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Setting up a recording is simple. The RD-XS32 uses Gemstar's VCR Plus technology, which lets you select the programs you want to record by name, without worrying about setting the right time and channel. You can schedule up to 32 different shows with this timer recording feature.

The programs that you have recorded are logged into an adjustable menu that displays the date, time, and channel that you recorded. You will also see a still-video image of the show you recorded in the menu. You can rename the listings and create chapters within the recordings that allow you to easily skip to your favorite scenes or to dub a cleaned-up copy of the show you've recorded onto DVD. The easy-to-use menu also features a live action window that lets you monitor the program you are currently recording or playing.

In addition to high-quality recordings, you'll get the most out of your DVD library as well. The RD-XS32 utilizes Toshiba's ColorStream Pro progressive-scan video technology to yield vivid colors, clean resolution, and reduced onscreen distortion. The RD-XS32 uses digital cinema progressive scanning to reproduce your DVDs in theaterlike clarity. While the RD-XS32 is compatible with both analog and digital televisions, you will get the optimum effect by using the player with a high-definition-compatible television.

In addition to playing a full range of DVDs, the RD-XS32 plays CDs and MP3 audio files, so you can enjoy your favorite music. You can also view digital JPEG photos from CDs created in your computer with the RD-XS32.

The RD-XS32 features rear-panel composite audio and video inputs, and RCA inputs on the front panel to connect your camcorder for dubbing onto DVD. An additional digital IEEE1394 Firewire jack is included on the front panel for an instant connection with digital camcorders. The Firewire connection automatically synchs up with your camcorder and creates a customized onscreen menu for dubbing.

Sony DVP-NC685V 5-Disc DVD/CD/SACD Player
5-disc Player. The versatile Sony DVP-NC685V 5-disc carrousel changer plays audio CDs, DVD, and SACDs, and it's compatible with CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R/RW, and DVD-R/RW discs. The carrousel enables you to play one disc while changing the remaining four. It's compatible with Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, and features a multibrand remote control, custom parental control feature, and MP3 audio compatibility.
Other DVD players detect image changes at the scan line level; Sony's Precision Cinema Progressive (PCP) system detects them at the pixel level. The picture is more faithful to the source--whether film or video--because separate, optimized algorithms are used to handle the differing pixel behavior. Separate algorithms are also used to process the moving and still parts of an image, resulting in sharp backgrounds with moving objects that are free from motion artifacts.
In addition to standard 2-channel CD playback, the DVP-CX985V plays 2-channel and multichannel Super Audio CDs. Playing MP3 audio is also easy. As soon as you load an MP3-encoded disc and press the Menu button, you'll see a display of the files and folders found on the disc.

Other features include:

The included remote operates the DVP-NC685V as well as a number of functions on select brands of televisions and receivers; its keys glow in the dark.
The Instant Replay feature enables you to go back 10 seconds to review a scene with a single press of a button.
The TV Virtual Surround feature generates a convincing surround-sound effect using only 2 stereo speakers.
Dolby Digital and DTS optical/coaxial output
192 kHz, 24-bit digital-to-analog converter .


Pioneer DVR-810HS DVD Recorder with TiVo Basic Service
DVD Player/Recorder. The Pioneer DVR-810H comes loaded with TiVo basic service--no startup costs, no monthly fees--as well as a spacious, 80 GB hard drive. But wait: it's also a full-featured DVD recorder and DVD player compatible with MP3 files on recordable CDs and with the latest high-definition and HD-ready televisions. The DVR-810H lets you control your live TV viewing, manage your broadcast recordings, and even archive your VHS cassettes and camcorder tapes to durable DVDs playable in most DVD players.
Setup is simple, and finding and scheduling your favorite shows is a breeze. The DVR-810H's built-in hard drive stores up to 80 hours of material for short-term storage and viewing. Record off the air, from cable or satellite, or from your home movies. Have your way with live television by pausing it, reversing it, and playing it in slow motion. You can even watch a recorded program from the beginning, while the recorder simultaneously finishes storing that very recording. The DVD recorder comes equipped with a 181-channel cable TV tuner for instant one-touch recording to the hard drive.
When you find yourself with a recording you want to watch again, you can keep it on the hard drive or simply burn it to a DVD-R (permanent, can't be erased) or DVD-RW (can be erased or written over many times). The DVR-810H features up to 18x record speed, so you'll be able to bounce a one-hour program to DVD in basic EP quality in just over three minutes. You can even record content to the hard drive while copying different content from the hard drive to a DVD.

The DVR-810H also features PureCinema 3:2 Progressive Scan for a filmlike presentation when watching movies. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24-frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. (You'll need an HD-ready TV to appreciate this feature.)

The unit is equipped to let you transfer old video content to long-lasting DVD-R or DVD-RW discs to preserve them for future generations. DVD-R discs are best for archiving because they are write-once discs and cannot be accidentally erased. Once you've loaded your content to the hard drive, you'll be able to edit it before burning it to DVD. The newly created DVD-R can be played back on most other home and portable DVD players, as well as DVD-ROM computer drives.

You get a pair of audio/video inputs (composite- and S-video with stereo analog audio), and two sets of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio output (Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. An RF coaxial AV input and output help you interface with older TVs, VCRs, and cable boxes.

Panasonic DVDS25K Progressive-Scan DVD Player
Single-disc progressive-scan DVD player. Proving that big performance doesn't necessarily mean "big ticket," Panasonic's DVD-S25K DVD player handles standard DVD-Video, DVD-R, CD-R and CD-RW, MP3-encoded CDs, and even JPEG picture discs. A handy feature called Quick Replay jumps back seven to 10 seconds in case you miss an important bit of action or dialogue, while high-resolution 24-bit/192 kHz audio processing and 10-bit/54 MHz video processing ensure vivid sound and picture from all compatible sources.
Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVD-S25K features a progressive-scan video processor that doubles the scan lines of an interlaced signal (from 480i to 480p) by scanning all 525 lines in 1/60 of a second for each pass. The result? Higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. A composite-video input offers compatibility with nearly all televisions; use a video modulator (not included) if you have an older TV with only a threaded coaxial audio/video input.
The unit offers audio features like Dialogue Enhancer (which boosts the volume of the center channel during Dolby Digital 5.1-channel presentations) and an optical digital-audio output for channeling DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound to a surround-decoding audio/video receiver. Also included are Hi-Speed Smooth-Motion Scan (which enables fast-forward/reverse at up to 200 times normal speed, offering a quick way to access desired scenes), repeat play, random play, track programming, and resume play (which picks up right from the point where you stopped, current disc only).

Philips DVP642 Progressive-Scan DVD Player
Single-disc DVD player. Tap into multimedia fun with Philips' broad-format, high-style, and ultra-slim DVP642 DVD player. The DVP642 is not only a high-end progressive-scan DVD player equipped to offer scintillating images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs, it's a tech-savvy player that spins your MP3- and JPEG-encoded recordable CDs (as well as Kodak's and Fuji's variants of the same) and CDs loaded with MPEG-4 and DivX video (3.11, 4.x, and 5.x files), perfect for viewing Internet-sourced content in your home theater. Want more? The player also converts Region 1/All Region PAL-formatted discs (the video standard in Europe) for viewing on standard NTSC televisions (and vice-versa, if only for video CDs).
Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVP642 stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.
Philips' 4x video upsampling offers smoother images even when viewing interlaced (nonprogressive) signals through the player's component-video, S-video, or standard composite-video outputs. SmartPicture provides optimum picture settings for color, brightness, saturation, contrast, sharpness, etc., to enhance your overall viewing experience at all times.

The player will play JPEG images one by one automatically, letting you zoom in, rotate, or flip the picture vertically or horizontally. For MP3 playback, the player offers track time display, album and track selection, and repeat (disc/album/track). The DivX media format is MPEG-4 based video compression that lets you save large files like films, movie trailers, and music videos on recordable media.

A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

Playback options include five-disc resume, which lets you pick up where you left off on your five most recently viewed DVDs (not applicable for MP3 or JPEG CDs), disc-lock parental controls, and picture zoom for magnification of select images.