Posted by <normanstrong on 10/12/06 16:46

"Citizen Bob" <spam@uce.gov> wrote in message
news:452e305d.70802406@news-server.houston.rr.com...
> On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:01:12 -0700, <normanstrong@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>> It's on the box: "DIVX Certified".
>
>>Excellent. An undocumented feature.
>
> How is it undocumented if it is printed on the box?
>
>>Can you play the HD or the DVD player WHILE the HD is recording? This is
>>essentially the same as the time slip feature on a Tivo. Also there
>>should
>>be no problem playing a DVD while the HD is either recording or programmed
>>to record.
>
>>Theoretically, it should be possible to record on the DVDR while watching
>>the HD, but I'm willing to yield on that feature.
>
> I tested each of these permutations:
>
> * I can record a program to the HDD and play a different program from
> the HDD at the same time.
>
> * I can play a program from the HDD while recording a program to the
> DVD.
>
> * I can play a DVD-format (e.g., DVD-5) program from the DVD while
> recording a program to the HDD.
>
> * I cannot play an AVI-format (Data Disk) program from the DVD while
> recording a program to the HDD.
>
> Time Shift (TS) is implemented as a Ring Buffer (aka "Circular Queue")
> in memory. That means it has a head pointer and a tail pointer.
> Playing occurs at the position of the head pointer and recording at
> the tail pointer. When you first turn on TS, the head and tail
> pointers are the same and the head follows the tail. That means you
> are playing live material. If you Pause it, then the head pointer
> stops moving and you see a freeze frame of the TV program. The tail
> pointer continues to move along with the recording process. When you
> un-Pause it, the head pointer begins to move which means you are
> playing from that point on.
>
> There is another way to use the TS feature, and that is to go back in
> time. If the head and tail pointer are the same, you are playing live
> TV. If you skip backwards the head pointer will move backwards in time
> and start playing at an earlier time. That way you can see something
> over again without having to stop the recording. Of course the
> recording continues while you do this.
>
> The TS buffer is 60 minutes in length. However, if you are recording
> to the HDD. the buffer grows to 3 hours. You can save the contents of
> the buffer to the HDD or to a DVD. You cannot change the TV channel or
> else one of two things will happen depending on how you set TS up: 1)
> Changing the channel will clear the buffer; b) Changing the channel
> will preserve the buffer.
>
> This unit is attractive because of its low price, it's low extended
> warranty cost ($18 for 2 years) and the fact that you can return it no
> questions asked to WalMart for a full refund within 90 days. You can
> pay $400 for units that are no better and maybe even worse. The only
> way to get what you want is to build it yourself, and I almost did
> that but the components are not quite up to speed at this time. By
> next year they should be, so I will build a PVR then. In the meantime
> for $220 I have a HDD DVDR that so far works adequately.
>
> I got burnt with that ILO because Cyberhome went under, but I doubt
> Polaroid will crap out on me - and this time I am getting an extended
> warranty so I should be covered for a couple of years.
>
> Actually $100 per year depreciation is not all that bad for bleeding
> edge technology. That ILO cost me $99 and I got a year's use out of
> it. If I get 2.25 years out of this Polaroid (90 day factory warranty
> plus 2 year extended warranty), then it will have cost me $100 per
> year. You spend $1000 on a computer and in 5 years it is ready for the
> trash - that's $200 per year depreciation. And how many $400 Pioneers
> make it to 4 years?

I'm sold--both because it seems that this unit can do what I want, and
because your explanation is superb.

Thank you so much for your efforts. I truly appreciate it.

Norm

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