Dvd recorders, Overall – Humax DMR-E55 User Manual
Page 4
MAKE
SONY
SONY THOMSON
TOSHIBA
YAMADA
HITACHI
MODEL
RDR-GXD500
RDR-GX700
DTH 8005
DR-1
DVR-8000
DV-RX7000
SPECIFICATIONS
Price
£500
£500
£400
£400
£200
£279
Recording formats
DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW
DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/RW
DVD+R, DVD+RW
DVD-R/-RW, DVD-RAM
DVD+R, DVD+RW
DVD-RAM. DVD-R,
DVD-RW
RGB recording
YES
YES YES
NO
YES
DVD-Audio playback NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
Video CD/Super Video CD
YES/YES
YES/YES
NO/NO
YES/NO
YES/YES
YES/YES
CD-R/CD-RW playback
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
MP3/JPEG playback
YES/NO
YES/NO
YES/YES
YES/NO
YES/YES
Tel
08705 111999
08705 111999
01732 520920
0870 4424424
0870 9063304
01628 643000
Web
www.sony.co.uk
www.sony.co.uk www.thomson-europe.com
www.toshiba.co.uk www.umax.co.uk
www.hitachidigital.com
media.com
FEATURES
VideoPlus/PDC
NO/YES
YES/YES
NO/YES
YES/
NO/NO
YES
GuidePlus
SOMETHING SIMILAR
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
Variable bit-rate recording
YES
YES
NO
YES
NO
NO
Non-linear editing
YES
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
Playlist editing
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
Timer
YES
YES
16-event
YES
YES
No of recording modes
6
6
6
3
4
4
Trick-play functions
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
Zoom
NO
NO
YES
YES
NO
NO
Progressive scan playback
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
NO
CONNECTIONS
RGB Scart in/out
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/
YES/
YES
Component video out
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
DVI or HDMI out
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
S-video in/out
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
Composite video in/out
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
YES/YES
Stereo audio out
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Optical digital audio out
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Electrical digital audio out
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
i.Link in/out
NO/NO
YES/NO
NO/NO
YES/NO
NO
YES/NO
Photo card slot
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
VERDICT
Ease of Use
★★★
★★★★
★★
Features
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
Looks
★★★
★★★
★★★
Picture
★★★
★★★★
★★★
Sound
★★★
★★★
★★★
Value
★★
★★★★
★★★★
We say: The only UK DVD
recorder with a built-in
Freeview digital terrestrial TV
tuner
We say: Similar to the
GXD500 but with no
Freeview tuner - has DV
camcorder inputs instead
We say: Use of DVD-RAM
opens-up editing
possibilities, but watch
cross-compatibility with
other DVD players
We say: Navigation display is
long-winded and of all the
recording modes, only HQ is of
any notable quality
We say: Not yet reviewed
We say: The high price tag
does not include the picture-
enhancing progressive scan
function
We say: Sports a built-in
Freeview digital terrestrial TV
tuner
We say: A pity the i.Link is an
input only as you can’t output
edited DV footage to a
camcorder
We say: Neither of the two
Scart inputs will accept an
RGB video signal
We say: Lacks a DV input
but generally well-endowed
with connections
We say: Not yet reviewed
We say: Included on
Thomson’s earlier media
recorders, USB memory card
readers for MP3s or digital
pictures have been left out
from this model
OVERALL
★★★
★★★★
★★★
We say: Not yet reviewed
We say: Not yet reviewed
We say: With hard disk
recorders DVD still relatively
expensive, this deck makes a
good substitute. Thanks to
DVD-RAM compatibility, its
editing features are many
and extras like ‘pause live TV
are possible. DVD playback
is good and much better
than most entry level decks
We say: It looks chunky and
the remote is clunky, but it
boasts excellent connectivity
if not editing options, being
DVD+RW compatible. The one-
hour HQ recording mode is
great, so this deck is for people
who need to archive and is not
the best for daily use
We say: Not yet reviewed
We say: With a very muted
playback of commercial
DVDs, this is an average deck,
although, even coupled with
its underwhelming audio, it
would serve a basic surround
sound system adequately.
Lack of digibox control and
memory card or DV-input for
camcorders ensures a
conclusion that this is a no-
frills unit aimed squarely at
the gadget-unconscious
60
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