"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Keith G wrote:
We already have a Topfield (Swim's) and a Thomson (was mine) - I get
excellent *projectable quality* DVD Videos (no siplynch problems)
from
the Toppy via the computer but it won't record GQT (R4) for some
reason
and 'chase play' navigation is hopeless, so I lost the Tommy under
the
heading 'use it or lose it!

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'chase play' - is that making up
some
form of play list so it will chunter out more than one pre-recorded
prog?


No, it's where you are watching/stopping/pausing/rewinding/catching up
the programme that is being recorded, but I think it's mostly skipping
back to rewatch something whether it's actually being recorded at the
time or not - the Toppy jumps about all over the place where the Tommy
is smooth (like a tape) and quick.



But have you checked if there is any software available to do what you
want? Mine records radio fine - or at least has on trial. I normally
use
the PC for this as I'm more likely to listen to them in that area.


I don't touch the Toppy or get into it at all - it's not my gadget, so I
don't *go there*!! I have no interest in the telly and almost never
watch anything other than the news; Swim supplies me with an endless
stream of 'suitable stuff' which I watch as and when, either from DVDRW
or a laptop. (So, no loss to me to lob her the Tommy solely for GQT!)



I was hoping someone had one and could tell me what the recorded
files
were - with a 300 Gig hard disk in it it would be possible to load it
up
with every damn thing that looked anything like a possible over a
period
of time, then pop it/swap it out and hook it straight up to the PC
for
processing as and when....

Are you sure the files on its HD can be read direct by your PC? Just
wondering...


No, that's the big question that won't get answered until I've had a
fiddle with it. Part of the fun is to get round the (inevitable)
barriers!!

For example, to get a Toppy recording onto the big screen goes like
this:

Toppy REC file to laptop/ArcDisk20 external HDD (slow)

ArcDisk20 to my PC (slow)

REC file to Mpeg via MPEG Streamclip (quick)

MPEG to laptop (if for me) or to DVD-Video via DVD Author/Copy2DVD if
for projecting (not too bad)

Worth it? Oh yes - the quality is top notch (up there with rentals) with
no trace of siplynch whether I edit the ads out (rare I bother on a
'watch & blow') or not! (It was the absolute kiss of death with
recordings from the Tommy, when 'archived' to any DVDR - so, Tommy still
no loss...!!)

Really worth it? Oh yes, the *arse* in Charlie's Angels Full Throttle
last night was *easily* worth it... :-)

Seriously worth it? Yes, of course - I've any number of those 'Coast',
'How We Built Britain', 'World's Biggest XYZ' 'Michael Palin In Europe'
&c. series ready to go when I'm in the mood; not to mention the numerous
'art' and music programmes' I like! Last night I caught up with Classic
Stars - Lang Lang on the piano on my Bez/Fidelios was *stunning*!!

(Biggest bugbear? - 'DOGs' and the presenters deliberately yakking
through the credits....)