Does a DVD Recorder work the same as a DVR?

Question

We're looking at purchasing a DVD recorder, but before we get it we can't figure out if it does the same thing as a DVR (like a TiVo). In other words, can we just save something on the DVD Recorder's hard drive or do we HAVE to copy it to a disk to be able to watch it?

Answer 1

Hi Iwant,

No a DVD recorder records onto DVDs. It is nothing like a DVR. A DVR doesn't even have a hard drive.

The DVR uses a hard drive to record programs and can not use or make DVDs.

Norm.

Answer 2

I assume that you are looking at a DVD recorder that includes a hard drive like the "Philips 160GB Hard Drive DVD Recorder" that Walmart carries.

This unit programs like a VCR. When you program a recording, there is a setting for "DVD" or "HDD", if you tell it to record to DVD and forget to put a blank DVD in the recorder, it will automatically record the program to the hard drive.

Page 44 of the manual (linked below) describes this.

You can watch the recording directly from the hard drive. You can ignore the DVD part of the machine if don't need it.

Walmart also has a cheaper Polaroid unit but the user comments on the Walmart web site & AVS forums are not very good.

A TIVO has a much nicer user interface. But if you don't want a monthly fee and VCR style programing is good enough, this unit looks good.

Answer 3

often no longer. A DVR in maximum situations parlance documents to a frustrating disk force, jointly as a DVD recorder documents to optical DVD media. Technically, DVD stands for digital Video Recorder, and a DVD recorder and an HDD based video recorders the two adventure that factor era. interior the actual international, DVD recorders are often third party contraptions you employ inclusive of your present television/Video source, and DVRs genrally come from the service and checklist basically from them, and have expenditures linked with their use, even although there are some third party HDD based DVRs or DVR/HDD mixtures that is used with various sources, like a DVD-recorder or VCR can.

Answer 4

No, it does not. It works more like a VCR. You can record directly or program a recording to a DVD.

I own a DVD recorder and love it. I can record shows to DVD and watch them later.

I also own a DVR. I use the DVD recorder to record programs that conflict with the maximum of two shows I can record on the DVR.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

A DVD recorder is like a VCR for DVDs. You do not have a hard drive to record shows to. You just record the show while it is taping or schedule it to tape later. But it burns it directly to your DVD.

If you want to do that the TIVO/DVD combo is better. Quite frankly it is much better period because of all the things it does. For info see:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmRp1hWLClA2iSvRJbmx05Lsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071007122106AA5ja2Y&show=7#profile-info-afea8a805b900fbe679c47e123fa6a9faa

It will tell you all about the TIVO and have links to find more info. I would go with the Panasonic we have had ours for about 3 years and no troubles at all!

Good Luck!