferences, and are not good at all.

Conclusion. The TARGA, as a DVD player, is not at all standard compliant, and it has many disadvantages, compared with older and cheaper LG models. However, they have fixed one important bug, and that's better than nothing.

My advice: do not bought this recorder! Keep your money to buy a better one, perhaps with a smaller HDD. And trust only the great brands such as Panasonic, Kenwood, Philips or even Sony. They are usually more expensive but at least you have the insurance that they work as they should. Anyway, I will return the TARGA to the shop tomorrow.

banchang

Thanks r0iz

In the end I returned this to LIDL unopened after all the feedback here & on AVforums. (It went straight back out onto the shelves that same night)

I was in London last week & instead bought the Sony HXD970 for Eur352 equivalent in KKElectronics (www.kkelectronics.co.uk) in Edgeware Road.

While the HDD is half the size of this one at 250GB, I think I prefer the Sony for an extra Eur50....

shaymac

Hi I bought one of the Lidl 500gb dvd recorder 14th April 2008.Cost €300 I think.. Unfortunately it has broken on me. I need to call for the 3 year garuantee but have lost the receipt . Would anyone have a receipt for the same date that they could copy and send to me? Ya gotta live in hope I suppose..