New hi-tech thingies on the market!

Grey_Wolf · 10-26-2002, 04:58 PM

I've seen a hard disk/dvd-r "box-by-the-tv" and am waiting for it to be reduced in price from the equivalent of $800 to about $500-400 and then there is the plasma or "backlight" tv which now costs the equivalent of $7000 to be reduced in price to the more easily aquirable $900-800. Perhaps it will be quite a long wait, but who knows. What's your views on these electronic marvels of our day. Would you buy them or stick to computers with dvd-players?

Artanis · 10-27-2002, 08:39 AM

We actually bought a dvd-player yesterday (just in time for the extended LoTR version

). We ended up with a cheap player because the dvd recorders were all too expensive. But it's gonna be replaced when the price of the recorders, and even better the rewritable, go down.

What's really annoying is the different, non-compatible standards that exist for dvd-recorders. And also the zone system.

And yes, sooner or later we do end up buying those new thingies. It's inevitable. Once we have tried them, we're hooked.

Andúril · 10-27-2002, 02:14 PM

Grey_Wolf, I believe you're talking about a Personal Video Recorder. Those are pretty cool.

I intend on building a pseudo HTPC (home theatre PC) -- I say "pseudo" because it's not fully a home theatre PC, in that I won't be using it for DVD playback.

The main function will be similar to that of a Personal Video Recorder, in that it will have a TV-capture card, which accepts the video and sound signals from the satellite decoder, and outputs it to either the TV or the AV receiver. It will have a pretty big hdd (estimating around 150-200GB), which should have a fast transfer rate (maybe 9000rpm) and quick access time (<8.5ms), which will be used to record shows.

The cool thing about this is that it allows me to record a show, and then start watching the show before the show has finished (yes yes I know, you get DVD/VCR combos that have the same feature.....but it's cool anyway). Also, the HTPC software should cater for other things, such as automatic light dimming, etc. Cool stuff.

I have a DVD drive in my PC at the moment, but in comparison to seperate home theater components, it's rubbish. I've tested a number of models, through my PC monitor, Sony DRC TV, and an XGA DLP projector, but the performance can be summed up in one word -- faeces.

Therefore, I'm planning on purchasing a Harmon Kardon DVD25 player. It kicks ass, is all. Bye bye now. On your way.

Grey_Wolf · 10-27-2002, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anduril
Grey_Wolf, I believe you're talking about a Personal Video Recorder. Those are pretty cool.

I intend on building a pseudo HTPC (home theatre PC) -- I say "pseudo" because it's not fully a home theatre PC, in that I won't be using it for DVD playback.

The main function will be similar to that of a Personal Video Recorder, in that it will have a TV-capture card, which accepts the video and sound signals from the satellite decoder, and outputs it to either the TV or the AV receiver. It will have a pretty big hdd (estimating around 150-200GB), which should have a fast transfer rate (maybe 9000rpm) and quick access time (<8.5ms), which will be used to record shows.

The cool thing about this is that it allows me to record a show, and then start watching the show before the show has finished (yes yes I know, you get DVD/VCR combos that have the same feature.....but it's cool anyway). Also, the HTPC software should cater for other things, such as automatic light dimming, etc. Cool stuff.

I have a DVD drive in my PC at the moment, but in comparison to seperate home theater components, it's rubbish. I've tested a number of models, through my PC monitor, Sony DRC TV, and an XGA DLP projector, but the performance can be summed up in one word -- faeces.

Therefore, I'm planning on purchasing a Harmon Kardon DVD25 player. It kicks ass, is all. Bye bye now. On your way.

The whole system (hi-speakers placed around room and and very thin tv-screen hanging on the wall and the hdd/dvd-rw, perhaps, built into the wall) might become standard before you know it.
But, unfortunately, it's a major investment buying these things now and since I work parttime at the moment, it's gonna take some time before I even can buy the harddisk/dvd-r player (I was thinking about buying Panasonics dvd-r player first, but then I saw the add about the above-mentioned combination player which seemed really cool. So I just have to see or perhaps I'll win about same $1000-1500 at Lotto, and then the wait is finally over.

Andúril · 10-27-2002, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Grey_Wolf:
...very thin tv-screen hanging on the wall...

That's a plasma TV.

But the thing that I'm really looking foward to is HD-DVD. Mmmmmmmm.

Sween · 10-27-2002, 04:47 PM

me and my dad just spent £7300 on a 50inch plasma screen tele today

. Its fan-****ing tastic

Andúril · 10-27-2002, 04:51 PM

Nice one. What are you using as your source?

Sween · 10-27-2002, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anduril
Nice one. What are you using as your source?

whats that then. sorry we bought it we dont know much about it except pics nice

Andúril · 10-27-2002, 04:59 PM

Your source signal. DVD, satellite? If DVD, which player?

Sween · 10-27-2002, 05:04 PM

oh be used mainly for sky i reckon.

10-26-2002, 04:58 PM	#1
Grey_Wolf Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mirkwood, well actually I live in North-west Scania, Sweden Posts: 9,481	New hi-tech thingies on the market! I've seen a hard disk/dvd-r "box-by-the-tv" and am waiting for it to be reduced in price from the equivalent of $800 to about $500-400 and then there is the plasma or "backlight" tv which now costs the equivalent of $7000 to be reduced in price to the more easily aquirable $900-800. Perhaps it will be quite a long wait, but who knows. What's your views on these electronic marvels of our day. Would you buy them or stick to computers with dvd-players?

10-27-2002, 08:39 AM	#2
Artanis Greatest Elven woman of Aman Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Having way too much fun with Fëanor's 7 Posts: 4,285	We actually bought a dvd-player yesterday (just in time for the extended LoTR version ). We ended up with a cheap player because the dvd recorders were all too expensive. But it's gonna be replaced when the price of the recorders, and even better the rewritable, go down. What's really annoying is the different, non-compatible standards that exist for dvd-recorders. And also the zone system. And yes, sooner or later we do end up buying those new thingies. It's inevitable. Once we have tried them, we're hooked. __________________ --Life is hard, and then we die. Last edited by Artanis : 10-27-2002 at 08:43 AM.

10-27-2002, 04:47 PM	#6
Sween im quite stupid Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cockermouth Posts: 2,058	me and my dad just spent £7300 on a 50inch plasma screen tele today . Its fan-****ing tastic __________________ Yeah god hes ok but i would rather be judged by a sheep than that idiot

10-27-2002, 05:04 PM	#10
Sween im quite stupid Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cockermouth Posts: 2,058	oh be used mainly for sky i reckon. __________________ Yeah god hes ok but i would rather be judged by a sheep than that idiot

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10-27-2002, 02:14 PM	#3
Andúril The Original Corruptor Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,881	Grey_Wolf, I believe you're talking about a Personal Video Recorder. Those are pretty cool. I intend on building a pseudo HTPC (home theatre PC) -- I say "pseudo" because it's not fully a home theatre PC, in that I won't be using it for DVD playback. The main function will be similar to that of a Personal Video Recorder, in that it will have a TV-capture card, which accepts the video and sound signals from the satellite decoder, and outputs it to either the TV or the AV receiver. It will have a pretty big hdd (estimating around 150-200GB), which should have a fast transfer rate (maybe 9000rpm) and quick access time (<8.5ms), which will be used to record shows. The cool thing about this is that it allows me to record a show, and then start watching the show before the show has finished (yes yes I know, you get DVD/VCR combos that have the same feature.....but it's cool anyway). Also, the HTPC software should cater for other things, such as automatic light dimming, etc. Cool stuff. I have a DVD drive in my PC at the moment, but in comparison to seperate home theater components, it's rubbish. I've tested a number of models, through my PC monitor, Sony DRC TV, and an XGA DLP projector, but the performance can be summed up in one word -- faeces. Therefore, I'm planning on purchasing a Harmon Kardon DVD25 player. It kicks ass, is all. Bye bye now. On your way.

10-27-2002, 04:51 PM	#7
Andúril The Original Corruptor Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,881	Nice one. What are you using as your source?

10-27-2002, 04:59 PM	#9
Andúril The Original Corruptor Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,881	Your source signal. DVD, satellite? If DVD, which player?