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DVR buying guide

ť 1. Types of DVR
ť 2. Price parameter
ť 3. A/V recording modes

ť 4. DVD format compatibility
ť 5. Features explained
ť 6. Input/output connectivity

Input and output connectivity

This spread of input and output jacks available on a DVR affects both playback and recording audio-visual performance. For starters, the rule of thumb here is to always opt for the highest-quality socket within your budget. Having said that, the tangible return may not be significant from one to another, for example the picture quality deliverable between HDMI and component-video.

For playback, the preferred choice here is HDMI. This not only carries both audio and video signals in a noise-resistant digital format, it also enables inter-equipment control via HDMI-CEC. A step back is component-video which does analog video only, transmitted as three independent signals. It requires a separate run of cables for audio, but is widely considered superior on paper to the legacy S-video and composite interfaces.

As for external A/V recording, DV (i.Link in Sony's lingo) or FireWire is the equivalent of HDMI and delivers the best quality. However, equipment featuring such connectivity is mainly restricted to camcorders, seriously limiting its versatility. This leaves us with the above-mentioned analog S-video and composite sockets. The latter is standard flair in all playback equipment such as VHS and DVD players.

Some companies such as Dutch Philips also have the tendency of throwing in European-centric SCART connectors. While they are not commonly found here in Asia, inexpensive adapters are easily available off-the-shelf for S-video and composite conversion. Lastly, there are high-speed USB ports and memory card readers for value-added multimedia playback. The former is usually compatible with a myriad of devices including thumbdrives and media players.

Connectivity: Composite-A/V | S-video | SCART | Component-video | HDMI |
DV/IEEE1394 | USB | Card reader

CONNECTIVITY	INPUT	OUTPUT	QUALITY	REMARKS
Composite A/V	X	X	Lowest	Standard legacy interface on all A/V products
S-video	X	X	Low	Same as above but slightly better. However some latest flat panels lack such input
SCART	X	X	Low	European-centric socket which is composite A/V and S-video-compatible via adapters

Component-video	N/A	X	Better	The highest-quality analog video output available

HDMI	N/A	X	Best	The highest-quality digital audio-video interface for playback

DV/IEEE1394	X	N/A	Best	The highest quality digital audio-video interface for recording

USB	X	N/A	N/A	Almost a standard for hard drive-based recorders for direct multimedia playback

Memory card reader	X	N/A	N/A	An auxiliary input to complement the USB port for flash memory cards.