RCA DRC6300N Progressive-Scan DVD/VCR Combo

RCA DRC6300N Progressive-Scan DVD/VCR Combo
Manufacturer: RCA
Product Type: CE

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Digital Cinema & Video Mode Progressive Scan Digital Photoview & MP3 combination play Plays DVD CD CD-R/RW VCD S-VCD MP3 & WMA Optical & coaxial digital audio outputs S-video & component output Includes remote control
Amazon.com Product Description
Broaden your entertainment system's range of compatible media formats while saving space and simplifying hookups with RCA's DRC6300N combination DVD player and VCR. Progressive scanning gives you top-of-the-line DVD quality with a high-definition or HD-ready TV, while the player's Digital PhotoView feature lets you enjoy a custom slide show of digital photos when using a JPEG-encoded CD-R or CD-RW. The DVD section is compatible with DVD-Video, VCD/SVCD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3/mp3PRO/WMA-encoded music discs, as well as both 3-inch and standard 5-inch sizes.

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DRC6300N stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Composite- and S-video outputs maximize compatibility with nearly any television.

DVD playback options include MultiSpeed Smooth Scan (forward and reverse, up to 100x playback), MultiSpeed Slow Motion (forward and reverse), zoom (up to 4x), and slide show (for JPEG images). The supplied remote control operates the DVD/VCR as well as all RCA and GE televisions.

The built-in 4-head VCR offers auto rewind (at tape's end), 1-touch recording, and 8-event programming. If you're interested in the simplicity of a single audio/video connection between the combo unit and your TV, there's a composite-video-based, dual-format (DVD/VHS) AV output for that purpose. You actually get 2 sets of left/right analog-audio outputs (one for DVD/VCR and one for DVD only) to channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions.

The DVD player passes both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals through its digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. If you don't have a surround receiver or 6-channel speaker setup, you can still make every movie night the ultimate DVD experience: 3D Virtual Surround simulates surround sound through 2 speakers (even the stereo speakers on your TV).

A convenient set of front-panel inputs makes it easy to hook up a camcorder or a second VCR, and the rear panel offers an additional AV input as well as one each RF output and input (for a cable TV feed). Please note: while the RF output will channel audio and video from the VCR section of the unit directly to your TV's RF input, a composite-video connection (or higher) is still required for DVD viewing. If your TV has only a single RF input, as many older sets do, you'll also need to buy an RF video modulator, which will not only convert composite-video to RF, but provide you with a simple way to switch multiple video output sources to a single TV input.

What's in the Box
DVD/VCR combination unit, remote control (RCR311DA1), remote batteries, user's manual, and a stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable.

Average customer rating: 3.0

Pretty good buy for the money!
So far, an expensive paper-weight
PROBLEMS
It fits the price

HP Pavilion Media Center TV m7330n PC (AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 4200+, 1.0 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, LightScribe DVD SuperMulti Drive)

Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Office
Product Group: Personal Computer
Binding: Personal Computers
ASIN: B000E1D9BW

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HP Pavilion Desktops

Media Centers

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Product Description

Media Center offers an expansive edge on the PC that allows you to interfce with digital-camera and camcorder (and a host of mobile devices) with a new level of ease and improved productivity. It merges with TV and lets you watch and record TV onto its hard drive. Step up to Media Center! Integrated with up to 128 MB of allocated video memory RJ11 Modem and RJ45 Ethernet 10/100 Jack Integrated Sound with Dolby 5.1 Channel Surround Capability (speakers optional) 9-in-1 4 slot Memory-Card Reader supports the following cards - Compact Flash I; Compact Flash II; SmartMedia; Memory Stick; Memory Stick Pro; MultiMediaCard; SD Secure Digital; Micro Drive; XD Picture Card Connections - Front - 9-in-1 (4 slot) One / 1394 One / USB Two / Headphone One / Microphone One / Audio L-R One / S-video in One / Composite video in One /// Rear - PS/2 (keyboard, mouse) Two / VGA One / Parallel One / USB Four / 1394 One / LAN One / Audio (line-in, line-out, microphone) One each PCI Expansion - PCI Three (One available); PCI Express x16 One (One available) Drive Bays - 5.25 external Two (None available); 3.5 internal One (None available); Personal Media Drive One (One available) HP Multimedia Keyboard, Optical Mouse, USB infrared remote and receiver Operating System - Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Update Rollup 2 / Microsoft Service Pack 2 Preinstalled software suite (partial listing) - WinDVD 5 Player Basic (with optional 7.1 upgrade) / Sonic DigitalMedia Plus 7.04 / MSN Encarta Standard (online) / Adobe Reader / Microsoft Works 8.0 / Microsoft Office 2003 Student Teacher Edition Trial / Microsoft Money 2005 / Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition (60-day security update subscription) / Norton Security Center HP USA Warranty - Hardware parts and labor and Telephone Support One Year from date of purchase / 90-Day Software Support Monitor is not included

Amazon.com Product Description

The easy-to-use HP m7330n Media Center PC is the complete home PC system that delivers more entertainment choices, and brings them together in one place with easy access from anywhere in the room. With the m7330n you can watch, record, and pause live TV programming as well as schedule the PC to record upcoming episodes or entire series. And you can easily burn your home video productions to DVD for friends and family with the dual-layer, multi-format LightScribe DVD/CD burner, which enables you to store up to 8.5 GB of data on a DL disc. This desktop is one of the first to offer Intel's Viiv technology, which enables you to quickly turn the PC on and off (after initial boot) with a touch of the included remote thanks to Intel's Quick Resume function. It also offers specially-designed software that makes network configuration easy, for connecting to portable media players, DVD players, TV sets and stereos.

The m7330n comes loaded with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (Update Rollup 2), which provides support for Media Center Extender technology built into XBox 360 game consoles. It features a 2.2 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ dual-core processor for powering through work as multiple applications hum along simultaneously and without stress, as well as 1 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), extra-large 250 GB hard drive, ATI Radeon XPress 200M video card (with up to 256 MB of shared video memory), TV tuner card with FM tuner, and 5.1-channel surround sound.

The Basics
<ul>

Hard Drive: The very roomy 250 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect for storing up to 170 hours of television programming, a vast multimedia collection, or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.

Processor: The 2.2 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ processor offers a dual-core architecture, which delivers additional computing resources to help expand your PC's capabilities by providing higher throughput and simultaneous computing--increasing your performance by up to 80 percent. You'll be able to perform multiple tasks such as digital rendering and gaming all while running virus scan or other background tasks seamlessly. And it's designed to handle simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance. It also offers such AMD technology as Cool'n'Quiet, for a quieter performance and lower power costs, and HyperTransport, for maximum system efficiency. Each core has a 512 KB L2 cache (for a 1 MB total).

Memory: The 1 GB of installed RAM (PC3200) is a good start for this multimedia-centric desktop PC, but you'll want to take advantage of the ultra-roomy 4 GB of total RAM capacity (4 x 1 GB) for such multimedia needs as video editing and immersive 3D gaming.

CD/DVD Drive: Offering the latest in DVD writing technology, the m7350n's multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It features 4x DVD-R DL Write Once, 6x DVD+R DL Write Once, 16x DVD+R, 16x DVD-R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 2.4x DVD+R DL, 16x DVD-ROM, 5x DVD-RAM, 40x CD-R, 32x CD-RW, and 40x CD-ROM speeds. It also comes with a second DVD-ROM optical drive, with 16x read speed.

This LightScribe DVD+/-RW drive lets you laser-etch silkscreen quality text and images on to CDs and DVDs . Your software, PC and discs work together for a no-hassle way to burn just the labels you want. After you burn content, just flip the disc over, reinsert and burn your label--anything from a simple title to a full-disc work of art . The m7250n also comes with a second optical drive--a 16x DVD-ROM.

Keyboard & Mouse: This desktop comes with an HP multimedia keyboard and optical mouse (both PS/2), USB infrared receiver, and remote control. </ul> Screen, Graphics and Sound
Video is powered by the ATI Radeon XPress 200M IGP video/graphics card, which delivers good, though not high-end, 3D graphics. It delivers between up to 256 MB of dynamically allocated video RAM that's shared with the system RAM. ATI's HyperMemory technology allows the chipset to run in either Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) mode or with dedicated frame buffer memory to enhance graphics performance. This desktop also features the integrated Intel High Definition audio chip (Azalia), featuring THX certification and 8 channels for full Dolby 5.1/6.1/7.1 surround sound with Dolby Pro Logic IIx.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The m7330n has three PCI expansion slots (one available), two external 5.25 drive bays (occupied), one internal 3.5 drive bay (occupied), one HP Personal Media Drive bay (available), one PCI x16 Express slot (occupied), and the following external ports on the front: <ul>

2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players

1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link; 1 front and 1 back) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals

Composite video, S-Video inputs

Headphone and microphone jacks

9-in-1 media card reader on the front, compatible with CompactFlash (Type I and II), MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick/Memory Stick Pro, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, and XD Picture Card </ul> The following I/O ports are found on the back: <ul>

4 USB 2.0 ports

1 FireWire

1 parallel

Video (VGA, composite, S-Video

Audio (side speaker out, rear speaker out, center speaker out, line-in, line-out, microphone)

2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice

It includes an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems). HP's Personal Media Drive (sold separately) allows you to add even more storage and the ability to take their digital photos on the go to share with friends and family. </UL>

Preloaded System and Software
The pre-installed Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (Update Rollup 2) is essentially Windows XP Professional Edition with a variety of tools to help you to create, organize, and enjoy digital media ranging from music to home movies to photo slide shows. The Update Rollup 2 upgrade offers support for the Windows Media Center Extender technology built into XBox 360 game consoles, which lets you access entertainment from your Media Center PC--whether itÕs live and recorded TV and movies, music, photos or Online Spotlight--on any TV in the house.

It also comes preloaded with Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents), Symantec Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition (with 60 days of LiveUpdate), PC Doctor, Encarta Encyclopedia 2005, Quicken New User Edition 2005, Microsoft Money 2005, RecordNow, WinDVD Player, Sonic DigitalMedia Plus, Sonic MyDVD Plus, Sonic DigitalMedia Archive, muvee AutoProducer, iTunes.

The included HP Image Zone Plus photo and imaging software makes it easy to organize, edit, share, print, protect, and store your photos and video clips. Organize and find your photos easily by timeline, keywords, and/or location using the unique photo-globe mapping tool. Remove red eye and fix other common problems. Share your photos quickly via e-mails that include thumbnails with links to the full-sized images--without downloading time-consuming attachments.

Dimensions and Weight
This desktop measures 15.16 x 7.6 x 16.54 inches (HxWxD) and weighs approximately 27 pounds.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Media Center m7330n desktop PC, keyboard, mouse, USB infrared receiver, remote control, and power cord. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance for one year. Software is also covered for 90 days from date of purchase.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good buy for the money!.......2006-08-27

I have enjoyed my HP Media Center computer. The only problem I have had is burning music to CD's. The DVD burning works great, but the system seems to have some trouble burning to CDs. HP sent me a fix, but I didn't follow the directions to apply the fix yet, that since then the CD burning works ok.
This compuer does everything I need to do and the media center features are really cool. I would recommend it.

So far, an expensive paper-weight.......2006-04-05

This is less about the product and more about the service and tech support offered by HP. HP has outsourced it's tech support to a company in India. The "technician" on the other end of the phone has never opened a computer case in his life... he is a slave to an Artificial Intelligence program (called an Expert System), and he has no authority to do anything other than what his screen tells him to do. You can give them a case ID number until you are blue in the face, but you will still get the litany of questions starting with, "Is the computer plugged in?" They were quick to come to a conclusion, send a replacement power supply and have me change it. The patient is still dead. The real answer for a new computer out of the box is that it should have gone back. But it is impossible to call someone in the U.S. with authority to do that, so after 11 days, I am still trapped here in outsourced tech-support purgatory. Perhaps my opinion will be updated if they ever resolve this and I get to see the computer in operation.

Update 06/06/06

After browbeating some poor guy in India for the umteenth time, he let slip a US phone number. I was able to get through to someone in the US for tech support; though it was was the wrong department, they were not slaves to the instructions on their screens, and got the problem resolved. The computer went back, they sent a new one, and it works very well.

GT

PROBLEMS.......2006-03-17

I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT FROM CIRCUIT CITY TWO MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS FROM THE START. FIRST THE DVD WRITER DRIVE SAID THAT WHEN I PUT A BLANK CD IN TO COPY IT SAYS THERE IS NO CD IN THAT DRIVE, CALLED HP AND FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR A WHILE.THEN MY MOUSE AND VIDEOS WOULD FREEZE AT CERTAIN POINTS, HAD TO TAKE IT TO GET FIXED AT CIRCUIT CITY. NOW JUST LAST WEEK A BLUE SCREEN CAME UP WHEN I BOOTED UP AND SAID WINDOWS WAS SHUT DOWN TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO YOU COMPUTER AND IT HAD JUST DUMPED MEMORY, AND THAT A SOFTWARE OR OTHER PROBLEM COULD RUIN THE COMPUTER...ALSO WHEN I LOADED MY CD IN THE E DRIVE IT SAID IT WAS IN THE F DRIVE BEFORE THIS HAPPEN. I WILL NEVER BUY A HP COMPUTER AGAIN BASED ON THESE PROBLEMS...I ADDED 1 GIG OF MEMEORY AND A GEFORCE 6600 VIDEO CARD FOR WHAT????

It fits the price .......2006-02-25

At first I was a little dissapointed when I recieved the Media center. It provides no way to interface with a television so I installed a 6600 Nvidia card with an aftermarket fan in the PCI express slot. One of the PCI card slots was occupied with a modem - I quickly threw that away. The inside of the computer is not made for expansion. There is no area for mounting additional hard drives and no board connections for plugging in my aftermarket fan. I had to use a Molex splitter to get power. I had no way to interface the sound system with my computer so I had to use a stereo to RCA cable to achieve sound. After rearanging much of the cables I have made room for my low profile ATA Raid Card and two 300 GB hard drives. Sadly uninstalling all the HP bloatware took three times as long as installing windows. I have no idea why I recieved a cd for AOL Latinos and had a link to it on the desktop. Finally I was able to enjoy media center - the system is very quiet and doesn't seem to have any major issues. It has had some errors when connecting to some of the web television but I think that has to do more with there server or net congestion. I am now able to watch all my favorite shows and fastforward/skip through all
the commercials. If you want you can build the exact same thing for about the same price. The OS is regular Media Center so there is no 64 bit extensions being utilized.

I submitted the following corrections:
X2 4200 is a 2.2 chip not a 2.0 as stated
The PCI-16 express card slot is not occupied as stated.
There is no video out capabilities to a television although not stated I found it implied.
The audio out does not consist of ports dealing with side speaker out, rear speaker out, center speaker out, line-in, line-out, microphone as stated. It has microphone in speaker out and digital out. The digital out can produce sounds to the speakers but there is not individual ports for all of those listed.

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