which jvc dvd recorder to buy?
 

DR-M150S
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=

DR-M100
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=

DR-MH20
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=

DR-MH200S
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=

DR-MH50EK
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=

DR-MH300SEK
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=

DR-MX1SEK
http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=...&catid=18&lid=


i'm trying to get the DR-M100. but this seems to be an older model and there aren't too many high street stores stocking these units. yes, i know i can purchase one of these on the web, but i'd rather get one locally in case i run into problems.

so my question is which of the above models give as good results as the DR-M100?

do they all have the LSI chip that lord smurf likes so much?

i'm not bothered by the models that have a vcr attached, like DR-MX1SEK.

also, can i get a dvd recorder with a small hard drive, then mod it myself?

is there a model that i should NOT get?

any help would be appreciated.

I'm sure Smurf will answer about the LSI chip, but I would expect they all still have them. As far as the model goes, it really depends on the budget and what you want to do with it.

I know LS isn't a fan of the VCR combos (and I'm not either technically) but that's the unit I have. I got it at a steal of a price from an old employer. The VCR on it is quite picky, but the built in DNR and TBC really cleans up some tapes (and not others).

All the models you listed would be great, as they go up in price you're just getting a few extra bells and whistles or Hard Drive space. Again, it depends on what you want it for.

If you just want to record a few shows or tapes, the basic unit would be great. You can record your shows down to DVD-RW and then re-author them on a computer. That's what several of us on the board do.

If you record several shows, the hard drive unit might work better for you. If you record too many shows, the unit with a 250GB hard drive would be what you want. If I didn't have a TiVo unit, this would be something that I would look at. It's much easier to record DVDs when you want to, rather than rely on the timer.

Anyway, JVC will hands down give you the best recording quality and any of the units would be great.

ta man. i'll think hard, and decide either to go for the basic 100S or the one with the smallest hard drive. might have to upgrade in 12 to 18 months time if hdtv takes off.

I own a DR-M10S and a DR-M100S. I really enjoy the quality of both, and I totally enjoy the stability of the 100S (timer recordings work wonderfully). I ran out of DVD-RW discs last week, so I've just been timer recording on some 16x MCC Verbatim DVD-R's instead. Hard drives sound cool, but they fill up fast, and I don't always have time to tinker with cleaning the drive off onto discs. I just assume stack up discs on a spindle and worry about it later. I was gone a whole week, and I did about 3½ hours on a single disc (mix of FR185 and LP). No need for a hard drive, not for me.

Now my mother, I got her a DVD recorder with a hard drive. But she uses it like a TIVO, she's never made a single disc in the 4 months she's had it.

ta lordy.

i'm going to ask another noddy question here rather than creating another thread.

Q: why-o-why is it so difficult to buy jvc products in london?

the main electrical outlets tend to stock panansonic & sony (and others) than jvc. or at least they don't stock a good range.

as i found it difficult to source the DR-M100S locally, i went for an online transaction with digitaldirectonline.

ordered on tuesday, delivered on wednesday. so far so good.
took it out of box, plugged it in. did the auto setup.
thought everything was looking rosy.

guess what? for some unknown reason, machines shuts down. for good!

no blinking lights, no nothing. just does not power/boot up.

it always happens to me!

anyway, if any of you know a good electrical outlet that stocks a broad range of jvc machines in london please let me know.

oh, and don't quote tottenham court road as everything will be £100 more expensive!

I don't know. In the USA, all you can find in stores is junk like Panasonic and Cyberhome. To get better equipment, you usually have to buy online. If you're like me, and you live in one of the largest cities, then you have many stores at your fingertips, and usually a couple of them carry the units in stores, though it still takes effort to find them.