Hard drive recorders
 

So with the demise of my VCR last week it's time to step up into a HD recorder.

So I'm looking for one with at least the following features -

Hard disc recorder
DVD player burner
Digital tuner
Budget - preferably round $500, willing to spend up to $750.

Recommendations on brands/models?

Recommendations on where to buy?

Dont buy a sansui. I got one about 18 months ago and it has been sitting on a shelf in the spare room for probably close to a year. I lost the reciept so cant prove how long ago I bought it. Looks like a capacitor has ruptured and spewed brown goo all over the power supply board. Seems to be a common prob with them too from what I gather.

I bought my parentals a Pioneer one. Haven't heard any complaints back yet, so that means it either works good or they haven't worked out how to turn it on :D

build an HTPC

or there are some new ones at Harvey Norman, our (Ozzie) version of a Tivo, they'll interface with an Iphone so you can program anywhere and anytime, pretty cool, and around your price range, big HDD too...

PM for contact if you like

I recommend LG.
From a reliability & repairability point of view. They are pretty good.
In the end though, stick to the better known brands, the cheaper unknown brands are tempting...sometimes....
They may work fine for what you want, but are well known for causing a sizable headache when repairs are/if/when needed.

beyonwiz p1 or mac mini with a tuner card

U can get a Beyonwiz P2 for round $750. I bought one but cant comment on how good they are yet as its still in the box waiting to be unwrapped.

[QUOTE=bdazzld]build an HTPC

or there are some new ones at Harvey Norman, our (Ozzie) version of a Tivo, they'll interface with an Iphone so you can program anywhere and anytime, pretty cool, and around your price range, big HDD too...

PM for contact if you like[/QUOTE]

But you cant transfer to DVD...

Take a look at MythTV. Shits all over Tivo.

Panasonic i Use has Twin High def tuners, 250gig Hdd, and also dvd burner, so u can record to hdd while watching another show as well as back those shows up to disc.

we also use it as our dvd player.

[url]http://panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?productid=6719&contextID=9[/url]

Thanks for all your responses.

Went and purchased a 250GB Sony DVD/HDD today from Harvey Norman Armadale, the salesman Marcus did it for $475, not too bad a price considering JB's are doing the 160GB model for $446.