12WP 01 DVD Recorder GT

11/4/05

4:21 pm

Page 78

GROUP TEST

FEATURES
DVD-RAM/-R/-RW recording; TimeSlip chasing playback; 4 recording modes; up to 6hrs storage capacity; DVD-RAM/-RW editing; VideoPlus+

CONNECTIONS

RGB Scart in; RGB Scart out; Scart/aerial loopthrough; S-video out; composite video out; analogue audio out; optical & coaxial digital audio out; front S-video & AV in; DV in
The main advantage of the DVD-RAM format is that you can play programmes from a disc while still recording

CONTACT

0303 www.samsung.co.uk

Samsung DVD-R100E

THE FLAT FACTS
I 160-200 I NO HDD I DVD-RAM/ DVD-R/DVD-RW RECORDING I TIMESLIP I VIDEOPLUS+ I PROG SCAN: NO I SCARTS: 2 RGB (1 IN, 1 OUT)
ffordable DVD recorders are no longer the reserve of obscure, supermarketonly brands. Samsungs latest, the DVD-R100E, is a case in point it offers the Korean giants home cinema expertise for as little as 160 (from online retailers). The most obvious indication of the DVD-R100E s entry-level status aside from its unremarkable design is that theres no built-in hard disk, meaning no huge storage capacity or advanced editing functions. Still, this is hardly unsurprising at the price, and when it comes to disc formats this deck does offer considerable flexibility. It handles rewriteable DVD-RAM discs, for flexible recording and editing functions, DVD-RW (also rewriteable ) for editing and compatibility in other players, and writeonce DVD-Rs, for access to cheaper blank discs and even broader compatibility. Connections are par for the course at this price. Sadly this means no component video sockets for sending progressive scan images to your flatscreen. Still, theres an RGB Scart output, for good-quality DVD signals, and an RGB input for recording from a set-top box at equally high quality. You can also export DV camcorder footage directly to DVD via the front-mounted i.Link port.
recording a feature called Time Slip here. Both DVD-RAM and DVD-RW discs also offer editing functions. You can create a playlist to show specified parts of a recording, move scenes around and change edits although navigation was quite unresponsive. Timer recordings can be set manually or made easy via VideoPlus+, and theres an auto fit (FR) option that can alter the recording mode to cram recordings on a disc (although, of course, the quality is affected).

Going soft

The DVD-R100E shows why its a budget model when it comes to performance. Our Desperate Housewives recording looked okay in the top XP mode, but this provides no more than 60 minutes of space on a disc room for just one episode of our favourite over-the-top drama. With SP mode (2hrs), recordings started to look a little soft, while the jump to LP (4hrs) is a big one the housewives antics looked even softer and suffered drastic loss of detail. EP (6hrs) mode is virtually unwatchable there was no definition in the image, outlines were ropey and movement caused digital breakup. Spinning a pre-recorded DVD didnt do much to improve matters. The dazzling visuals of our Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind test disc looked sadly muted, with fuzzy outlines, while Jim Carrey was even more washed out and pasty than the director intended! The films audio was adequately presented via the coaxial output, but its an uninspiring performance. While we dont expect any entry-level product to be perfect, the DVD-R100Es performance problems cant be overlooked. As youll discover later in this test, there are other budget DVD recorders that offer much more bang for your buck. WP

RATINGS

RECORDING.###$$ PLAYBACK.###$$ SOUND.###$$ FEATURES.####$ EASE OF USE.####$ VALUE.####$ Price and multi-format disc recording is attractive, but performance is mediocre

Lost for words

Usability doesnt quite garner top marks. While the on-screen menus are reasonably attractive and simple, the strange wording of some screen messages is a little frustrating, and the deck also failed to tune TV channels in the right order. And the remote manages to be big and cramped at the same time! There are four recording modes, providing varying quality and a disc capacity of 1-6hrs. The main advantage of DVD-RAM is that you can play programmes from a disc while still

VERDICT ###$$

78 WHAT PLASMA & LCD TV

ISSUE 12

292wv17 Samsung DVD-R100E

7/2/05

3:14 pm

Page 58

Samsung DVD-R100E
Samsung has taken the DVD-RW route with its latest recorder, leaving DVD+RW off the list. Peter Wells measures up the pros and cons
FEATURES Records: DVD-R, DVD-RW; DVD-RAM; Plays: DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW (Video & VR modes), DVD-RAM, DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, JPEG TV tuner; One Touch Recording; timer recording; VideoPlus; DV input SOCKETS Front: DV input; composite video input; S-video stereo audio input Rear: 2 Scarts (RGB/composite output and input); S-video out; S-video in; composite video out; composite video in; optical audio output; coaxial audio output; stereo audio in; stereo audio output; VHS/UHF input and output CONTACT 0303 www.samsung.com TEST DATA DVD PLAYBACK Video jitter: 4ns (very good) Signal-to-noise ratio: -68.8dB (average) Chrominance AM/PM: -72.6dB/-65.2dB (excellent/good) Chroma crosstalk: -40.1dB (below average) Frequency response at 5.8MHz: (composite): -0.28dB (excellent) (S-video): -0.37dB (excellent) Audio jitter: 412.3ps (average) RECORDING Chrominance AM/PM: -61.8dB/ -59.4dB (excellent/very good) Frequency response: XP (at 4MHz): -0.32dB (very good) SP (at 4MHz): -0.94dB (very good) LP (at 2MHz): -2.34dB (average) EP (at 2MHz): -2.43dB (average) For a full explanation of test data, see page 124
or some time now, several companies have presented combined DVD-RW and DVD-RAM recorders and drives as multi-format devices. Although that might be a fair and accurate description, these machines dont support DVD+RW. Lite-On got it right in 2004 by producing recorders that support DVD-RW and DVD+RW, assuming that RAM would be of little real interest to home users. Others just wont let the RAM format lie, however, as seen here with Samsungs DVD-R100E. Depending on where you look, the DVD-R100E can be had for just under 200. Early converts to DVD recording will be amazed at how much prices have fallen in the last couple of years, but Samsungs offering is by no means the cheapest out there. A whole gaggle of low-profile brands are currently jockeying for position below the 150 mark, and thats set to fall even further as VHS recorders finally make their exit and DVD recording becomes the norm. To compete with this new mainstream, Samsung will have to deliver something special be it with features or simply the quality of recordings.
Setup and tuning are as simple as youd expect from any video recorder, and were sure that newcomers will be up and running with this machine in minutes. The remote control is well labelled, but crammed with tiny buttons which can be a chore to navigate at times especially when its all new. Recording is easy, though DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM discs are immediately recognised and ready for recording. Four quality settings are on offer, accessed via a single button on the remote, providing one, two, four and six hours of recording time for a 4.7GB disc. Sadly, theres no threehour quality setting. A fifth option, FR standing for Flexible Recording is available for timer recordings and automatically selects a level of video compression to suit the length of the program and available disc space. VideoPlus is supported for timer recording, including an extended feature for making easy allowances for overruns and badly set clocks. Standard timer setting is very intuitive, too.

PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION

The deck itself seems well specified, with RGB input via Scart as well as composite and S-video inputs and outputs. Theres a four-pin FireWire port for connecting a DV camcorder, and digital audio output via optical and electrical sockets. Whats missing, though, is component video output. The unit itself is a simple affair in silver, and does little to evoke any kind of reaction with regard to style, but this is much preferable to a brash statement. Playback quality of retail DVDs is first-rate, with a good clear picture and vibrant sound. It is, however, a Region-specific machine, which is sure to dissuade many movie buffs or send them online looking for a hack. High quality XP recording runs at a bit-rate of around 8Mbit/s and, as youd expect, looks great. The next step
down is quite a leap for the compressor, crunching video to a mere 4Mbit/s, but this looks mightily impressive, too. In fact, we had to drop to the lowest EP mode for off-air recording before we really started to notice compression artefacts in playback. Of course, matters were helped by the fact that we were recording from Sky Digital where all footage is processed to help get away with high compression but were impressed nonetheless. Recording from DV sources via Firewire was more of a challenge, but the deck again fared well, giving excellent performance at XP and SP quality levels and only just beginning to fall apart in Long Play mode but even then youd have to be a true perfectionist to take issue with it. Sound was
An excellent recorder that delivers fine video and audio reproduction

Well labelled, but busy

Three formats means versatility and compatibility with other DVD players
The fascias silver dial is a nice touch
58 Issue 292 s WHAT VIDEO AND WIDESCREEN TV

3:15 pm

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DVD recorder 200

recorded in Dolby stereo at a datarate of 256kbit/s, and sounded absolutely fine. For DVD-RAM recordings, users can take advantage of a picture-in-picture feature, allowing simultaneous viewing of DVD playback and an incoming video signal, with either source set as background or overlay. Theres also a Timeslip mode, for viewing recordings in progress, but unlike some other RAM-based players, the Samsung offers timeslip viewing only in a picture-in-picture format, with the recorded image as the overlay and live recording as background. It works well, but its nowhere near as comfortable a solution as being able to catch up with a recording fullscreen. The DVD-R100E allows video titles to be renamed and locked to prevent re-recording, regardless of the type of disc on which it has been stored. Deletions, however, can only take place on rewritable media DVD-RAM or DVD-RW and while it makes sense

FACT FILE

q DVD-R, DVD-RW & q q q q q
DVD-RAM recording Time slip Picture-in-picture RGB in/out Dolby stereo audio recording VideoPlus
not to offer a deletion tool for write-once discs, it can be useful just to remove all access to unwanted clips from the discs table of contents, as is possible with some other recorders. Chapter markers cant be edited for DVD-R and, once finalised, we find that discs have no menus of their own all onscreen navigation is provided by the DVD-R100E itself. Instead, videos are simply played in sequence from start to finish. And, if chapter markers have been automatically added, it becomes even more difficult to tell where one movie ends and another begins. More complex editing tools are provided for DVD-RAM recordings, but these discs arent easily shared with friends and family, unless they also have a RAM-compatible player or recorder. Good options are provided for DVD-RW, but only when recording in VR mode, which again is incompatible with many set-top players. Its in this area that DVD-RW recorders fall behind their DVD+RW counterparts, which often provide excellent tools for menu and title editing.

WHATS GOOD

Good picture and sound quality; intuitive control

WHATS BAD

No DVD menus for DVD-R discs; no support for DVD+R
PICTURE (playback) PICTURE (recording) SOUND FEATURES EASE OF USE VALUE ALSO CONSIDER.

77777 77777

PANASONIC DMR-E55 One of Panasonics more affordable DVD-RAM/ DVD-R recorders a great machine Reviewed: Aug 04 HITACHI DV-RX7000 A good 100 more, but we liked the cut of this decks gib. Earned a Best Buy for its trouble Reviewed: Issue 290

OVERALL VERDICT

A solid effort from Samsung that suffers from a lack of editing finesse

CONCLUSION

The DVD-R100E is an excellent recorder, and delivers fine video and audio reproduction plus the DVD-RAM-specific features such as picture-in-picture and Timeslip are fun. DVD-R recordings played well in other machines, but the lack of support for DVD menus is unfortunate, and will put competing DVD+R-based recorders well ahead of the game in many peoples minds s
Issue 292 s WHAT VIDEO AND WIDESCREEN TV 59
RGB input is provided and an array of other useful sockets