Please help: How to record tv shows for old forks?

[michaely]

My old forks like watching those taiwanese shows on tv and would like to record the shows.

Is there a simple method where they can record and playback the shows easily?

Just like last time when using vcr recorder, set the channel, start & end time and that's it. When want to watch, just press rewind and then play.

I know I can do it using the computer but my old forks doesn't know how to use a computer. I need something that is very easy to operate.

Please recommend me a cheap and simple method.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Get a DVD recorder...but these are dated also.
Get a harddisk recorder........if you got Starhub cable then get their Hubstation set top box.

 

[michaely]

Get a DVD recorder...but these are dated also.
Get a harddisk recorder........if you got Starhub cable then get their Hubstation set top box.

Thanks, I'll look into DVD or HDD recorder.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Thanks, I'll look into DVD or HDD recorder.

but these operations are a tad more complicated than VCR controls.
i had the same problem back then when the VCR died on me......had to source for a 2nd hand VCR from neighbouring countries.....and even after that set konked out........had to re-educate the old folks with the DVD thingy then later upgraded to HDD.

 

[michaely]

but these operations are a tad more complicated than VCR controls.
i had the same problem back then when the VCR died on me......had to source for a 2nd hand VCR from neighbouring countries.....and even after that set konked out........had to re-educate the old folks with the DVD thingy then later upgraded to HDD.

Bro, since you're already using DVD/HDD recorder, can tell me the price range? I just need a very basic one.

 

[god_zeus]

Get a DVD recorder...but these are dated also.
Get a harddisk recorder........if you got Starhub cable then get their Hubstation set top box.

no lah
DVD recorder and HDD learning curve is too steep for old pple
have done that
in the end
I 'comb' the whole of sim lim square
and manage to get a old style VCR
the shop that has a big JVC logo on it sell jvc VCR at S$150

wehn u wind or rewind a VHS tape, the tape position remains the same

when u 'rewind' a DVD , and u swithch off your DVD recorder, the 'position changes
old folk cant cope nor understand this change

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Bro, since you're already using DVD/HDD recorder, can tell me the price range? I just need a very basic one.

if you can still find a new DVD recorder i think can be had for slightly below $200.
HDD should be in the range of $300-400.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

no lah
DVD recorder and HDD learning curve is too steep for old pple
have done that
in the end
I 'comb' the whole of sim lim square
and manage to get a old style VCR
the shop that has a big JVC logo on it sell jvc VCR at S$150

wehn u wind or rewind a VHS tape, the tape position remains the same

when u 'rewind' a DVD , and u swithch off your DVD recorder, the 'position changes
old folk cant cope nor understand this change

yes i faced same problem.....at first taught the maid......after the maid went back no choice got to re-educate the old folks.........took a while but they still cannot manage timer recording.....

 

[michaely]

no lah
DVD recorder and HDD learning curve is too steep for old pple
have done that
in the end
I 'comb' the whole of sim lim square
and manage to get a old style VCR
the shop that has a big JVC logo on it sell jvc VCR at S$150

wehn u wind or rewind a VHS tape, the tape position remains the same

when u 'rewind' a DVD , and u swithch off your DVD recorder, the 'position changes
old folk cant cope nor understand this change

Ya lor, that's why I also headache, don't know how to do it for them.

I looking for something easy to operate so that they can do it themselves, if every time need me around, den pointless lor.

Oops, sorry guys, I misspell "folks" as "forks", my apology :(

 

[michaely]

if you can still find a new DVD recorder i think can be had for slightly below $200.
HDD should be in the range of $300-400.

Thanks Bro, if really can't find another simpler method, den no choice get a simple DVD recorder for my old folks to "play" first, see whether they can adapt to the new technology.

 

[johnny333]

Thanks, I'll look into DVD or HDD recorder.

At Best Denki you'll find LG & Panasonic HDD recorders. I have the one from LG & I find it is quite confusing to use as I have to refer to the manual on how to record:o However I don't record on a regular basis so each time it's a novel experience I got it because it was cheaper. However, I regret not having tried before buying because the Panasonic model might have a better user interface.

So if you know someone who has one, go try it out. Or get a salesman to show you the recording feature.

 

[michaely]

At Best Denki you'll find LG & Panasonic HDD recorders. I have the one from LG & I find it is quite confusing to use as I have to refer to the manual on how to record:o However I don't record on a regular basis so each time it's a novel experience I got it because it was cheaper. However, I regret not having tried before buying because the Panasonic model might have a better user interface.

So if you know someone who has one, go try it out. Or get a salesman to show you the recording feature.

Thanks Bro, if people like us from the same generation find it "confusing", den I think my old folks can't handle it.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

well its seems everyone had the same problem....
back then i was hunting high and low for VCR.....nowhere to be found not even 2nd hand ones......but new VCR tapes still being sold at the shops.
i was desperate until a bro told me found one previously used for CCTV.....only setback it was in black and white....LPPL

 

[Buckethead]

no lah
DVD recorder and HDD learning curve is too steep for old pple
.............

Same over here, bought 1 LG HDD recorder for my father but in the end I'm using, it's too difficult for them to understand for menu driven operations.
Hope some manufacturer can produce same like VCR recorder....just the buttons will do....

 

[chonburifc]

Guys, think I ever saw plenty of VCR in Kiat Sng Gio (Ice Bridge) flea market 4-5 years ago. Think should be able to find some old working VCR machine there.

 

[Conqueror]

DVD Rec Going To Phase Out Soon

Get a DVD recorder...but these are dated also.
Get a harddisk recorder........if you got Starhub cable then get their Hubstation set top box.

I was sad to learn that even the DVD recorder is going to become a thing of the past very soon. The salesmen at Courts said that that was because everyone is watching on the net ? Oo yah boh !

Now, the only producer is LG - no one else. Take it or leave it. Future = zero dvd rec.

 

[god_zeus]

Guys, think I ever saw plenty of VCR in Kiat Sng Gio (Ice Bridge) flea market 4-5 years ago. Think should be able to find some old working VCR machine there.

sim lim sauare 2nd story , the shop with JVC logo seem to be JVC sole agent
they are selling the JVC VHS recorder atS$150

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: DVD Rec Going To Phase Out Soon

HDD still around. Its the same function. Can record without hassle of DVD discs. Another feature better than DVD recorder is you can start to watch the show as it is recording.

http://www.lg.com/sg/tv-audio-video/images/lg-video-RH387H-front-medium.jpg[/IMG


[COLOR="blue"]I was sad to learn that even the DVD recorder is going to become a thing of the past very soon. The salesmen at Courts said that that was because everyone is watching on the net ? Oo yah boh !

Now, the only producer is LG - no one else. Take it or leave it. Future = zero dvd rec.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

 

[Conqueror]

It Will Be Gone Tomorrow !

HDD still around. Its the same function. Can record without hassle of DVD discs. Another feature better than DVD recorder is you can start to watch the show as it is recording.

HDD ? From what I see is that Courts only keep stock for one make (LG) and one model ONLY. They say that no one is producing it since there is no visible sales (low in demand).

Future ? LG is also going to stop production very soon. So, if you want to buya DVD HDD recorder, buy it now while stock last. No more means only few years spare parts if it ever conk after some years.


The Case of the Disappearing DVD Recorder
Why DVD Recorders are Getting So Hard to Find

Have you shopped for a DVD Recorder recently and have found slim-pickins on store shelves? It is not your imagination. While DVD recorders are thriving in other parts of the World and Blu-ray Disc recorders are all the rage in Japan, and are being introduced in several other markets, the U.S. is being left out of the video recording equation; on purpose.
However, contrary to what you might think, it is not all the fault of Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and other Asian-based consumer electronics manufacturers. After all, they would love to sell as many DVD and Blu-ray Disc recorders as possible to anyone who wants to buy one.

The real reason that DVD recorders are scarce in the U.S., and Blu-ray Disc recorders are non-existent, can be squarely laid at the foot of the U.S. movie studios and cable/satellite providers, which place restrictions on video recording that make the continued selling new DVD recorders, let alone providing access to standalone Blu-ray Disc recorders, in the U.S. consumer market an increasingly unprofitable venture.

Copy-Protection and Recording Cable/Satellite Programming

Most consumers buy a DVD recorder to record television programs for later viewing. So how are movie studios and cable/satellite program providers conspiring to limit your access to such video recording? The implementation of a copy-protection scheme that severely restricts what you can record and how you can record it.

For example, HBO and some other cable and network programmers copy-protect most of their programs on a random basis. The type of copy protection that they use (referred to as "Record Once") allows an initial recording to a temporary storage device (such as to a hard drive of a DVD recorder/Hard Drive combo, a cable DVR, TIVO, but not necessarily to a permanent storage format, such as DVD). In addition, once you have made your recording to cable DVR, TIVO, or Hard Drive, you are not allowed to make a copy of the initial recording to a DVD or VHS.

In other words, while you can make a recording to temporary storage format, such as DVR-type device, you cannot make a "hard copy" onto DVD to add to your permanent collection. "Record Once" means recording once on a temporary storage medium, not to a hard copy, such as DVD.

As a result, consumers are finding out quickly that newer DVD recorders and DVD Recorder/VHS combo units are unable record programs from HBO or other premium channels, and definitely not Pay-Per-View or On-Demand programming ("Record Never"), due to the types of copy-protection employed to restrict recording onto DVD. This is also filtering into some of the non-premium cable channels.

This isn't the fault of the DVD recorder, or the DVD recorder manufacturer; it is the enforcement of copy-protection schemes required by the movie studios and other content providers, which is also backed up legal court rulings. It is a "Catch 22". You have the right to record, but the content owners and providers also have the legal right to protect copyrighted content from being recorded. As a result, the ability to make a hard-copy recording may be prevented.

TECH NOTE: There is no way around the "Record Once" copy-protection scheme used by broadcasters and cable/satellite providers unless you use a DVD Recorder that can record on a DVD-RW disc in VR Mode or a DVD-RAM format disc that is CPRM compatible (look on the package). However, keep in mind that DVD-RW VR Mode or DVD-RAM recorded discs are not playable on most DVD players (just Panasonic and few others - refer to user manuals).

The Cable/Satellite DVR Factor

As mentioned above, cable/satellite DVRs and TIVO do allow recording of most content (except for pay-per-view and on-demand programming). However, since the recordings are made on a hard drive instead of a disc, they are not permanently saved (unless you have an extremely large hard drive). This is acceptable to movie studios and other content providers as further copies of the hard drive recording cannot be made.

This state of affairs is also a profit center for cable/Satellite service providers as they can lease or rent DVRs and also offer video "on demand" services that they can charge their subscribers. Since the DVR is required in order to record "Record Once" programming, the consumer is locked into this added expense if the they want the ability to record many of the of their favorite shows and movies.

Of course, if you own the increasingly scarce DVD recorder/Hard Drive combination, you should be able to record your program onto the Hard Drive of the DVD Recorder/Hard Drive Combo, but if copy-protection is implemented within the program, you will be prevented from making a copy of your hard drive recording to DVD.

Where are the Blu-ray Disc Recorders?

There are no current plans to market standalone Blu-ray Disc recorders for consumers in the U.S market. One factor contributing to this state of affairs is the increasing use of TIVO and Cable/Satellite DVRs in the U.S., which is perceived by Asian-based manufacturers to affect the potential competitive success of Blu-ray as a recording option.

In addition, copy-protection concerns and potential piracy have the movie studios "paranoid" about mainstream consumers having the ability to record high definition video content that can be saved in permanent hard-copy format, such as Blu-ray Disc.

Video copy-protection and the DVR factor are the main reasons why standalone Blu-ray Disc recorders are not available in the U.S., although they are plentiful in Japan and are being introduced elsewhere. The manufacturers simply don't want to hassle the expense of complying with the recording restrictions imposed in the U.S. market.

For more details on the Blu-ray Disc Recorder issue, read my article: Are There Blu-ray Disc Recorders?

A Final Word

Although not all TV, cable, and satellite programming is currently affected by "Record Once" or "Record Never" copy-protection schemes, and can still be recorded using a DVD recorder (although you often won't know until you find out if the program was able to be recorded), the era of widespread video recording of TV, cable and satellite programs onto a tape or disc format is coming to end.

So next time you go shopping for a DVD Recorder, don't be surprised at the slim-pickins. It is all part of the "plan".

For an additional technical explanation and perspective on the issues revolving around video recording and copy-protection, also read the article: Understanding Copy Protection (About.com DVRs).


StarHub or Sing n Tell song boh ?

 

[laksaboy]

Re: It Will Be Gone Tomorrow !

Only in America, with the recording/movie industry mafia and their lobbyists, could pressure the US govt into restricting fair use.

Even recording sounds/music on PCs is getting restricted. Some audio drivers are removing the function to record 'what you hear on the speakers'. You won't find the 'Stereo Mix' option in your volume control settings.

http://www.code-it.com/record_speaker_output.htm