Record all your favorite TV movies, shows and sports onto DVD and compile the ultimate home digital video collection. This recorder also lets you create DVDs with material on your JPEG and MP3 files.
With its VCR-like ability to record, its crystalline MPEG-2 video encoding, and its progressive-scan video output, the RCA DRC8005N DVD player/recorder is a pro at both of its primary functions. You can record your favorite television shows and home videos straight to a DVD, cleaning up aged video footage in the process. With the unit's convenient one-touch record feature, capturing off-air programs is simpler than ever.
The DRC8005N records in six modes, storing 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 hours of audio/video programming on 4.7 GB recordable DVD+R (write-once) or DVD+RW (rewritable) media. And, when using timed recording, the DRC8005N can automatically set its quality level to the best that its available hard-drive space will allow. Time-base correction and digital noise reduction optimize incoming signals as their being written to disc.
The "RW" format offers numerous advantages. These discs can be played in most computer DVD-ROM drives and DVD players, and they let you append, edit, and overwrite video right on the discs themselves. This means you can record video using the DRC8005N and record data with a PC drive, all on the same disc. There's only one recording mode for both video and data, and the finalization time for a DVD+R is the fastest of all DVD formats.
Special features include title and chapter creation for easy access to recorded materials; chapter hide/unhide, which lets you skip playback of selected sections of a recording; text title labeling; user-selectable disc write and title-write protection, and quick disc erase. Recorded discs will play on most DVD players, and the unit itself plays all types of DVD and audio CD.
More than just a recording device, however, the DRC8005N is also a first-rate media player, offering MP3 music file decoding and Digital PhotoView, which displays JPEG files (from recordable CDs only) in a rotating slide show format--with MP3 playback during the slide show! A USB input lets you hook up a flash card reader enjoying digital photos and MP3 files right off your card--no need to first commit the files to CD.
The recorder also offers progressive-scanning when playing back prerecorded DVDs. Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DRC8005N is equipped to deliver the full potential of prerecorded DVDs. Progressive scanning, called 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.
The DRC8005N features Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround sound passthrough, SRS TruSurround simulated surround sound, and connections include 1 set of component-video outputs, an S-video input and output (2 inputs, 1 output), composite-video input and output (2 in, 1 out), stereo (left/right) analog audio in and out (2 in, 1 out), and a pair of digital-audio outputs (one each optical and coaxial).
What's in the Box
DVD player/recorder, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, RF cable, RF cable/splitter, S-video cable, 1 DVD+RW blank media, a user's manual, and warranty/registration information.
1 Life Span: 14 Months
This is a report on the RCA DRC 8000N, an immediate predecessor of the unit described for sale. My 8000N was bought in December 2003 and has suffered what is described to be a mainboard faiure in the last week of February, 2005:two and half months after the warranty expires. Apparently it will cost more to repair than it is worth. Despite the other criticisms of the product, I used it only in conjunction with a TIVO for archiving-it worked well.
2 Great Features but Poor Quality & Service
Pros: Features; functions; style
Cons: Defective on receipt - Horrible experience trying to get warranty work.
I purchased my product on Sam's Club auctions which shipped the product in factory box (sealed and undamaged). Product received but when playing DVD would only transmit sound and occassionally a picture. DVD R and DVD RW disks could not be recognized - stated "Bad Disk" on brand new disks - one of which included with product. Owners manual instructs you to call 800 number for service center but when you select DVD product from extensive automated attendant choices, it tells you that the warranty is an exchange warranty - then it hangs up without telling you where/how to exchange. To get more information, found another number to call (long distance) and the first two times I was given a service center and phone number to call, the service centers stated that they were not authorized to work on the product. Customer care had stated that second service center was authorized to repair ALL RCA products. Repair center said that this was not true and would require RCA to preauthorize repair before having me ship the product. After 45 long distance minutes invested over three calls, I was told I would have to call back the next day because the service technicians at the repair site would have to be talked to personally to ensure they could work on the unit, and they had gone home for the day. There is a POOR warranty service network, with lots of misinformation and communication issues between the company and actual repair sites. I believe that I could obtain a new Social Security card easier, having lost both my drivers license and birth certificate than dealing with these people. I would advise you to consider the entire ownership cycle before purchasing this product, despite the features or price.
3 Taking this back
I'm amazed after reading the reviews that nobody stated the most annoying problem with this machine,once you turn it on,you lose the clock! If you are watching TV it says"live"& the channel number,if you are watching a recording it tells the elapsed minutes,if you are doing a timer recording it says"menu".
If somebody knows how to get the clock to stay on,please let me know.
Also,it takes a few seconds for it to switch channels & don't even get me started on the bad design of the remote!
I've always bought RCA products,but I'm afraid I'm probably going to take this back & buy another one.
4 Numerous Problems Right Out of Box
This product had a number of problems: (1)When playing a disc with 4 TV program episodes, sometimes it would work fine and other times it would not let me select a program. (2) After playing an MP3 disc (which played fine), I tried to watch a movie and while the video was fine, the audio would not play. After shutting down and starting back up 5 times, the disc played fine. (3) The unit would not hold the correct time. After setting it multiple times the results were always the same--as soon as I turned the unit off the time jumped exactly 3 hours into the future. Amazon was great and agreed to take it back. I already ordered a Panasonic from Amazon and will be shipping the RCA back this weekend.
5 Great Recoeder at any Price
I purchaced this recorder about a month ago and was skeptical about its ability to make a good recording. It makes amazing recordings of HD broadcasts at the 480 resolution and their editable too! A perfect machine for recording performing arts and editing out commercials and other garbage. And to top it all off it's inexpensive.
6 Everything OK but no firewire for my digital camcorder!
This is a very nice unit for the money, and I would recommend it to certain consumers, but personally, I've decided to return it.
The "dealbreaker" was the fact that while it has a USB port for viewing media (pictures) cards through a card reader, it lacks a firewire port to transfer movies from your digital camcorder! This is a serious lack of judgement in having the "fru-fru" option and not the "basic" option (better would have been both). I suppose I could use one of the SVHS connectors, but what's the point of having a digital camcorder?
Now for the pluses. First off, everything worked out of the box. I admit to be "techno-savvy". I'm quite comfortable with audio and video components. Still, I think it was nice that I didn't have to read a single page of the manual to hook the thing up and start recording. Other DVD recorders have been reported not to be so "user friendly".
Next, I found the 3 hour recording mode (on a DVD) to be equal to VHS 2 hour mode. I think this would be a great unit for those looking to replace their old VCR's.
Along those lines, I also found it no problem to record programs from my TiVo onto DVDs. Again, if this is what you want, this would be a good unit for you.
I suppose that if I were to spend 2x+ the money, certain things would be better. I found, for example, the remote control to be poorly designed (although not the worst I've used) and the system generally lacked responsiveness. When I press a button, I want something to happen - NOW.
I'm giving it 3 stars because:
3 stars for being what I expected and everything worked.
+ 1 for good price
- 1 for the lack of a firewire port, which I would consider to be a basic feature for a DVD recorder.
7 Great DVD Recorder
Bought about a month ago. I have already made 46 DVDs. They have all turned out great. They work in our other 3 DVD players (including one that is 7 years old). It uses +R and +RW discs. My DVD recorder on my computer uses -R discs. Unfortunately the -R discs don't work on all of my DVD players, so the addition of this recorder has been great.
Pretty easy to use.
If you buy this, you have no reason to buy a $900 Sony DVD CamCorder. Just use your existing CamCorder (VHS-C, VHS, etc) and connect it to the front RCA connectors (S-Video Input available as well). Select input from front connectors, press play on transmitting device and record on the DVD recorder and your making a DVD!! Couldn't be much easier.
Only downside, no digital audio input (only analog through RCA cables). You cannot copy commericial DVDs. They are copy protected. Remember that commerical VHS tapes are copy protected, as well. Interestingly enough, this recorder recognizes this and gives you a message warning you. Recording then promptly stops. But this is still great for home videos. I have also used it successfully to archive several laser discs so that I can get rid of that player. I have also taped numerous movies off of the movie channels. Not quite the same quality as commerical DVDs. It might be if you had a HD receiver. Regular (and digital) cable doesn't come across in 525 lines of resolution like a commerical DVD. Like I said, I don't know if it would be different with an HD converter box. Still better quality than a VHS tape.
When choosing to record something, always use the highest setting (to get the best quality) and be sure to know how long the program is your taping. I ran about 2 mintues short on one movie.
It allows you to hook up compact flash etc via a USB port in the front. You can view JPG files and archive them to disc.
This has been absolutely a great experience so far. Being that we are early in the manufacture of this technology, I am very impressed.
These units will probably get even cheaper in a few months, but if they follow the path of the VCR, as the price gets cheaper, so does the quality of the product. I didn't want to wait until the case, etc. was so cheaply made that it became a throw away. Who fixes a VCR? You just get a new one (and expect it to make it only a couple of years). I didn't want a DVD recorder that cheap!!
You won't need a VCR after you buy this. Does a great job with TV. It shows you what is playing and the rating so that you know if you want to watch or record the show.
8 !!!Perfect for what I want to do!!!
I like because I can use my computer to record MP3 in DVD and programing slides at the same time to watch them and listenning with my TV and stereo at the same time.!!!
On the second hand, I could record my favorite TV programs on DVD. Thirdly, I could record my best video movies in DVD.
and fourthly, I could record my MP3 DVDs to share making copies for my friends to establish firmly our friendship and welfare, and in spreading it make new friends. !!!Allellulla!!! Amen...
