An Evening With Matt Monro

[mariana44]

Lots of stores will also convert a normal machine to one that will play region 1 dvds--that is what I did with my most recent one.

[Paul]

Eh Karl,

A PVR is a Personal Video Recorder, or a DVR Digital Video Recorder. Think of it as a VCR only instead of tape, it's a hard drive. You can record hundreds of hours of TV (depending on the quality you choose) and you can edit the video too. Say you have five Matt Monro shows that you've recorded from TV, you can capture all your fave scenes from the shows and make them into one, then you can burn it on to a DVD. Navigating through a show is instant (no fast forward that takes forever), you can bookmark (or chapter) spots on a show so you can get right to that scene) instantly. We don't watch any over the cable TV any move (nor have we since we got the first PVR)....'cause it also has a commercial skip button. Anyhow, you guys are usually more advanced over there than us here in North America so I'm sure you've had them for a long, long time. Oh, and not only can you record and watch a recorded program at the same time, you can watch a program from the start that you happen to be currently recording.

My apologies if I misunderstood your question!

Paul.

[mariana44]

We have something similar over-here, as in hard disc recorders-my one does not sound as versatile as yours.

[karl]

Paul I know what you mean but I don't think we call them PVR's over here.

[Paul]

Hi Mariana!

I got my Panasonic DMR-EH50 PVR in 2006 and didn't even use it for about a year and a half 'cause I was so intimidated by it - and I'm a techy kinda guy too, plus I'm not really into movies. Now I mainly use it for TV and don't know how I lived without it, but too bad it's not multi-regional. Unfortunately, they don't make PVRs any longer.

[Paul]

Karl, ooops....feeling a bit foolish now.

[mariana44]

What would be the equivalent Karl--would it be, as I thought a hard disc drive--like the BT ones--I have seen one advertised on Tv-I think it was Virgin, with 800 hours record time-my Sky plus only has 80 hours--and that was a special "double hours" offer--some are only 40 hours--which is not much--once you have a few filns on etc etc etc.

[Eman]

Wow all! You are more advance than I am. I'm still trying to marvel at the wonder of my blu-ray player. I'm only a little peeved as I want to find one that's an all region player so I can watch some of the dvds that came with my cd's that I bought when I was in Europe. Plus I can't order some of the shows from Europe on DVD as they won't play on the NTSC stuff here.

[mariana44]

At one time, multi region dvd players were not allowed to be sold here-don't ask me why--but there was usually a way round. More and more dvd players now are multi-region-I have a plain dvd player that is multi region--then I have a dvd recorder, that will record my videos etc,which I paid extra to have it converted to multi region.

Also on my computer, I have a dvd recorder, plus an external hard drive--the external one is set on region 1, and the other on region 2.

The regions can be changed from 1 to 2 and back again, but for some inexplicable reason, this can only be done 5 times. I guess they could also be converted-I do not know, I have never tried.

Heaven knows why there are so many regions---cds are universal. It is possible to get Multiregion dvds that will play in any machine--why arent they all like that ? Even with the blank dvds, I have to make sure I get the minus ones, because the plus ones will not play on my equipment--it is crazy !!!

[karl]

Marian the more expensive dvd recorders have a hard disc drive.

MY dvd and blue ray machines are all multi region, Richer Sounds have always stocked them and I won't go past them for things like that.

[Eman]

I never seen them here in the US and when you go into a store and ask the clerks they have a weird look on their face. Goodness you think they would know the products they are selling!!

[john]

I have been quite lucky with my dvd players, I think most of them have played multi region discs even some of the cheapest ones.

[Eman]

You all are lucky in Europe. However here in the US, they'll look at you as if you are from another planet. My only hope is to check out a Japanese store as I heard they may carry them.

[Paul]

While I was carrying on about this PVR/DVR issue, I sent an email to Panasonic to see why they no longer manufacture them and they responded this morning saying that they no longer compete with the cable companies who offer them. That's quite true. I'm in Toronto and my 2nd PVR is an HD PVR from Rogers, which is one of our main digital cable companies. But guys, don't forget, like I mentioned, there are cheap softwear programs that you can purchase to convert PAL to NTSC (or any other conversions). The program I bought for, I think, about CAN $29 was ConvertXtoDVD (has great reviews too). They are based in France I believe, but they have a US office. Their support couldn't be any better...I've even had help from the owner of the firm as well as a thank you note from him 'cause I let them know that the help I received worked! No more Matt Monro probs with this.

[mariana44]

Thanks Paul-that is useful information.

Bye the way, I was in Toronto on holiday many years ago-saw some concerts at the O'keefe Centre---went shopping in the Eaton centre, boat under the Niagara falls--etc etc etc--I loved Toronto--but I suspect it may have changed sonce I was last there.