Hitachi's new Memory Master DVD/HDD recorder

Dave Walker HDTV, Video Reviews
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  Two new DVD/HDD recorders from Hitachi hit the shelves in the coming weeks – the Memory Master DV-DS163E (with 160GB hard drive) and the DV-DS253E (with 250GB hard drive).

Housed in a smart black and brushed platimum casing, Hitachi are selling these on the basis of ease of use and their wider use as a multimedia machine – it can also save MP3 and photo files, as well as video. Featuring a simple menu interface to help navigate through all files, you can turn your TV into a high quality multimedia ‘jukebox’.

The Memory Master models also feature Hitachi’s super-multi format drives which support all main DVD formats, with higher specifications hard drives developed in-house for AV applications, because of the prolonged use a recorder has compared to a PC hard drive. The 250GB drive should be enough to record 338 hours of TV programmes. And it’s good for your HD set up, with an HDMI interface.

Both models are available in August, so far Hitachi hasn’t set a UK price.

Hitachi website

More DVD recorders:
LG RH200MH HDD DVD recorder
Sony’s latest HDD recorders reach the UK

Dave Walker
For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv

3 comments

  • PROS:
    Excellent HDD recorder, and cheap to boot
    nice designDivX, timeshift (pause live tv for up to 6hrs,resume from where you left off). Big HDD, HDMI 1080upscale, front inputs, DV in, gcode, remembers your dvds, card reader, big remote (and userfriendly),recording starts instantly instant.CHEAP
    CONS:
    cant copy movies from cards, noisy fan (not unbearable, just noticeable), clumsy interface (at first), freezes occasionally on some divx, remote feels cheap, no dig tuner, discontinued model.

    OVERALL OPINION:
    Here is what i think of the DVDS253A. Its an excellent choice for a recorder, as long as you dont require a digital tuner. Its cheap, and does all the stuff the other big names boast, and more according to old mates comments before me. The HDMI output with upscaling was to me a necessity; whats the point of having all these next gen inputs if theres nothing to plug in? But yeh, the higher resolution is noticable, but dont expect anything on Blu Ray, as seen on ps3 or you will be disappointed. A PS3 recorder would have been the go.. and it would have justified the $grand tag.
    Back to the Hitachi, i work in a electronics store and we stocked these, got it cheap enough with 5 yrs warranty, paid extra for the warranty. Dont ever buy any HHD or DVD recorder and not at least consider ext warranty. Never seen one of these, or any other Hitachi product fail (that wasnt a few years out of warranty).
    Anyway, dont ever pay the RRP tag of $569 because the can be had in stores, with genuine warranties, not refurbed, for around $499.. nothing else with these features and a brand name (CentreX went bust the other day) can be had that cheap. Samsung maybe, and there gear is good (especially Lcd TVs) so check out their range too.
    Let me just make it clear.
    THIS IS A EXCELLENT RECORDER WITH MOST OF THE FEATURES YOU WOULD USE but
    here are the bad things ive noticed with it..
    -it is slow to start, most hdd recorders are.
    -its frustating to copy to, there is no way to link any pc devices. Eg:i would like to choose say 50 movies from my dvd collection and copy them as divx files.. So i do that with my PC, now i have all these divx files sitting there and the only thing i can do is burn them all to disc say 5 at a time, and manually copy them across. It has DV input , but as far as i know it isnt DVlinks so it cant be netwrked.
    – its pretty loud. i dont have a big loungeroom by any means tho, and some of you scumbags might be sitting far enough away, not to notice the noisy little fan whirry away. Generally you dont notice it in movies tho because you turn up your surround sound. Its just those late nights alone, rubbing one out to 42″ pussy lol
    -the upscaling doesnt always look much different. Limitations of the source i know but still.. whizzbang and all that.
    Overall, if you find one cheap enough grab it. Oh by the way, you can get a ‘Tachi Terabyte Recorder for a bit over a grand.

  • do it with the dv link, aka firwire. it should sync with your recorder to some effect, and your videos will not be degraded whatsoever. costs bout $20, they dont come in the box.

  • help (please)

    I am trying to conect up a JVC Everio hdd camcorder to the DV-DS163E both through the AV and S cables to no effect I am not a Ludite but I am in need of some tlc help.
    Cheers.
    John Farrel

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