Set top DVD recorders with hard drives

I have recently learned that there are set top (they connect to your TV,
not your computer) DVD recorders with hard drives that allow one to
record TV programs to the hard drive, edit out the commercials and then
burn them to DVD. Is there a web site that compares the different
models?

Are there any that play Divx or xvid files on DVD or CD? Are there any
that record to DVD-R, DVD+R and DVD-RAM? Thank you in advance for all
replies.
--
I am TERRIBLY cruel to my cat. I tease him with a vine tendril
until he either jumps up in the air to bat at it or zooms around
in a circle until he gets too dizzy to stand up. What is cruel about
it is that I don't do it nearly as much as he wants me to.

Daniel Prince

In article <>,
Daniel Prince <> wrote:
>I have recently learned that there are set top (they connect to your TV,
>not your computer) DVD recorders with hard drives that allow one to
>record TV programs to the hard drive, edit out the commercials and then
>burn them to DVD. Is there a web site that compares the different
>models?

Some people talk about them on alt.video.dvdr.

As horrible as web-based discussion boards are, there's also a lot of
useful info in:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forum...e=&forumid=106

>Are there any that record to DVD-R, DVD+R and DVD-RAM?

Someone may be able to come up with a counter-example, but essentially ALL
of them record in DVD-R.

The Panasonics (e.g. Panasonic DMR-E85) and Toshibas (e.g. Toshiba RD-XS32,
new Toshiba RD-XS52) record in DVD-R and DVD-RAM. Most others record
in DVD-R and DVD-RW (but in the mode that is compatible with regular DVD
players, DVD-RW is closer in usage pattern to videotape -- you can't watch
a show, delete it, and record something else there without possibly recording
over something else).. DVD-RAM behaves just like the hard drive, in editing
and deleting/re-recording capability.

Matt Ackeret