Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
TVONICS DTR-Z500HD
168 views
Skip to first unread message
mikeos
Aug 26, 2012, 6:23:51 PM8/26/12
to
Has anybody had any experience in this HD recorder? Richer Sounds are
selling it for �120.
selling it for �120.
Brian Gaff
Aug 27, 2012, 3:40:36 AM8/27/12
to
Only that the liquidator must be getting desperate.
Brian
--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -
bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"mikeos" <mik...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:x9idnWd_h51kPKfN...@bt.com...
Brian
--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -
bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"mikeos" <mik...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:x9idnWd_h51kPKfN...@bt.com...
Clem Dye
Aug 28, 2012, 1:11:13 PM8/28/12
to
On 27/08/2012 08:40, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Only that the liquidator must be getting desperate.
> Brian
>
Walk away. The boxes will not get any further support. The last software
> Only that the liquidator must be getting desperate.
> Brian
>
release still has some annoying bugs.
I suppose at £120 that's £10/month if it lasts. You should be covered by
the Sale of Goods Act but if it goes wrong it will be hassle getting it
repaired, so I think it pointless investing time and hard earned money
in something that is definitely end of life. There are EPG changes on
the way, and I have no idea if my HD500 will handle the changes or fall
in a heap.
I wouldn't waste my time.
Clem
mikeos
Aug 28, 2012, 1:43:28 PM8/28/12
to
looks fine. Firmware downloads are still available from the TVonics site.
Jed
Aug 28, 2012, 6:07:51 PM8/28/12
to
"mikeos" <mik...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:w--dnZxmN6ncnqDN...@bt.com...
support for playing .avi files off a Usb stick. Got one of these instead:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271045737364&clk_rvr_id=380933701225#ht_1959wt_1199
(A 'refurbished' Technika 8320HD Smartbox from Tesco Ebay Outlet for 50
quid)
The Other Mike
Aug 28, 2012, 6:09:04 PM8/28/12
to
On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 23:23:51 +0100, mikeos <mik...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Has anybody had any experience in this HD recorder? Richer Sounds are
>selling it for £120.
Possibly, as the five year guarantee will only cost 12 quid and if it goes
>Has anybody had any experience in this HD recorder? Richer Sounds are
>selling it for £120.
tits-up Richer Sounds should replace it with something equivalent.
I've mixed feelings about TVonics.
Their freeview recorder was built like a brick shithouse and was very good in
poor signal areas but even with a good signal they often failed to fully
populate the EPG unless you changed channels and powered off on BBC1 one night
and ITV/C4 the next. Lockups and crashes still happen from time to time, easily
fixed with total removal of power for a few seconds.
Their 'Prism' very compact Freeview receiver that for some reason is not even
shown on their website has problems with the surface mounted electrolytic
capacitors.
--
Mortimer
Aug 29, 2012, 5:36:46 AM8/29/12
to
"The Other Mike" <rootpa...@somewhereorother.com> wrote in message
news:8mfq38pm9uuqvhjtc...@4ax.com...
We've got a TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview recorder and it works well.
My only criticisms are:
- if you pause a recording and then resume playing, it jumps several seconds
randomly in one direction or the other, which makes it difficult for
transcribing successive screens of credits for IMDB and other databases
(though this *is* a slightly specialised use!)
- sometimes after pausing, the sound and video get out of sync and you need
to stop (as opposed to pause) and then start playing again
- like so many Freeview recorders it records to a proprietary disc format in
a proprietary file format, which means that you are dependent on the box
continuing to work - you can't transplant the disc into another device to
watch any recordings
The PSU developed a fault which meant it delivered the correct voltage under
no load (eg voltmeter) but under-voltage (and maybe with ripple) when
loaded. This meant that it failed to access the disc (insufficient power to
spin the motor?) but accessed the menus. Someone suggested a new PSU which
did the trick.
Enhancements that I'd have liked:
- USB port to copy recorded programmes to memory stick and/or to play
programmes recorded elsewhere, with support for Microsoft Media Centre file
formats (dvr-ms and wtv) as well as plain MPG which lacks metadata such as
episode title and plot summary.
It's a great shame that there don't seem to be any standalone media players
that can handle dvr-ms and wtv; to play these you need a PC and MS Media
Player/Centre or VLC player. Our BluRay player can play from USB disk and
pen drive, even in NTFS, but only if you convert programmes to MPG :-(
news:8mfq38pm9uuqvhjtc...@4ax.com...
My only criticisms are:
- if you pause a recording and then resume playing, it jumps several seconds
randomly in one direction or the other, which makes it difficult for
transcribing successive screens of credits for IMDB and other databases
(though this *is* a slightly specialised use!)
- sometimes after pausing, the sound and video get out of sync and you need
to stop (as opposed to pause) and then start playing again
- like so many Freeview recorders it records to a proprietary disc format in
a proprietary file format, which means that you are dependent on the box
continuing to work - you can't transplant the disc into another device to
watch any recordings
The PSU developed a fault which meant it delivered the correct voltage under
no load (eg voltmeter) but under-voltage (and maybe with ripple) when
loaded. This meant that it failed to access the disc (insufficient power to
spin the motor?) but accessed the menus. Someone suggested a new PSU which
did the trick.
Enhancements that I'd have liked:
- USB port to copy recorded programmes to memory stick and/or to play
programmes recorded elsewhere, with support for Microsoft Media Centre file
formats (dvr-ms and wtv) as well as plain MPG which lacks metadata such as
episode title and plot summary.
It's a great shame that there don't seem to be any standalone media players
that can handle dvr-ms and wtv; to play these you need a PC and MS Media
Player/Centre or VLC player. Our BluRay player can play from USB disk and
pen drive, even in NTFS, but only if you convert programmes to MPG :-(
The Other Mike
Aug 30, 2012, 11:03:56 AM8/30/12
to
On Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:36:46 +0100, "Mortimer" <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>We've got a TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview recorder and it works well.
>
>My only criticisms are:
>
>- if you pause a recording and then resume playing, it jumps several seconds
>randomly in one direction or the other, which makes it difficult for
>transcribing successive screens of credits for IMDB and other databases
>(though this *is* a slightly specialised use!)
Yes, you need HD, and a screen magnifier (or alternatively a club to hit the
>We've got a TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview recorder and it works well.
>
>My only criticisms are:
>
>- if you pause a recording and then resume playing, it jumps several seconds
>randomly in one direction or the other, which makes it difficult for
>transcribing successive screens of credits for IMDB and other databases
>(though this *is* a slightly specialised use!)
a$$holes who shrink credits and speak over them for fun)
>- sometimes after pausing, the sound and video get out of sync and you need
>to stop (as opposed to pause) and then start playing again
DVR-250 and the Wharfedale badged WDTR160 have a similar fault on fast
forwarding through adverts, the sound will go out of sync. A pause for a few
seconds followed by play fixes it.
--
Mortimer
Aug 30, 2012, 11:33:03 AM8/30/12
to
"The Other Mike" <rootpa...@somewhereorother.com> wrote in message
news:p50v38hovuq5im9gh...@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:36:46 +0100, "Mortimer" <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>>We've got a TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview recorder and it works well.
>>
>>My only criticisms are:
>>
>>- if you pause a recording and then resume playing, it jumps several
>>seconds
>>randomly in one direction or the other, which makes it difficult for
>>transcribing successive screens of credits for IMDB and other databases
>>(though this *is* a slightly specialised use!)
>
> Yes, you need HD, and a screen magnifier (or alternatively a club to hit
> the
> a$$holes who shrink credits and speak over them for fun)
Oh I think beating them with a club is *far* too lenient :-)
>
>>We've got a TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview recorder and it works well.
>>
>>My only criticisms are:
>>
>>- if you pause a recording and then resume playing, it jumps several
>>seconds
>>randomly in one direction or the other, which makes it difficult for
>>transcribing successive screens of credits for IMDB and other databases
>>(though this *is* a slightly specialised use!)
>
> Yes, you need HD, and a screen magnifier (or alternatively a club to hit
> the
> a$$holes who shrink credits and speak over them for fun)
The only channel which can be a real pain for this is Yesterday which
sometimes shrinks the credits to postage stamp size. Very often, if they
repeat the programme later in the day, they don't, so I often set both
programmes to record. Even when they are shrunken, I can often guess from
the shape of words what the names are if I already know likely people who
have done similar jobs on other episodes or if I know the cast but not the
correct credit order.
0 new messages