New DVD Recorder with 16:9 flag selection?
 

Hello,

I was wondering if any of the newer DVD recorders have a manual setting for the 16:9 flag like the old Pioneer DVR-7000?

It is labeled "Screen Size for Record" on the video menu.

I was eyeing both the Magnavox H2160MW9 or the Panasonic DMR-EZ28K units, but I think neither of these models have a manual flag setting.

Does anyone know of a newer model that does?

Thanks,

Peter

Sometimes, if you set the machine to 16:9 in all available settings (generally display/tuner settings), it makes a 16:9 recording that plays fine on another 4:3 TV set. I can test out my Philip 3575, and see what it does.

as long as a recorder doesnt auto letterbox and only makes a squished 4:3 picture. just put the vob file on your computer remove the commercials with mpegvcr. then save it to .mpg. Once done with that use tmpgenc plus 2.5 and click file mpeg tools. Once there click Simple de-multiplex to extract the audio into 1 file and the video into another file with a .m2v extention. Once you get the .m2v extention you need a free program called Restream which puts the video right back to normal 16:9 the way you seen it on tv. doesnt compress or anything just fixes the flag back to 16:9.

All you do is load the file into restream and change 4:3 to 16:9 and click convert takes 5-15 seconds depending on speed of computer. Once you have the saves fixed video file you need to put the audio and video back into one file. Use a program called Mpeg Video WIzard. You can just grab and drop each file (fixed Video + Audio File) into the right slot and hit record. That will give you the final mpeg back in 16:9 format and look great.

Now if you got a cable box or dvd recorded that puts in to 4:3 and letterbox it so its still widescreen but only if you have a 4:3 tv and not on a 16:9 Which sucks since most people these days have widescreen tv. It will be a letterbox 4:3 recording on a regular tv. which is fine but played back on a 16:9 tv you get something called Window Boxed. Which means black on top/bottom and the left and right.

If you are lucky and the recording is only squished and you fix it with the method i say it will fit perfectly on a widescreen 16:9 tv and also automatically letterbox when played on a 4:3 tv making it perfect for any tv type.

Do please let me know your results. Thanks :)

Thanks for the info on Restream. I have it on my computer now. I do have a couple of "Anamorphic Widescreen" recorded DVD-R's, with the aspect wrongly set at 4:3. My crappy Lite On LVW-5005 did not set the 16:9 flag when I recorded these discs from DirecTV.

Think this just might to the trick.

However, I would still love to find a newer DVD recorder where I can manually set the "Screen Size for Record" to 16:9, and then have the DVD-R's display correctly right out of the recorder.

I just got in the JVC DR-M100S unit. I played with the settings and here is what I have found.

Whatever you select for the "Monitor Type" (in the function set up menu) has no effect on setting the flag for your recordings. It just changes the appearance for playback.

But the good news is, if my source material is flagged correctly, it carries that correct aspect ratio onto my DVD-R discs.

If I am pulling an "Anamorphic Widescreen" feed from my JVC HM-DT100 D-VHS vcr, it automatically sets the 16:9 flag.

If I am pulling a 4:3 feed through the JVC, it also is properly set at 4:3 on the discs.

If I am pulling 4:3 right from the Fios box, it also correctly sets at 4:3.

But here is where the problem sets in. If I have to use my TBC unit to override a "Copy Once" or "Copy Never" flag, I lose the 16:9 flag in the process. I have to then use my Pioneer and set the "Screen Size For Record" to 16:9 to get it to come out right.

If someone knows of a newer DVD recorder, with an HDMI out, that will allow me to MANUALLY set the flag like the old Pioneer DVR-7000, please let me know.

Thanks,

Peter

i wish they had an hdmi input dvd recorder.. cant wait for bluray recorders to come to the usa

Given many factors, Blu-ray recorders are unlikely in the USA. Don't expect much outside of Japan. Europe may get it before North America does.