Daytek DVR-P30 DVD Recorder

1 DVD Recorder hits, Showing 1 to 1 DVD Recorders

DVD Recorder

Write support

Read support

FireWire
VCR, HD

Price

Best

Rating

Comments

Daytek DVR-P30

Write
~~CDR~~
~~CDRW~~
~~DVD-R~~
~~DVD-RW~~
~~DVD-R DL~~
DVD+R
DVD+RW
~~DVD+RDL~~
~~DVD-RAM~~

Read*

CDR
CDRW
DVD-R
DVD-RW
DVD-R DL?
DVD+R
DVD+RW
DVD+R DL?
DVD-RAM?

*based on user reports.

Desktop, Firewire

$300

7.3/10
14 votes
Read 15
comments
(19713 views)

Post comments

DVD Player features:
Video formats:
JPG
Audio formats:
MP3
Other features:
Progressive Scanning

Visit manufacturer's site
Region code free hack

DVD Media comments for this DVD Recorder (click on the link to read the comments):
1 E3Works 4xDVD+R (........001) comments, 1 good, 0 mixed, 0 poor.
Post your DVD Media comments here

Comments

15 comments, Showing 1 to 15 comments

Neil from Canada reported July 28, 2006:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R Few DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	over 1 year	6 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
I have used this model for 2 years, and now on my third machine. First one lasted 4 months, then the tuner failed, static only. Second one worked fine for 11 months, then stopped accepting DVD's completly. Returned to manufacturer for repair, and they gave me a refurbished one, advising me that the reader/loader mechanism had failed. The refurbished one still works a year later but has recently started to have problems when trying to label chapters. (it formats over the whole DVD making it unreadable). While I had the second machine for a while, I bought a third one as the price had come down from the original 349.00 to 199.00, and that one still works fine after 2 years. If you are trying to make the unit region free, no firmware is required. There is a secret menu. When you press setup, highlight, but do not press the exit button. Then press the following keys; 2-9-6-0 and then press enter. To exit the secret menu just use the arrow left button to exit. After making it region free, reading problems seem to disappear

stan from Canada reported October 03, 2005:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR CDRW	DVD-R DVD-RW DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	30 days	8 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
bought this at canadacomputers.com for CDN$119... does just what i want... records in HQ SP EP SLP. after i record tv, i can stick it in my computer and rip the shows to hdd. BUT, the hacks don't work. I did get region free, but the 3hour LP mode and Macrovision removed didn't work. just says data disc when i insert the firmware on cdrw. if anyone bought one in September and has a fool proof way of getting this firware hack to work on a daytek, let me know... stan_soltz@hotmail.com

dave from Canada reported September 11, 2005:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW? DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	2 days	No rating
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
I bought the machine with the 1163 firmware installed Sept 2005. The LITEON hack below works perfectly for me. I can copy my macrovision tapes now. You should get the latest HACK to unlock the macrovision. You need to know how to check your serial number and set the region. You hit the "setup up" move down to "exit" type 2960, and up pops the secret menu. You need the instructions and liteon official firmware update available at: http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/buyerguides/dvdrecorders/liteontips.htm Then get the firmware hacking program at: http://ilohacker.tripod.com/

never4ever from Canada reported May 27, 2005:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	21 days	8 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
The quality of the recorded video is very very good if you recorded through video input not the tuner, which had a bit of video signal noise. I can't tell the difference between mono and stereo when compared the recorded audio from the tuner and audio inputs. The DVD drive produces a high pitch sound when playing or recording at the beginning portion of the dvd. Just be aware that Daytek has no firmware on their website for download. And they didn't answer any of my emails (3 of them in 2 weeks). If I have known that I would buy the Gateway AR-230, same price though in factroydirect.ca, instead.

The wordsmith from Canada reported February 26, 2005:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R DVD-RW DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3 CVD?	300 days	10 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
This is an update to my original post. This machine is still available from an outfit in Medicine Hat, Alberta, so if you buy in Canada the PST saving offsets the shipping cost. I believe it is about $250 so it is not the cheapest on the market, but it is the only one in that price range that doesn't have major issues. Not sure what the last poster's problems were, or why he had to "shout" them in caps, but maybe he just got a lemon, or had the wrong expectations. I actually paid $325 Cdn for mine, and I am not complaining. Nothing these days is built like a tank anymore. If you want high end, pay double and get Pioneer or Panasonic, but I'm not sure the extra cost is justified unless you really need timeshifting on the HDD models. Since I started doing my VHS transfers on this machine, the quality has improved over any of my PC based capture programs, so I guess I am contradicting some of my earlier comments - PC is not necessarily better unless you have lots of time to waste (which I do not). Macrovision defeat is a bonus too.

Terence Co from Canada reported January 19, 2005:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	~~DVD-R~~ ~~DVD-RW~~ DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	330 days	1 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
DO NOT BUY THIS DVD RECORDER, I HAD IT FOR 11 MONTHS AND IT BROKE DOWN AT LEAST 4 TIMES, HAD TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND IT STILL BROKE DOWN, HAD THEM REPAIR THE REPLACEMENT AND IT BROKE DOWN THE NEXT DAY. THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THIS DVD RECORDER IT EASILLY BREAKS DOWN WITH A LITTLE DUST WHICH IS EXCACERBATED BY THE FAN IT IS USING AT THE BACK WHICH SUCKS IN THE DUST INTO YOUR MACHINE. I DID LIKE THE WAY IT CAN PLAY PAL AND MULTIREGION DISCS BUT AS A RECORDER IT SUCKS, STAY AWAY. POORLY MADE PRODUCT.

Terence Co from Canada reported December 12, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW? DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	240 days	7 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
A very good dvd recorder. Good: Can Play PAL DVDs and with the right code you can play any region. Easy interface. Bad: Takes a minute or two to load. I had to get mine replaced since for some reason, after 8 months of use, it would not read DVDs that it burned and had converted to DVD video and I had to play a VCD before it would accept DVD+Rs. The repair people said it was a delicate misaligned part in the drive so they gave me a replacement and for some reason the replacement had extra features and looked more durable than my original machine(maybe they refined it). Hopefully this lasts longer than the other one. It got a 7 since it can play PAL DVDs with no problems and without a converter for a NTSC TV.

The Wordsmith from Canada reported October 28, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW? DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	N/A	7 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
I have had my Daytek PVR for a few months now. My only real beef is that the tuner is a bit insensitive - one station that shows up clearly on my Sharp flat screen TV using the Radio Shack mini-state rotary antenna, has very noticeably poorer quality with diagonal interference grids. My three major network stations (CBC, CTV and GLOBAL) have really powerful signals so they record incredibly well in the one hour mode. Anyone with good cable should not have a problem. Otherwise, two hour recording is well on a par or better than my old Betamax, and definitely better than VHS SP. For those long movies that require extended recording times (4 hours being the next option) the quality is definitely superior to any VHS SLP mode (which stinks, but people still insist on using it even for short programs). The Macrovision override is a nice touch for anyone wanting to convert their VHS tapes to a more durable DVD, but don't waste any time trying to record factory DVDs from another machine (why would you do that anyway? - use a computer with appropriate software). Now that prices are dropping to the level of a VHS tape anyway, I stick with RW format. If I don't have to finalize the disk, it's a bonus in time saving steps and it also allows me to recycle anything that turns out poorly. I have settled pretty much on Memorex, but have also used KHypermedia with some success. My experience with straight DVD+R has been mixed - but my Ricoh burner on my computer is on the fritz now, so that might have been a problem all along. Every +rw that I record on the Daytek plays fine on my Toshiba, and used to play on the Ricoh before it died. The Daytek is the same as the Liteon (model number escapes me) so check there for updates and hacks,- be warned however that the latest firmware update defeats the macrovision override. One problem is that people buy PVRs expecting them to give commercial DVD picture quality. This is not possible with the CODEC limitations implicit in "on the fly" recording. If you want to get the highest grade of image on DVD you pretty well have to go to the computer and start hacking around with more complex CODECs and authoring software. Conclusion - as a replacement for VHS this machine is a snap. I don't know what the long term durability will be like, but Liteon hardware has a good rep as a rule, so let's hope.

Benoit from Canada reported October 20, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW? DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	N/A	9 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
Nice picture quality, easy to use, the speed in menu is not fast, but you have nice options. Dont accept all dvd-rw but it accept almost all dvd-r+r quality price side is one of the best dvd-r that you can have for this price. The good : a dvd burner with built-in tuner as well made and easy to use The Bad : No hard drive, somewhat confusing remote control and interface. limited menu creation, not cheap. The verdict : As a DVD based replacement for your VCR is pretty good value. And one hidden feature, courtesy of a dvd website, the DVR-P30 has a secret menu that allows you to turn off the regions settings on dvds and to disable macrovision copy protection. do not contain an internal hd.

DragonSlayer from United States reported October 13, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW? DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	N/A	8 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
Out of box it works like a charm. No problem at all. The only thing is that I can't upgrade the firmware.

blaise from Canada reported September 21, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	60 days	9 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
Can transfer up to 6 hours of VHS tapes. Mpg-1 quality is slightly inferior to Terapin. Garbage in, garbage out. Cannot change bit-rate settings. Excellent quality in 1 hour (HQ) and 2-hour modes. Love the Guider (Wizard-like)button, which makes recording a matter of clicks on the remote. Does not have memory to store cable programs like a PVR. But a real value for the money if all you want to do is convert VHS tapes, tranfer camcorder footage or put TV cable programs directly onto DVD. Will burn DVD+R only. But can playback either format. Therefore DVD+R or RW discs burned with the Daytek will NOT play on older laptop DVD players. No problem if you only intend to watch DVDs on the Daytek itself.

Lucio Mendonca from Canada reported August 03, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R? DVD-RW? DVD-R DL?	DVD+R? DVD+RW? DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	N/A	4 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
Great PAL to NTSC conversion. Nice picture quality but very unreliable. I've already traded in 3 of them and they are all defective. I gave it a 4 because of it's great picture quality as a player. Useless as a recorder. Stay Away! Lucio

Lucio from Canada reported July 16, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW?	DVD-R ~~DVD-RW~~ DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD? XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD? SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3? CVD?	1 days	8 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
Just bought the Daytek dvd recorder today from Future Shop. It's actually my 3rd stand alone dvd recorder and fills in the gaps left by my Pioneer 310 and Philips 75. Here are a few comments: The Good: -Best PAL to NTSC conversion I have ever seen after applying the hack(and I've tried at least 10 other players that were supposed to be good). The Philips 727 dvd player has an excellent conversion as well but tends to hiccup every few seconds with dvdrs. -DVI input -Plays every dvd that I have put into it except DVD-RW recorded in VR mode. In fact it plays some dvds that would only play on my computer before. The Bad: -At $350 (Canadian) it is comparatively high priced next to the better known Panasonic E55($450) and Pioneer 310 ($450) -No editing features to speak of beside Pause and Erase Let's see how long it will last compared to my indestructible Pioneer (which does not read PAL or DVD+R) Lucio (In Toronto, Canada)

H Williams from Canada reported July 11, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR? CDRW	DVD-R DVD-RW DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3 CVD?	90 days	9 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
Confirmed that this is a Liteon. Have performed 3 firmware upgrades. (2 from Liteon site and the third is a hacked upgrade). This has fixed all issues to date and added a 3 hour record option. Very pleased with player. No complaints whatsoever.

H Williams from Canada reported April 29, 2004:
Read features:						Time used:	Rating:
CDR CDRW	DVD-R DVD-RW DVD-R DL?	DVD+R DVD+RW DVD+R DL?	VCD XVCD? XSVCD?	SVCD SVCDSubs? SVCDTracks?	MP3 CVD?	N/A	8 of 10
DVD-RAM?
Comments:
So far so good. Only been a few days, and the only problem so far has been with SVCD. So far have not been able to get any sound only video, and video has not been as good as on my JVC. Record quality in 4 hour mode is very good. Will update again soon.

15 comments, Showing 1 to 15 comments

1 DVD Recorder hits, Showing 1 to 1 DVD Recorders

Column Explanation:

Click on this for more technical information.

New comments= New comments since your last visit.
New Recorder = New DVD Recorder since your last vist.

OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer.

Chipset
The manufacturer of the main chipset the DVD writer/recorder is based on.

Write support / Read support
DVD-R = Works
~~DVD-R~~ = Is not supported
DVD-R? = Not tested

Connection
FireWire = Computer desktop DVD Writer with IEEE 1394/FireWire/i.Link connection (some standalone desktop dvd recorder supports this also but then it is usually to connect your DV camera to the recorder)

Rating
The first rating is based on a weighted rank (the true Bayesian), it requires at least 5 votes to get a weighted rating.
The second rating between the ( ) is a normal average rating.

We can Not gurantee that this list is 100% correct and don't forget to read the User Comments for more Info about each recorder.