Philips DVDR75 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder

by Philips

Product Details

Product Manual [184kb PDF]

• Item Weight: 8.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 14 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000093US1
• Item model number: DVDR75
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,846 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 10, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Capture, edit, and preserve precious memories with the Philips DVDR75 DVD player/recorder. Using the model's extensive inputs--including an i.Link digital video jack--you can transfer and assemble your most treasured camcorder footage, archive old video tapes, or burn video from a PC straight to high-capacity DVD (up to 6 hours per disc side using either DVD+R or DVD+RW). The unit's onboard Virtual Time Base Corrector ensures better-than-original copies from old video tapes.

You can also use the DVDR75 like a VCR, burning televised programs directly to disc using helpful VCR Plus+ programming data. Recording functions include safe record, one-touch record (OTR), track append, track divide, track erase, automatic/manual chapter marker insertion, disc write protection, favorite scene selection, index picture screen for instant content overview, and Selectable Index Pictures.

The DVDR75 is also a first-rate DVD player, featuring progressive-scan video outputs, Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround sound passthrough, MP3 CD playback (CD-R/CD-RW), and compatibility with most DVD media (including video-mode DVD-R and DVD-RW).

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVDR75 stands ready to deliver the full potential of DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 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.

Top-of-the-line component-video inputs and outputs help minimize digital and line-scan artifacts on compatible advanced televisions, while composite- and S-video inputs and outputs bring compatibility with nearly any video component and television monitor. Audio inputs consist of two-channel analog jacks with 16-bit analog-to-digital conversion and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio compression (compression is non-defeatable).

Two sets of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. If you don't have a surround receiver or six-channel speaker setup, you can still make every movie night the ultimate experience: 3D Surround simulates surround sound through two speakers (even the stereo speakers on a TV).

What's in the Box
DVD recorder, remote control, batteries, user's manual (in English only), one blank DVD+RW disc, an AC power cord, a stereo audio interconnect, a composite-video cable, an S-video cable, and a coaxial RF antenna cable.

From the Manufacturer

Capture, edit, and preserve your precious memories with Philips DVDR75 Progressive Scan DVD Player/Recorder. Create a DVD from any source using the i.LINK digital connection. Transfer your most precious moments captured with your camcorder or archive all your old video tapes straight to DVD.

Features:

• Digital picture and sound for the ultimate viewing experience
• Record from TV in digital quality on DVD
• Copy your favorite video tapes for life
• Digital copying from camcorder via i.LINK
• Progressive Scan output for razor-sharp pictures
• Component Video Inputs for the best digital recording quality
• Virtual Time Base Corrector for better-than-original copies of old video tapes
• Motion-compensated noise filter
• 2-channel Dolby Digital Encoder for perfect recording of stereo and Dolby Pro Logic audio
• 24-bit Digital-to-Analog Conversion for top quality sound
• Recorded discs play on DVD players
• Up to 6 hours video recording per side
• Index Picture Scan for visual table of contents
• Favorite Scene Selection for easy editing of your home movies
• Plays DVD, CD and MP3 discs
• Direct access to your recordings with no more winding or rewinding
• VCR Plus+ for easy timer programming
• 3D sound
• Automatic Screen Saver
• Backup Presets & Timer Events: 1 year
• Backup Clock & Calendar : 5 hours
• Time & Date Download
• Automatic Audio Recording Level Control
• Fast Forward/Backward: 3 speeds
• Step Forward/Backward
• Slow: 3 speeds
• Direct Title/Track Access
• Next/Previous Title/Track/Chapter
• Repeat: Chapter/Title/All or Track/All
• A-B Repeat
• Shuffle
• Intro Scan
• Time Search
• Zoom (1.33x, 2x, 4x) with picture enhancement
• Auto Resume (20 discs)
• DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-Video, Super VCD, Video CD, Audio CD, MP3 CD, CD-R, CD-RW playback
• Front Connections: i-LINK DV, S-video, Video, Audio Left/Right
• Rear Connections: Component Video In, Progressive Scan/Component Video Out, S-Video In, S-Video Out, Video In , Video Out, Audio L/R In (2x), Audio L/R Out (2x), Digital Audio Out, RF Antenna In, RF TV Out, Mains
• OSD Languages: English, French, Spanish
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 435 x 76 x 335 mm

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DVDR75 - Facts and Fiction, November 24, 2003

By 

D. Christen "dan_chris" (Rushville, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Philips DVDR75 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder (Electronics)

Ok, you probably read lots of other reviews by now, but here is a summary, of what you will get for your money. But first, keep two things in mind, when you read other 'low rating' reviews :
1. This DVD Recorder is by far one of the less expensive ones - but what you get for your money is truly amazing.
2. In electronics, there are always 'lemons', but with Amazon's great customer service, it is very easy to exchange a unit, that does not work properly.
Ok, so here is what you get when you purchase this DVD recorder.
- A DVD recorder that records on DVD+R and DVD+RW in amazing picture and sound quality. Depending on what quality level you choose, the picture is clearer than on a pre-recorded DVD or (on the lowest quality selection) as good as a VHS tape. The sound is truly amazing.
- When you copy from DVC to your DVD recorder using the Firewire link, you might get some distortion when playing the recorded DVD on another player. But if you use S-Video and the highest quality setting (M1), then there is absolutely no difference between the original and the copy.
- The reaction time of the DVD player is a bit slow, when you press a button. But once you get used to this, it really isn't a problem.
- The DVD+RW discs do not need to be finalized in order to play them on another DVD player - this is a huge advantage over the DVD-RW format. In general, DVD+R and DVD+RW is much more likely to be compatible to other DVD players than DVD-R and DVD-RW. DVD-ROM is really not a DVD format and is hardly ever compatible to another DVD player.
- Even this DVD recorder does not have a hard disk, it is still cheaper, to buy this unit together with Tivo (the total will be about $ 600.--) than another DVD recorder with a hard drive. This way, you will get all the Tivo benefits and copying from Tivo to this unit is a breeze !
- Operating this unit is extremely simple and it is very easy to organize your DVDs (titles, index pictures, chapters etc.).
- The DVD player is excellent and supports the most recent sound systems. The picture quality is truly outstanding.
My verdict - buy this unit ! It's a fact, that in 2 years from now, it will be as 'outdated' as the more expensive recorders that are out now - but for the price, you really get your moneys worth ! And the DVD+R and DVD+RW discs that you record on this machine will still be 'top of the line', when it comes to picture and sound quality, in many years from now.

74 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DVD+RW Lovin', June 5, 2003

By 

Sean (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Philips DVDR75 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder (Electronics)

Bought this June 4th, 2003
Earlier that day I also had purchased the Panasonic DMRE-50s. The Panasonic DVD-R / DvdRam unit is back at Circuit City.
I'm using the DVDR 75 as we speak.
There are a few things to like and some maybe not so.
1st of all, I love the format DVD+RW. The unnecessary task of finalizing the disk sells me. My first attempt was a few SpongeBob episodes. it went like this.
Inserted Philips DVD+RW disk into drive
Selected appropriate inputs and cable channel
Pressed Record
Pressed Stop
Split a few titles into separate episodes (very easy to do)
Edited the names
Assigned each title a custom image thumbnail (from a frame in the show) (Very easy to do)
clicked eject
took the disk to my daughters room and inserted disk in old DVD player
and prayed ..........
I was amazed. It took less than 20 seconds for the title screen (think DVD MENU) to show up.
All my little editing and naming and picture thumbnailing all perfectly intact!
One button got a selected title playing (daughter chose it from the picture)
There was no significant lapse for title to begin playing, NICE!
No formatting, No finalizing, No disappointed daughter, NO KIDDING

But, I did find a few disappointing features here:
There are no real helpful buttoms on the unit itself (Menu, Rec Mode,etc...)
So, if you lose the remote you'll need a new one
Component input was inviting, but it will not accept Progressive Scan?
So, my HDTV Cable Box is now a "Watch 1080i, Record 480i tuner" - 1 star
I have used optical audio out for years, but welcomed the Coax Digital Out as it allowed me to get the recorder away from my receiver.
I Would've been 99% satisfied if this unit would record Progressive scan and if there were a few more facia buttons, but for the price I paid - it's well worth it.

Honorary mention goes to the iLink (FireWire) front input

All things being equal, I like this far better than Panasonics DVD-R units. Despite the Panasonics having a few more unit placed features, it doesn't allow recording to a DVD-RW format besides RAM, and RAM to me is useless because I can't play it back on anything but the Panasonic units that record RAM.

DVD+RW is clearly the more user-friendly format and the Philips DVDR 75 handles it quite well

4.5 stars

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome Relief From VCR, May 31, 2003

By 

Stephanie K. Rohde "endtheclutter" (Ocala, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Philips DVDR75 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder (Electronics)

I think the Philips DVDR75 Recorder is wonderful. It is a welcome replacement to my VCR; this is my first DVD recorder (other than the one on my PC); I never owned the DVDR985. Connecting was truly easy. Cable provides my TV and all I did was physically replace the VCR and appropriate connections with this DVDR 75. [The cable signal goes from the wall directly into the cable box; from the cable box to the DVDR75; then from the DVDR75 to the TV]. Philips included a "DVD+RW" disc in the box (the unit is not designed for DVD-RAM or DVD-RW rewriteable discs) and that is what I have been using to learn how all this works. We recorded at the M1 quality (1 hour of recording) all the way up through the M6 (6 hours of recording). There is a noticeable difference between M1 and M6, but I assure you the M6 quality is far better than my deteriorating VCR. My next purchase is going to be the Sony KLV 30XBR900 30in LCD TV and I can't wait to see what happens then...

It is important when using the remote to WAIT after pressing a button or combination of buttons (like SYSYEM and then MENU) and to pay close attention to the message(s) on the unit as they are displayed. There is distinct processing time involved which needs to be respected (like on a computer, too much clicking too fast can cause immediate frustration)...