Sony RDR-GX350 DVD Recorder

[Cee2024]

Hi,

If any one has one of these old players and still uses it I was wondering how you record off live tv with it. I had one of these with my old Sony Bravia TV and rarely used it. I recently searched online and found that I can still use it with my new smart tv with an av to hdmi converter but I'm not sure what to purchase to record live tv with it. As this used an analogue signal it's not that simple as everything is digital now. I did try to sell it but didn't realise it wasn't digital. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[royabrown2 · Accepted solution]

@Cee2024 

Yes, that YouTuber probably wasn’t the proud owner of an old DVD player with an HDMI output provided 😎😛

[Cee2024]

Hi,

Exactly I rewatched his video yesterday lol. 😊

[Cee2024]

Hi Royal,

Would this work with the dvdr to record with a smart tv? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Freeview-Receiver-Terrestrial-Schedule-MultiMedia-SILVER/dp/B00U4E0I8Q/ref=...

Thank you. 😊 

[royabrown2 · Accepted solution]

@Cee2024 

Well, what are you trying to achieve here?

That box has its own method of recording, onto hard disc or USB stick.

So yes, you could do that, and then copy across recordings, in real time, to the DVD recorder. But why? Just keep them on the hard disc instead, why not?

Or are you thinking you could use the scheduling capability and ability to get digital transmissions, to somehow feed through to the DVD recorder? Two problems there:-

(i) While it has SCART output that would feed the DVD recorder, it is not clear if it will put scheduled recordings out over it while they are being made..

(ii) Where’s the mechanism for switching the DVD recorder on and off round the scheduled recording? The timer mechanism in the DVD recorder is anyway geared to analogue TV programmes, which have now ceased, and to taking its signal from the aerial and tuner, not from a SCART input.

It’s possible both problems are soluble, but equally possible they aren’t. Can the DVD recorder be set to wake up at a set time, record from SCART, and shutdown after? If so, and if the digital TV box does output over SCART, then it’s doable. But you have to set both devices for the exact same time slot every time. So at best, it’s a big faff.

Mind you, I did once have something a bit like it, in the dear dead days of analogue, non-recording, Sky boxes. Even though it couldn’t itself record, it let you schedule programmes for recording, which it would output on SCART 2, with a guide signal for ‘Start’ and another for ‘Stop’. DVD/hard disc recorders that understood this convention existed, and I had a Panasonic one. You could switch it to ‘scheduled’ mode, and it would listen out for the Start signal on SCART 2, start recording the signal on SCART 2 to HDD or DVD, and stop when it heard the Stop signal.

It worked very well, but it was all set up precisely to do so, and you didn’t have to set any timers on the recorder, because it just used the Start/Stop from the Sky box. And you could set a whole bunch of programmes to record, albeit one (or was it two?) at one time at the most, and it would record them all.

But would that receiver you describe breathe new life into the DVD recorder? Not really. Put the DVD recorder back on eBay, make sure anyone thinking of buying it knows its limitations.

Maybe mention it can save off analogue copies of recordings made on more modern equipment, like YouView boxes, which won’t let you copy them off digitally. That might garner some interest….

[Cee2024 · Accepted solution]

Hi Royal,

Thanks you for your response and full explanation. I was just curious and but I've now put the whole thing to bed now lol. I will just leave it on ebay and if it doesn't sell again I will just keep it or give it away in time. Thanks again for taking the time to respond and share your valuable knowledge and expertise. Take care 😊