Recording television shows to watch at a later time is one of the most useful aspects of any home entertainment system. While personal video recorders (PVRs) and digital video recorder (DVRs) are readily available from a satellite or cable provider, consumers looking to save a few dollars a month can purchase their own DVD recorders. Not only do these units record television shows for later viewing, but the also burn the shows to DVD so they can be enjoyed on any number of portable devices, which makes them perfect for anyone looking to enjoy their shows in a variety of locations. Here is a look at four of the best DVD recorders available:
Magnavox MDR515H/F7
The Magnavox MDR515H/F7 is available for $248. This unit is designed to accept a variety of media formats. The real selling point and buying point for this unit is the 500GB hard drive that can store monstrous amounts of programming before burning them to disc. While the Magnavox MDR515H/F7 comes equipped with up converting technology, which allows for some high quality recordings. Basically, this is a great unit for day-to-day recording and even features the ability to pause, rewind, or fast forward any program that is being recorded.
Toshiba DR430
The Toshiba DR430 is available for $125.99. This is an entry level recorder that features one-touch recording ability. It comes equipped with an HDMI output and a USB port, but with no digital tuner it needs to be hooked into the system properly. Still, the relatively low purchase price provides a way to record television shows much the same way as the trusty old VCR once did. The Toshiba DR430 is designed to accept a wide variety of media formats, which means just about any blank DVD can be used in conjunction with the burning function.
Magnavox MDR513H/F7
The Magnavox MDR513H/F7 is very similar to the MDR515H/F7 with the exception of being available for $219.00 and a smaller 160GB hard drive. Because of the smaller hard drive, shows need to be transferred to DVD sooner. Therefore, any potential buyer should be aware that while 160GB of memory seems like a lot, that space can fill up fast when recording in high definition. Still the digital tuner makes this a snap to install, and it also performs the same high quality recording and burning process. This is a quality unit that can replace a company provided DVR.
Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK
The Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK is capable of recording music, movies, and television shows. This is a nice unit with a digital tuner, which makes completing the connection process fairly simple. The main advantage to this unit is the presence of an SD card reader and a USB port that allows for viewing pictures or video clips directly on the television an easy process. The Panasonic DMR-EX48VK is also designed to support a wide variety of blank media, which eliminates any confusion in the shopping process. This particular unit is available for $299.99.
