HDTV Magazine Articles - 2005 HDTV Report, Part 12: HDTV Recorders

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	2005 HDTV Report, Part 12: HDTV Recorders
	By Rodolfo La Maestra Senior Technical Director Posted on October 21, 2005 Category: Products & Equipment	Newsvine Del.icio.us Save Email Print

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This is the next in a series of articles taken from the H/DTV Technology Review & CES 2005 Report by Rodolfo La Maestra, published in March 2005. If you are interested in downloading the full version of this report, it is currently available for purchase from our CES Report page.

Although there are HD DVRs included on this section, they are tuneless. The HD DVRs with tuners are included in the HD-STB section. Please refer to both sections to have a complete picture of HD DVRs.

If you are looking for a DVR that connects to a tuner you already have (as STB or as integrated TV tuner) you will need to use IEEE1394/DTCP protected digital connections to send the signal for recording.

Some units are only compatible with certain equipment, like the Symbio DVR from Toshiba, compatible only with some newer integrated TVs from Toshiba (down below).

Elgato

On June 2004, the company announced the first HDTV recorder for Mac OS X:
EyeTV 500 $350, ATSC tuner, pause, RW, FF through television while watching, record HD on Mac's HDD, EPG from Titan TV, remote programming, archive onto DVD, requires Power PC^® G4 500Mhz or G5 w/built-in 1394, 8GB HDD space per HDTV hour, DVD recording via Roxio's Toast 6 Titanium software, Internet connection for TitanTV EPG.

JVC

D-VHS
On July 2004, JVC announced two new digital D-VHS VCRs, the HM-DT100 (Aug 04, $1500) and the HM-DH5 (Jul 04, $800). The HM-DT100 features integrated HDTV tuner, HDMI, 4hr recording/playback on DF-480 tape, 5.1 DD, and all basic analog VCR functions. The HM-DH5 will have the same except for the HDTV tuner.

The other model (HM-HD40000U) details are in the CES 2004 report, and the earlier model 30000 in the CES 2003 report.

JVC Portable HDTV Recorder

On February 2004, JVC announced a new portable HDTV recorder, the model CU-VH1, TTM Feb 04, MSRP $2,000, uses standard miniDV and HDV format cassettes. Records and playback HD and SD miniDV video, and progressive HD, SD and DV 1280x720 JPEG still images stored on SD/MMC memory cards.

The unit is positioned as a post-production complement to the GR-HD1 and JY-HD10 HDTV camcorders; it will not record signals from DTV set-top-tuners. There are no plans for pre-recorded media.

Has a 3.5-inch LCD monitor (240k-pixel), iLink for non-linear editing/dubbing, HD component video outputs, SD card slot for capturing stills from tape and transferring them to a PC using a USB connection. Play back signals recorded in 720p/30fps (MPEG-2), 480p/60fps (MPEG-2), and 480i/60fps (DV).

Up-down conversion so HD recordings can be viewed on regular TVs. Frame-doubles 720p/30fps HD recordings for viewing on progressive 720p/60fps monitors, or converts 480p/60fps or 720p/30fps signals to 1080i. Downconverts 480i/p 60fps to playback on progressive or NTSC monitors. 16:9 footage can be played back on 16x9 or 4:3 letterbox modes. Recording is possible as digital-to-digital with iLink/USB (PCs), or to/from analog devices.

Mitsubishi

The company D-VHS models are included in the CES 2003 Report.

Marantz

MVS8300 D-VHS model is included in the CES 2004 Report.

Sony

Nov 04

Sony of Canada announced the HVR-M10U VTR world's first professional HDV 1080i video tape recorder that contains similar capabilities as the HVR-Z1U companion professional camcorder: Multi operation for DV, DVCAM or HDV modes, support for 1080i/60/50, NTSC or PAL scan rates, down-conversion circuit for flexible HD/SD operation, AC/DC operation, 3.5" 16:9 LCD viewer, Time Code support.
TTM Jan 05, $5150, www.hdv-info.org.

Thomson

May 04 (company announcement of 2004/5 models)

Two new RCA Scenium HD DVRs
Interface w/new integrated TV sets via IEEE-1394 connections; recognize DTCP and Broadcast Flag
DVR2160 $550, 80 hours of SD, 18 hours of HD recording
DVR2080 $450, 40 hours of SD, 9 hours of HD recording

Toshiba

May 04 (company announcement of 2004/5 models)

Toshiba introduced an HD 160GB digital video recorder (Symbio 160HD4, $500) to connect via IEEE-1394 with their integrated sets. The programming circuitry is based in part on Gemstar's TV Guide Onscreen interactive program guide, and since is built within Toshiba's fully integrated HDTV sets it makes the Symbio compatible only with those sets.

Be sure that you read the next article in the series: HD Signal Processors (Coming Soon)

Posted by Rodolfo La Maestra, October 21, 2005 05:35 AM

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About Rodolfo La Maestra

Rodolfo La Maestra is the Senior Technical Director at HDTV Magazine and participated in the HDTV vision since the late 1980's. In the late 1990's, he began tracking all HDTV consumer equipment, and since 2002 he authors the annual HDTV Technology Review report covering HDTVs, Hi-def DVD, content providers, broadcast, cable, satellite, government, standards, connectivity, content protection, H/DTV tuners and DVRs, etc. In addition Rodolfo has authored a variety tutorials, books, and educative articles for HDTV Magazine, DVDetc, and HDTVetc Magazines, Veritas et Visus Newsletter, Display Search, and served as technical consultant/editor for the "Reference Guide" and the "HDTV Glossary of Terms" for HDTVetc and HDTV Magazines. In 2004, he began recording a weekly HDTV technology program for MD Cable television, which by 2006 reached the rating of second most viewed by the public, here is the opening episode.

Rodolfo's background encompasses Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, and Audio and Video Electronics, over 4,700 hours of professional training, a BS in Computer and Information Systems, and over thirty professional and post-graduate certifications, some from American, George Washington, and MIT Universities. Rodolfo was also Computer Science professor for over 700 students in five institutions between 1966-1973 in Argentina, for IBM, Burroughs, and Honeywell mainframes. After 38 years of computer systems career, Rodolfo retired in 2003 as Chief of Systems Development from the Inter-American Development Bank where he directed 65 software-development computer professionals, supporting member countries in north/central/south America 24x7.

In parallel, from 1998 he helped the public with his other career of audio/video electronics. Rodolfo started with hi-end audio in the early 60’s and merged with Home Theater video, multichannel audio, widescreen laser disc, anamorphic DVD, 16x9 NTSC displays, HDTV, Hi-def DVD, IPTV, HDMI, and 2.35:1 Cinemascope HD Home Theater over the past 40+ years.

When HDTV started airing in November 1998, he was an early adopter of HDTV and realized that the technology as implemented would overwhelm regular consumers due to its complexity, and it certainly does even today. Rodolfo then launched his HDTV mission of educating and helping consumers understand the complexity, the challenge, and the beauty of the technology, so the public learns to appreciate HDTV not just as another television.