Archive for October, 2008
Here we go — Sharp getting in on the HDTV recorder act too
HDTV Recorder Hub
Just as Panasonic announced its plans to put out a Blu-ray recorder/player combo, now comes Sharp.
That’s right, Sharp has announced that it is going to be putting out an LCD HDTV set with a built-in Blu-Ray Disc recorder. That means you’ll be able to, in effect, use the built-in HDTV recorderto burn programs straight to disc.
The Sharp models will be known as the “DX series,” available in 26- and 25-inch sets that will cone equipped with a digital tuner. According to PC World, they’ll start shipping to the U.S. by the end of the year — quite a bit sooner than the Panasonic models, so dust off those credit cards.
HDTV Recorder Hub, your place for HDTV recorder information on the Web.
Blu-ray recorder on the way
HDTV Recorder Hub
Now THIS is some good news for HDTV recorder fans.
During the first half of 2009, Panasonic has announced that it will bring a Blu-ray DVD player and recorder to the United States market. No reports on pricing, although people who are in the know are speculating that it might start at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of about $800.
HDTV Recorder Hub, your place for HDTV recorder information on the Web.
HDTV recorder on a computer? It’s true.
HDTV Recorder Hub
It can happen! Digital convergence marches on and HDTV recorder is no exception. Just a few days ago developers at ASUS announced that they would be bringing a USB 2.0 digital TV receiver to market. That means a HDTV capable digital TV receiver you can plug into your computer, turning it into an HDTV recorder for all intents and purposes. TiVo had stepped a foot in these waters, but this is a solution that doesn’t require a TiVo subscription.
Here’s a short review here about the new ASUS device that can turn your computer into a HDTV recorder.
HDTV Recorder Hub, your place for HDTV recorder information on the Web.
More on DVD recorders as HDTV recorder
HDTV Recorder Hub
This continues my last post on hacks or alternatives for using DVR recorders as HDTV recorder:
AVCHD
It’s possible to obtain a high definition recording on a standard DVD disc (or MiniDVD, depending). The format is called AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition). AVCHD records HD format in 1080i and 720p signals by using a very efficient compression method. It was jointly developed by Panasonic and Sony.
Additionally, Panasonic and Toshiba announced in 2007 that they were going to be incorporating new technology to allow recording high definition programming on regular DVDs. There are some catches, though (aren’t there always?)
Foremost, the new technology was only going to be included in Blu-Ray and HD-DVD readers. Unfortunately those are only available for sale in Japan at present. And even if you could obtain one of these machines, the HD-DVDs can only be played back on a DVD player that’s compatible with Blu-Ray or HD-DVD formats. You can’t use a regular, standard DVD player.
Can I use a DVD recorder as an HDTV recorder?
HDTV Recorder Hub
Many people wonder whether it’s possible for a DVD recorder to function as an HDTV recorder. The short answer is no, not really. Commercial DVD formats are not the same as HDTV formats; in fact the largest resolution a DVD can display is 480p (compare this to the lowest HDTV resolution, 720p, which I talk about in my first HDTV recorder. post).
Some DVD recorders and DVD players can do what is called “upscaling” for use with HDTVs. But this is really just a gimmick; the DVD will play the picture back at the same pixel count, but without carrying any of the actual high-definition information that makes that picture look so crisp.
There are some DVD recorders that are capable of receiving digital or HDTV signals, but they’re the exception rather than the norm. Additionally, while they can receive the HDTV signals, they aren’t capable of actually recording them. These are called HDTV tuners, or Integrated HD Tuners, or DVD recorders with ATSC tuners. All these phrases mean the same thing. Though it the DVD recorder can receive an HD signal, the recording will be downscaled to standard definition for DVDs, which is 480p.
So then what CAN record – and play back – recordings at HDTV resolution? Presently, the only HDTV recorder are those offered by TIVO and cable or satellite companies – or D-VHS VCRs, which were made primarily by JVC but may not be in production anymore. At least in the United States. Blu-Ray recording technology has the capacity to be a HDTV recorder, but there are no plans to market Blu-Ray HDTV recorders in the U.S. market at present.
HDTV recorder as DVR recorder?
HDTV Recorder Hub
So, as I mentioned in my last post, there ARE some options for you if you don’t want to use TiVo or cable-box style DVRs (which I will explain in a subsequent post) as a HDTV recorder. Here’s a little more information about what they are.
At this point, you’ve gone to {insert your favorite big box store here} and you’ve selected an HDTV that suits your needs. You get it home, set it up and realize that the stuff you record off of your new HDTV just doesn’t look as sharp as it does live. Why would that be?
That’s because most standard recording devices – including DVRs – aren’t capable of recording signals in as high a resolution as you need. (I explained HDTV resolutions and HDTV recorder briefly earlier). You need a recording device that’s capable of recording not just the picture, but also the HDTV resolution along with it. That’s where we come in.
Just a few years ago, when HDTVs were first introduced to the market, HDTV recorder were nonexistent. Now, luckily, there are several options. This post will list just a few, which I will review in more detail in later posts.
D-VHS
One option for a HDTV recorder, although they’re increasingly difficult to find, is a mainstay of the 1980s and 1990s: the VHS. That’s right, a good old VCR. Digital VHS has been around for some time, and D-VHS was one of the first recording options for HDTV. It was never widely adopted because it was extremely expensive. Most models are no longer in production, although there are still a few, including JVC, Mitsubishi and Panasonic.
It may also be possible to trick out your computer well enough for it to become a HDTV recorder. With the right software, you can set up your computer to become a HDTV recorder. However, your computer will be limited to recording HD programs from a terrestrial (non-satellite or cable) antenna. Additionally, another drawback to using a computer as an HDTV recorder is the fact that it can be difficult to play the recording back at HD quality; how many people do you know who can interface their TV with their computer systems?
Blu-Ray
As I mentioned in an earlier post, some manufacturers do make a DVD recorder that can record in HDTV quality. However, they are few and far between and so far only marketed outside the United States. For instance, Toshiba makes a DVD recorder that can function as a HDTV recorder, but it is only sold in Japan. Additionally, as of Feb. 2008, Toshiba has stopped selling their HD-DVD recorders, making them likely rather difficult to obtain.
HDTV explained (have to start somewhere - HDTV recorder next)
HDTV Recorder Hub
Before I discuss the ins and outs of HDTV recorder, I’d like to discuss just what HDTV is. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and I know I was confused when I first started shopping for my own HDTV (just purchased about 3 months ago, so I’m a relative newcomer compared to all the diehard football fans out there).
In a nutshell, “high definition” means a sort of television that produces the best, sharpest picture available. HDTVs have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is the same as what you see in a movie theater. What does this mean? The “aspect ratio” is basically a measure of a screen’s width compared to its height. Think of the size of a standard, non-HDTV television set (which has an aspect ratio of 4:3, practically a square) compared to, say, a movie theater screen, which is more rectangular. You’ll notice that HDTVs are shaped like a movie theater screen; that’s because they both share the same aspect ratio.
But that’s not the only thing that defines an HDTV. Beyond having a more rectangular aspect ratio, HDTVs also have a higher resolution than “regular” TVs. HDTVs have three different kinds of resolution: 720p, 1080i and 1080p. What’s the difference between these three? Basically, these describe the amount of lines that a television can display. The more lines it can display in the same space, the greater the picture quality will be. There’s more to it than this (“p” is different than “i” for instance), but that’s a little beyond the scope of my blog. Suffice it to say that 1080p is better than 1080i. The resolution is what delivers a crisper, clearer picture than traditional televisions are able to display.
Of course, just because you’ve bought an HDTV doesn’t mean everything you watch on it will be in high definition. The signal your television is receiving must also be broadcast in high definition. There are three ways to receive high definition signals over an HDTV: over the air (often abbreviated as “OTA”), or through satellite dish or cable. Typically cable and satellite dish providers will require you to subscribe to special HDTV service at a higher monthly fee. There are an increasing number of over the air broadcasts that are sent over the airwaves in high definition, but it’s still a small percentage of the whole – mostly news programs, sports programs and some networks’ more popular series.
Now that I’ve set up the basics of what HDTV means and what it is, I’ll move on to discussing HDTV recorder.