Aldi 160Gb DVD Recorders

OMcGovern

Hi,

just picked up a brochure in Aldi tonight.
Next Thurs, Sept 1st, they're selling a reasonably speced HDD DVD Recorder
for €350.

A Tevion model.... looks okay to me...
I was pricing DVD 160Gb recorders in Power City for around €550 about a month ago.

It also supports DivX 3, 4, 5 and MPEG-4.

Anyone got any interesting background information on it, or the company, to sway a decision one way or the other ?

http://www.aldi.ie/special_buys/product_351.html

I searched the web for a bit... some people had problems with Tevions in the past, but some firmware updates sorted it.

regards,
Owen

MarkR

Looks good, wish I had the dosh!

Brando_ie

Owen

Can you post the links to the information you got on the problems with the tevion. I'm interested in getting a HDD/DVDR but dont want to get stuck with a white elephant. I tried the usual googling and avforums.

SteM

This is a very good price for the spec, especially as it supports Divx and has a DV input. I spent €500+ on my Toshiba 160GB recorder earlier on this year :eek: but couldn't go back to VHS now. Timeslip is very handy function, especially for 1 or 2 hour dramas on channels with ad breaks and those annoying channels that break up movies with a news bulletin.

okidoki987

Lild had the same model for 449.99 a couple of months ago :eek:
Prices of DVD Recorders seem to be coming down quite a lot in the last few weeks.
It's the cheapest 160 HDD by a mile.

Cerdito

Is this one of these offers where you have to do that queuing up ****? Great deal tho...might be interested if I could just waltz in and pick one up

SteM

Cerdito wrote:

I...might be interested if I could just waltz in and pick one up

No way you'll be able to waltz in and pick one of these up, I'd say they'll be snapped up straight away.

Dades

Anyone know if you can record stuff to the hard drive, and then play it back without ads/breaks?
Or do you have to just FF when watching it back?

Looks like a great deal.

SteM

Fast forward through the ads. There's a very handy 'skip' button on the tosh though that you can set to forward right through 30 secs or 1 min or 5 mins so you can skip through the ads with a few presses. Not sure if they have the same on this model.

Linoge

Whats the story with the queing does anyone know? I've never gone to one of these deals before.

I take it that they only get in a certain amount. Does the queing start at like 8.00 in the morning?

Loobz

Cerdito wrote:

Great deal tho...might be interested if I could just waltz in and pick one up

You would have a better chance if you did the Conga instead.

Sweet deal this. Wish I had the funds.

Linoge

Does anyone know can you record from cd/dvd to the hard disk and then play mpeg2/divx/mpeg4 straight from the HD?

OMcGovern

A guy I work with apparently had a chat with a sales guy in Discount Electric and it is said that the Tevion may only have a VHF tuner, not a UHF ?
( maybe vice versa )
But the upshot is.... you may not be able to tune the recorder into the Irish channels ( rte1, network 2 etc.... ) But you would get the English channels.

Not sure how true it is, but will let ye know if I hear anymore.

okidoki987

Ireland uses UHF, UK uses VHF.
I doubt any shop here would sell VHF only.
Wonder would Dscount Elec be getting worried as this DVD Recorder is
about 150 cheaper then any HDD they have?
Mind you if it couldn't get the IRISH channels, I'd say that would be
worth a premium!

SteM

OMcGovern wrote:

But the upshot is.... you may not be able to tune the recorder into the Irish channels ( rte1, network 2 etc.... ) But you would get the English channels.

Not sure how true it is, but will let ye know if I hear anymore.

He may be right. I know that Argos were selling DVD recorders like this a few months back, not much use to Irish users!

Linoge

I'm being ignored! lol

Can anyone answer the question above about recording onto the HD. I really want to buy this machine.

And about the UHF/VHF thing, if you plugged your aerial into your video recorder, then used a scart lead to connect to the HD recorder (where you would usually connect to the TV) it might solve the problem. The Tevion has 2 scart sockets so I can't see any reason why this would not work....

Maybe I'm wrong, but its better advice than some lackey salesman from an electrical shop... imo

daramullally

OMcGovern wrote:

A guy I work with apparently had a chat with a sales guy in Discount Electric and it is said that the Tevion may only have a VHF tuner, not a UHF ?
( maybe vice versa )
But the upshot is.... you may not be able to tune the recorder into the Irish channels ( rte1, network 2 etc.... ) But you would get the English channels.

Not sure how true it is, but will let ye know if I hear anymore.

I dunno about the DVD recorder but I bought a VCR/DVD player combo and I could not not get it to tune in the Irish stations. I called the support number and they didn't know what I talking about when I mentioned UHF and VHF. The following week there were signs in the LIDL shops saying that they were recalling the machines due to this. I assume they have got their act together this time!

Valentia

RTE broadcast on UHF, BBC and UTV likewise. It's only if you are on cable that you need VHF. Blame the cableguy. If you are on an aerial than UHF is ok.

SteM

Linoge wrote:

And about the UHF/VHF thing, if you plugged your aerial into your video recorder, then used a scart lead to connect to the HD recorder (where you would usually connect to the TV) it might solve the problem. The Tevion has 2 scart sockets so I can't see any reason why this would not work....

Maybe I'm wrong, but its better advice than some lackey salesman from an electrical shop... imo

Don't think that will work at all. The 2 scarts are a scart in and a scart out. One to connect a digibox to so you can record in high quality and one to connect ot the TV.

Re the UHF/VHF issue, if Aldi have sold these before (I'm almost sure they did just a few months ago) then I can't believe that they'd be re-selling something that they knew would end up being returned to them.

okidoki987

I can't believe that they'd be re-selling something that they knew would end up being returned to them.

That's what I reckoned.
It just wouldn't be worth the hassle or bad publicity for Aldi.
It's a good price for all the goodies.

fpwshark

Do any of you guys know what region DVD's this will play? Hardly good enough to be multiregion?

OMcGovern

A quick search for "tevion multi region" gives a few pages with codes you can type into the remote of several Tevion DVD players to activate multi-region.
If one or more of the tevion DVD players supports this... the odds are that this one does.... I imagine.

As for Linoge question on copying stuff to the HD.... don't know...
If someone drops into Aldi before Thurs, maybe the manager will tell them the model number of the machine ? That would be very useful.

I agree that the UHF/VHF tuner thing does seem a little far-fetched.

Despite hearing some possible problems, I'm willing to chance buying this DVD Recorder.... just a question of working out how much of a queue there may be :-(

denhamd2

I have 2 questions about it:
- Will it record straight from (NTL) Digital? If so then you'd be able to record the Irish channels, right?
- Is there any block on recording movies from Sky Movies?

byte

Well, the shop where I worked bought in some Tevion DVD Recorders (not HDD combi), and the tuners didn't tune anything on VHF so were sent back to supplier. Though maybe these issues have since been rectified, or Aldi are sourcing hyperband tuner versions.

Going back to a previous reply:
It's not just cable that uses VHF, certain parts of the country (Wexford, North West, etc) use VHF for RTE1 and RTE2 so it could be an issue.

PADDYPOKER

Seeing as Aldi are selling this all over the country, I can't see them making the error. It would **** people off big time if they q'd for hours and then found out it didn't work properly.

Brando_ie

denhamd2 wrote:

I have 2 questions about it:
- Will it record straight from (NTL) Digital? If so then you'd be able to record the Irish channels, right?
- Is there any block on recording movies from Sky Movies?

Like Denham. I'm interested in knowing if this DVDR/HDD box is expected to record from the vanilla sky or sky+ digital boxes. I'm moving onto a new house in a month or so and will have sky, sky+ or chorus and would be interested in having a PVR alternative. Thing is, I wont have the stuff set up for a month or so and will only find out then if it works or not which might be too late to return to lidl.

Basically I want to know if anyone knows if the DVDR is connected to a digital box which is tuned in to show the current channel (if possible) and I hit record, will it record to either the HDD or DVDR. Dont expect to run it of aerial to UHF/VHF prob not an issue?? :eek:

solice

When is it on sale. Very tempted to buy this for the mother! She is getting all hip and trendy in her twilight years.

Can anyone confirm the UHF/VHF story? Not buying if i cnat record RTE1, 2 and TV3.

denhamd2

Please can someone shed light on being able to record from a digital box or not? thanks

SteM

It'll record directly from the digital box via the scart input and yes it'll record an Irish channel that way as long as you digibox is outputting an Irish channel.

I've recorded PremPlus PPV football & from files Sky Movies on my Tosh without a problem but never Sky Box Office so I don't know about that.

I have NTL Digital not Sky Digital btw.

Bateman

Well if it records from Prem Plus, then I would imagine it would record from Sky Box Office, I wouldn't think there is anything that prevents one but allows the other.

fpwshark

Any definites on the UHF/VHF issue?

okidoki987

Well if it records from Prem Plus, then I would imagine it would record from Sky Box Office, I wouldn't think there is anything that prevents one but allows the other.

Don't Sky have something built into Sky Box Office that doesn't allow you to record the Film to avoid people copying and passing it around?

Any definites on the UHF/VHF issue?

If it doesn't do both, then bring it back (that's if you get your hands on one in the first place )

OMcGovern

Hi,

just bought, installed and tested the DVD Recorder.
Here's my 30 min first impressions.....

The exact model is Tevion MD 80857

1. It's got a "hyperband" tuner... ie. it DOES show Irish channels.
It picked up all the channels from my NTL cablelink connection ( basic non-digitial package )

2. It has PDC, which means it can supposedly detect the start & end of TV programs. (sounds nice)

I done a sample record of Sky News and played it back, both reception and playback were very good. ( for a 10 second test )

Two things I didn't like

1. it makes noise.... like a quiet laptop.... whether it's the internal hard disk, a cooling fan or the like. It's acceptable enough though

2. I've a 1 year old Phillips home DVD system, with 5 speakers.
The Phillips must use a proprietary square plug audio system into the back of the DVD player... they won't fit in the tevion :-(
Maybe that's more of a criticism of Phillips than Tevion though.....

The Tevion uses those "fatter" standard audio sockets. Fatter than a
walkman audio socket.
Not sure what I can do about that, or if I need a separate amp.
But for the moment, the sound is going through the TV, so it's fine.

I can't comment on digitial TV or sky boxes, cos I don't have them.
This is purely for a bog standard basic NTL package on a co-axial cable.

regards,
Owen

okidoki987

Where did you get it and how long was the Q?

SteM

OMcGovern wrote:

1. It's got a "hyperband" tuner... ie. it DOES show Irish channels.
It picked up all the channels from my NTL cablelink connection ( basic non-digitial package )

Glad you sorted that one out

OMcGovern wrote:

2. It has PDC, which means it can supposedly detect the start & end of TV programs. (sounds nice)

Be careful of using PDC, it can go wrong sometimes...

OMcGovern wrote:

1. it makes noise.... like a quiet laptop.... whether it's the internal hard disk, a cooling fan or the like. It's acceptable enough though

Thats the nature of using anything with a HD in it I'm afraid, the sound is probably coming from the fan.

Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll find all of the features very handy.

Solis

I was hoping to get one of these.

But I had a meeting this morning I could not get out of.

So I sent the misses to pick one up on the way to work.

She got one in Clonmel and said they has 8 left. That was at 10:15 today!!!

So maybe all the techies/gadet fans are in the PSP queue instead

Glad to hear about irish channels

Now I never have to miss any of my fav programmes due to my busy social life

OMcGovern

okidoki987 wrote:

Where did you get it and how long was the Q?

I was in Fonthill Park, Liffey Valley at 8am ( maybe a bit too eager !), but most people just turned up around 8:40am. Perhaps about a dozen people.

The recorders weren't on display, they were stored in the back, and we queued up to be handed one. So I can't really say how many were there to start with.... nor how many are left.

jeromeof

I was in fonthill at about 9:10 and got mine, but there were only about 5 left at that time. There were more people arriving so I would think they were all gone by 9:15/9:20.
It was funny to see some many guys walking around holding their DVD Recorder boxes.

Jerome

Corkey123

I got one in Parnell Street D1 and they only a dozen at max. A lot of disappointed customers

Renegade_Archer

Anyone else having trouble getting Video+ working or did the RTE Guide mess up this week?



Got mine in Longford this morning, works grand otherwise. The manager was handing them out at the checkout. Judging by the length of the queue behind me they are all gone by now.




Regards


Ewan

okidoki987

Judging by the interest here, I'd say they've all gone to boarders

Dr. Dre

Went to the one in Dundalk this a.m. and the 6-7 people ahead of me were all getting them too. Can't imagine them lasting too long, although I was told that they had 30 in stock for today.
Can't wait to try it out.

Brando_ie

I took the plunge and picked up one in Athlone this morning. Wont get to try it out for a few weeks till my house is finished but hopefully the tuner feedback here indicates that it will do what it says on the tin. Got myself a PSP this morning too so it has been a bit of a geek heaven day. Now if I wasnt three days (for days read weeks) behind in the office I would have the time to bask in my new found geekness..... actually, after this post I am now three days and four minutes behind..... D'OH!!.....

darkmaster2

I didnt get one
But I did get one of those snazzy all in one remotes. Badly needed! they take a while to set up though.

OMcGovern

Renegade_Archer wrote:

Anyone else having trouble getting Video+ working or did the RTE Guide mess up this week?/QUOTE]

Yeah, out of 4 sample videoplus codes, published in the tv supplement of the Sunday Tribune, only 1 worked. I've set the video manually at the moment.

Maybe there's a firmware update or something... ?
It's the first time I've ever used videoplus, so I don't know how reliable it is.

No other problems so far.... I was delighted to see that it played all the DivX movies I threw at it.

podge3

Still about 10 of these left in Thurles this morning

alastair_doom

i got one, but was reading in the manual you can only have ~49 titles on the harddrive, or on a DVD... Does that mean my 204hours of recording cannot surpass 49 episodes/music videos etc... that would be rediculous... to use up the hard drive on that setting would mean the things i record on average would have to be 4hours long each???? this is a major problem!

Or am i just crazy??

Brando_ie

FYI

Just for the crack I set up this kit over the weekend but it seems noodled!!... I tried to record to the HDD but on playback it gets to under 30 seconds playback and freezes... (3 recordings died at 16, 19 and 29 secs) and the only way to get a responce from it is to pull out the power and reboot!!.... anyone else having this woe??.... There is a footnote in the manual about poor signal will pause the recording and the thing was off an indoor reciever but picture wasn't that bad (and aertel was running okay which is the frst to suffer). I'm gunna run it off a sky box midweek and if results persit it will be back to ALDI with it. Anyone else having the same probs??.... :mad:

OMcGovern

> in the manual you can only have ~49 titles on the harddrive

I just noticed that on P32 of the manual... a bit bizarre alright, unless Tevion use there own disk format ie. not Fat32 or Ntfs. So the file index table has a limit.... bit strange though. Looks like you'd need to perform regular housekeeping when you near the limit.

> I tried to record to the HDD but on playback it gets to under 30 seconds playback and freezes

I haven't seen that... maybe you could try reformatting the hard disk for safety. There may be a few bad sectors in there.... Or perform the scandisk operation first, just to confirm that's the problem.


As for me... I've had a "blue screen of death" once !
Never thought my DVD player would print out an "assert" statement with some C source code ! But a reboot sorted it out.

Apart from that.... I'm delighted with my purchase.
Would be nice if it played Xdiv movies... as well as DivX.

jeromeof

By the way, it does play XVID's as well as DIVX's. I tried the DivXTestCD which is basically a CD with a movie trailer encoded in various combinations of versions of DIVX/XVID etc. with different resolutions and different settings. So you can really test a DIVX DVD player. The Tevion played all AVI's, except with some of the really low resolution AVI I had to press Zoom and with DIVX/XVID which had audio encoded with WMAudio I only got the picture, no sound.
The disk has lots of other formats also (Real Media, OGM, MKV, MOV) which the Tevion did not play. But based on this test, I would say it plays all the standard divx/xvid stuff from the Internet without problems.

Jerome

OMcGovern

jeromeof wrote:

...DIVX/XVID which had audio encoded with WMAudio I only got the picture, no sound.

Cheer for the DivXTestCD link.
Yeah, that's what I meant about not playing XDiv.... I found a film of mine where the video was fine, but no audio. Would require me to re-encode it to something else to play.

regards,
Owen