Magnavox 500GB DVR and DVD Recorder MDR515H - Refurbished

Am using this DVR (ordered thru Amazon.com) to record specific shows received via DirecTV, using the DVR's "L1" input (requires pre-programming the DirecTV receiver to turn on for the desired shows and using DVR's "timed recording" feature programmed for recording the same time-periods ... a bit tedious but it works. The purpose for recording is to later burn DVD-Rs of the recorded medical shows for my sister. This HDD->DVD recording (done entirely within the DVR) illustrates the one flaw in this particular DVR ... the video output to the TV is constantly locked at "stretching" 4x3 to 16x9, regardless of the 3 aspect-ratios setable in the DVR. The burned DVD-Rs do have the proper aspect-ratios, so problem is only in video-out, not a show stopper for my purpose. This thing is doing my job OK.

We got this item and the DVD tray was warped. It would not close unless it was pushed shut. So we decided to return it. There was also nothing showing on the display on the front of the unit. Not sure if that was a defect or a setting that allows a person to turn the display off. I doubt that this item was inspected before it was boxed up, or the warped DVD tray would have been spotted and repaired. It was not returned to factory settings after having been used, because there was a recording on the hard drive when we got it. So, check for recordings before letting your kids use it...

The tuner worked better than another tuner we had. The channels came in clearer. We didn't test the other features.

Worldwide distributors allowed us to return the item but of course I had to pay for shipping (both ways, although they initially shipped it for free, they deducted $9 from my refund for shipping it to me). From now on I will always order from Amazon, never again from a third party. It's just not worth it when something goes wrong.

Buy Magnavox 500GB DVR and DVD Recorder MDR515H - Refurbished Now

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MDR533H/F7, MDR535H/F7, MDR537H/F7 (53x Series)

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Three new Mag std def HDD/DVD recorders arrived 9//5/12: 533/535/537 (53x Series).

These are new versions of the MDR515 which ended production in 1st Qtr 2012, with no plans for continued development or production of new models, i.e., it was "the end of the line, la fin, el fin, die ende, hasta la vista baby, gone bye-bye."

However, we made an "emergency" appeal on avsforum.com to AT LEAST continue producing units similar to the MDR515 so we have SOMETHING to use as an HDD recorder/pseudo-DVR.

Each has a different-sized HDD: 320GB, 500GB, 1TB (1000GB). They also have a "different" tuner... ANT IN/OUT connectors are closer together. Previous tuner reached end-of-life (EOL) so Funai had to get a different one. It's still a hybrid (switched) design. Also, HDD title capacity has been increased in the FW from 600 to 999.

More info at avsforum.com > Forums > Video Components > DVD Recorders > Magnavox 537, 535, 533, 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575.

Read Best Reviews of Magnavox 500GB DVR and DVD Recorder MDR515H - Refurbished Here

I'm love my new recorder. It saves me having to buy blank DVDs to record the shows I want to watch at a later time. Now I can record as much as I want and delete them after watching them. I only burn the shows I want to keep.

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I've had this DVR for a month or two, now. This is not a full review, but here are the reasons why I like it:

1) No monthly service contract. Once you buy the DVR you can use it without paying a monthly fee. I (generally) record sporting events off the air (NFL) for watching later. I don't have, and thus don't pay for, cable or satellite so it would have stuck in my craw to have to pay (a monthly fee) to record something.

2) Fast forwarding a show you are currently recording. Start recording your show, do something else for 30-60 minutes and come back to watch it and be able to fast forward through commercials and boring parts of show.

3) HDMI connection to TV. This allows better than 640x480 resolution to TV. Thus the built-in DVD player can play DVDs at the wide aspect ratio.

4) DVD player is pretty good. I've had other Magnavox DVD players and they had issues decrypting some DVDs. No issues with playing DVDs with this DVR yet.

I did not give this device 5 stars because it cannot record two shows at the same time. With the internal disk, it should be able to do that. Even so, this device has been great so far.

-mz