Page 1 of Phelings - Get ready to say "I told you so"

My Philips DVDR880 has finally decided to start acting up after nine months of faultless operation. I got a DISK ERROR back in February but I thought that was a dud disc; now I`ve had a major disaster recording Poirot this evening so I`ll be on to Argos repair service in the morning.

Before anybody starts crowing, I bought the DVDR880 before I heard any bad press and because it had dropped to £299.99 at Argos (just within my budget). If I`d known about the QC issues with Philips kit I wouldn`t have touched it with the proverbial bargepole. :(

J Mark Oates

Quote:
Siouxsie, I`ve got a Philips myself which everybody will no doubt tell you is a terrible machine but I`ve been very happy with it. If I was buying a machine currently I`d bow to peer pressure and pick up a Panasonic DMRE55 at around £300 (although I think I`d get an extended warranty to be on the safe side. There are cheaper machines, but unlike budget players, budget recorders are so far an unknown quantity.

Only read that about half an hour ago. :o

Unlucky Mark, hope you get to exchange for something better in the end.

"This is Nucking Futs!" - Dickie Roberts.

Quote:
Before anybody starts crowing

I don`t think anyone will want to start crowing Mark, after all we`re all here to help each other!

I think it`s more likely most of us will be hoping you get a speedy and acceptable solution for yourself.

Awrrabest mate...mebbes a new recorder if yer lucky ;)

Jimbo : oÞ

I`m boxing up the Philips 880 to take it in to Argos on Thursday. After getting nowhere with Argos Helpline, I phoned the local store and they told me to bring it in with the receipt and they`ll ship it out as it`s under warranty. I`m hoping for a swap-out for a new recorder.

J Mark Oates

Sorry,but not surprised to hear of your problem.Although Philips will most likely repair the machine,if its within your budget,while its away(my first repair took 4 weeks)see if you can pick up a Panasonic or Pioneer,then resell the Philips machine(on Ebay?)and start playing with a reliable make.Apart from reliability,I think you will find that the non Philips machines offer features beyond your DVD+ expectations,aswell as being far better in most departments,including general user friendliness and operating logic.

Definitely outside my budget. :(

J Mark Oates

A thought:

I want to play Devil`s Advocate here. I have a Philips DVD+R/RW Recorder ready to go back to Holland for a refit. I have a burner in my PC that takes +R/RW discs and the discs I normally use are +Rs.

I can`t help noticing the Panny, the Tosh and I think the Pioneer all use -R or -RAM (which comes in a handy expensive caddy and won`t work with my PC drive(s)) This would mean having two standards of discs knocking around and not being able to use my +RWs in future if I got rid of the Philips (apart from in the PC).

I downloaded the Panny brochure, by the way, and I was really impressed by the list of prohibitions and "what it won`t play" on page 11. Messy if you fancied it as your only machine.

J Mark Oates

+R compatibility is the failing of the Panny machines. Not for recording, but as you say, for playback.

Personally, I`ve only ever had - and Ram compatible writers, but next time will probably be + capable as well. I don`t expect to use it, but just for that one compatibility issue.

I like me E50 although I very very rarely use it.
I have Sky+ and a Pioneer 104 in my PC which tend to do all my recording, with the odd disc on the Panny.
(Think I could count about 3 discs played back as originals and two or maybe three recordings on the machine!!)

As I`ve said before....I really should look at putting it up on Ebay or punting it! Lol

GL tomorrow with ther Philips Mark!

Jimbo : oÞ

This item was edited on Wednesday, 14th April 2004, 21:29

You are right-the Panny has quite a list of discs it does not like,but the Pioneer recorders(and players) seem to be quite comprehensive in the discs they will play.And,imagine,a recorder which skips chapters as soon as you hit the key,not 2 seconds later,and also a recorder that allows you to fast forward at varying speeds,not just 4x(too slow) or 32x(too fast).
Panny machines play +R no problem,but not +RW

This item was edited on Wednesday, 14th April 2004, 21:34

The 880 is off on its holiday to Holland, and all I have to remember it by is an Argos repair receipt. (sniff). I wish somebody would bring out a really cheap, really good DVD recorder and flog it through ASDA. I`d buy that like a shot.

J Mark Oates