Posted by GMAN on 11/21/06 19:26

In article <0M2dnUtZLI2FLf3YnZ2dnUVZ_h6dnZ2d@comcast.com>, <normanstrong@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>"Citizen Bob" <spam@uce.gov> wrote in message
>news:4560829d.12455093@news-server.houston.rr.com...
>> The low-cost Insignia NS-DVDR1 (Best Buy Online $115) has 4 resolution
>> settings: 1-hr, 2-hr, 4-hr and 6-hr. The manual claims that the 6-hour
>> setting will result in poor picture quality.
>>
>> I ran a in which I recorded 4 TV segments of 1 minute each using the
>> timer. Each segment was recorded with a different resolution setting.
>> I examined the title thumbnails with Display which tells you the
>> resolution of the clip. Each matched up to the way I set it up.
>>
>> When I played the titles on a 19" TV I could see no difference in
>> picture quality whatsoever. They all looked the same.
>>
>> When I ran the same test with my now-deceased ILO DVDR05MU1 with the
>> identical brand of DVD+RW disc, I got noticeably different results in
>> the order expected. The 1-hr was best and the 6-hour was worst. The
>> 6-hour was worse than the equivalent extra-long play VHS tape.
>>
>> But this is not the case with the Insignia. Could it be that the MPEG2
>> codec chip is vastly improved?
>
>Very interesting. I performed the same test, using the ILO v. Lite-On 5115.
>I also found the 6 hour picture unacceptable on the ILO and quite good on
>the Lite-On, although not as good as the SP mode. (I was using a 27" set,
>which might have something to do with it.) The break in picture quality on
>the ILO seems to be between LP (3 hour) and EP (4 hour). SP and LP both
>give the same results, with EP, SLP and SEP (8 hours) all giving an
>unacceptable picture. At least it's unacceptable to me, although my wife is
>less picky. As a result, I've set the ILO for a default LP speed, and I use
>the Lite-On or the Polaroid for longer record times.
>
>BTW, Citizen Bob, aren't you the one with the Polaroid from Wal-Mart? If
>so, I have a problem with it that I'd like to discuss with you.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Norm Strong
>
>
>
You two do realize that most of these standalone DVD recorders drop down into
MPEG1 format when you get into the 3 + hour modes?

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