Cyberhome CH-DVR1600 DVD Recorder

by Cyberhome

Product Details

Product Manual [1.32mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007PCFOW
• Item model number: CH-DVR1600
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,844 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

DVD players are preferred over VCRs because of their ease of use and their quick access to content without fast-forwarding or rewinding. Still, many who have left VHS behind miss the ability to record their favorite content. With the Cyberhome CH-DVR1600, you get all of the recording versatility of a high-end VCR and the convenience of a progressive-scan DVD player.

Recording to Disc
CyberHome's DVR 1600 Personal DVD Recorder records to inexpensive and reliable DVD+R/RW discs. Its built-in editing features allow you to add chapter markers or, if that's too much trouble, can automatically select chapter markers for you. Users can record from TV shows through the built-in tuner or from any video source, thanks to the unit's composite video, S-video, and IEEE 1394 inputs. That means that you could record directly from a cable box or a digital video camera's Firewire port. Like a traditional VCR, more programming will fit on a disc at lower quality record levels. For example, the DVR 1600 will record 6 hours of programming in SLP mode, but much less in SHQ mode.

Also like a VCR, the DVR 1600 features live, timer, and scheduled recording functions. The on-screen disc title navigator makes it easy to quickly access your recordings and set up new programs.

Full-Function Progressive-Scan Player
The DVR 1600 is also a full-function progressive-scan DVD player, supporting the best functions of commercial DVDs, like zoom, slow motion forward, fast-forward, review, frame-by-frame, multi-angle, program play, bookmarks, and parental lock. As a player, it supports a variety of disc formats, including DVD+, DVD-, VCD/SVCD, and music formats CD-Audio and CD-R/RW.

Product Description

Record from TV in DVD-quality to Recordable Discs. DVD+R/RW & CD-R-RW Discs Supported. Progressive Scan Video Out. Supports playback of DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, VCD, SVCD, CD-DA, CD, MP3, CD-R/CD-RW disc Formats. Optical & Coaxial Digital Audio Outputs +

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars !!! BANG FOR THE BUCK !!! ... Works with DVD-R too !!, December 19, 2005

By 

desiwatt "desiwatt" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cyberhome CH-DVR1600 DVD Recorder (Electronics)

I was looking for a DVD Recorder that I could use to transfer a load of old home movies I have on VHS tape to DVD and this unit looked just right price-wise, i.e. very inexpensive, since I did not envision much further use once I got all the tapes transferred to DVD. But this baby has proven to be a real versatile unit. I have it hooked up to my VCR on one line input and my TIVO on the other line input and I can easily transfer materials from either unit to DVD. I also hooked up the built-in tuner and recorded a couple of programs right off the air to DVD. Again, no problems ... and in all cases the quality of recording was awesome (I used the default 2 hour mode). The built-in MP3 player is a real bonus. I transferred a lot of my MP3's to a DVD Disc with 4.7 Gig capacity (yes, that's a lot of MP3's) and I could easily play them all on this unit. I have not tried the JPEG viewer but if that works as well as the other functions that I have tested then what is there to complain about? For a hundred bucks ... how much better can you expect? I am wondering about all those one star ratings ... this unit is a bit complicated to set up and I can understand someone's frustration if they have a less than satisfactory out-of-box experience. But if you are not technically challenged or if you are willing to spend some time reading the manual and understanding the setup you will not be disappointed. I took away one star from my rating because the remote is not very well organized and has very small keys. But all in all, great product at an unbelievable price!
PS. Someone reported that they were able to burn a DVD-R on this unit even though it is advertised as a DVD+R only. If that is true then this is truly one outstanding device!
UPDATE 12/21/05 -- Out of curiousity, I went out and got hold of a couple of DVD-R discs to try out with this unit. They worked just fine. Upon insertion of the DVD-R I was prompted to format the DVD-R which I did. Then I proceeded to record a couple of programs off the air, all recorded just fine, each recording in a separate "Chapter." Then I finalized the disc and was able to play the DVD-R on a regular DVD player. So this unit DOES indeed work with DVD-R even though it is advertised as DVD+R only. I have not tried DVD-RW so I cannot say for that type of disc. DVD+RW works just fine. Lastly, what is truly a wild card is the overall long term reliability of the unit. In today's age of rapid obsolescence and cheap, cheap prices for consumer electronics the very definition of "long term" needs to be rethought. To me long term means 12 months. So if the unit dies after 12 months I will have gotten my money's worth since I would be looking to upgrade to the next, new thing anyway right about in the 18-24 month time frame. It is unfortunate that we have come to view consumer electronics items as essentially "disposible" ... but that is how things are. So all in all, I am a happy customer with this unit.
The "Version" information from my unit (obtained from the Setup screen) is as follows:
UI: C00065MCU
Serve: DX043D D 037S
Adap: V08.00.01.46.R0.2
Control: DVR1600CHN1M02540

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst $85 I have spent - UPDATED, November 18, 2005

By 

Amazonian "over the top" (Around the World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cyberhome CH-DVR1600 DVD Recorder (Electronics)

Junk

update - unit started oscillationg and BestBuy replaced it under servica agreement with a Liteon 1 Star
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UPDATE - I was able to duplicate the problem others have reported with a warbling audio on this unit. I applied the firmware 9/2005 and the problem is fixed. I had to apply the Back-End firmware twice for some reason.

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This seems to be a fantastic product. Check out the features at Cyberhome's website.

Almost too good to be true. It records BOTH +/- R and RW DVD's, even though the box says + only. It has the ability to become region-free. It has 2 video source inputs AND has a built in tuner. It has DV input for camcorders. It records in 6 speeds which is great. The unit is very easy to use... press the SOURCE button on the remote until you see the source you want to record, press ENTER and then press the RECORD button. How hard is that? Takes 2-3 seconds.

Some people have reported problems on various forums with a warbling sound and some hum from the tuner. I have the device sitting on TOP of a TIVO and have none of these problems. Mine is a model 1600MU. I am running the original firmware (100) but there is a firmware upgrade available. The MU's have some additional features over the ZU's, I have heard.

Keep in mind, you have to FINALIZE a disk in order to play it on another DVD player, according to the online HELP.

There have been some criticisms of the remote control. I find it very nice and replacements are only $12.00.

Please ignore M. Smith's timings on how long it takes to do things on this recorder. You can format and/or finalize a disk in seconds... not minutes. Programming a schedule is as easy as manual scheduling on a TIVO. Unless I am missing something, this is a great machine. I'll report back if long term usage proves otherwise.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works fine for me with +RW media., October 25, 2005

By 

Moviefan (NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cyberhome CH-DVR1600 DVD Recorder (Electronics)

This exact unit, with slight differences to the face buttons, has been released under the names CyberHome and Ilo, and I tried both of them. I also tried three other DVD recorders from big name companies, was disappointed with every single one, but was the least disappointed by the CyberHome / Ilo model. For $100, it's easily the best bang for the buck. I attached the CyberHome 1600 where my VCR used to be, had it "learn" my cable channels, set the time, and was good to go. The menu system and LED display on this unit is the best I saw on all the DVD recorders I tested. Use +RW media (I used Memorex with no problems) and the disc will play in other DVD players without having to finalize the disc. If companies like Panasonic and Sony can't get a DVD recorder to work for $300, I'll use this $100 model until someone gets it right.