Samsung BD-D8900 Twin Freeview recorder

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Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#84529 1-Jun-2011 21:10

...so, just spied this on the Samsung page. Has anyone used / got one?
The extendable storage via USB is pretty awesome, pity the instructions say you can't watch the recorded content back on another TV / computer.
Twin tuners, 3D, no optical burner I can see... DLNA server / receiver content still to be assessed, but otherwise very promising. Samsung's codec support should make for a diverse unit.
Hopefully it's reliable

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39 posts

Geek

#478258 6-Jun-2011 17:05

I just got the 8500 with 500G. Picture quality very good - anynet works with Onkyo amp. Very happy with it - only downer is can't record two channels at once. Also Samsung Android App for remote control finally works with this and TV. Great app.
Also USB needs to be HDD no flash and it formats it before use so it needs tobe empty and its that format which makes it not work on other devices.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#478341 6-Jun-2011 20:55

It's a pity you can only record one channel at a time... I guess the Panasonic unit remains unchallenged in this regard?

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#478367 6-Jun-2011 22:10

Have you tried accessing the files on the drive on a PC after recording them. Presumably it formats the drive solely for encryption purposes, which I am guessing is the only way the Freeview people will let an accredited box record HD material to an external drive?

maccasparks

39 posts

Geek

#478384 6-Jun-2011 22:49

Yes I tried external HDD with recorded items on my PC - but would not even regonise the drive. I was having a bit of trouble with tne USB driver though. I dont need it anyway,just use on BD-d8500 on board HDD for recording TV and have put movies from PC on external HDD and leave it connected to Samsung TV,Seems to play everything I though at it.
The TV Allshare software for DLNA of files on network doesn't seem that good. Haven't bothered with Blu-ray .The DLNA works really well on the Onkyo amp.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#478592 7-Jun-2011 16:02

I have tried - and it won't share recorded Freeview shows onto your computer (Mac or PC)... either over USB or the network.
The 'find file' thingee works very well though! It found my home network and played DivX over DLNA... and then let me copy them over the network, to the Samsung hard drive. Mint.

maccasparks

39 posts

Geek

#479104 8-Jun-2011 21:09

Where do I find the "find file"? How do you have you media on PC - just in shared folders or in WMP library or something else?

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#479126 8-Jun-2011 22:01

The media was simply sitting in a folder in a couple of bog standard folders... on a Mac.
I just typed in the name of the TV show I'd loaded onto my laptop - and it found it.
Not too tricky.

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snowfly

543 posts

Ultimate Geek

#502918 7-Aug-2011 10:03

Hi maccasparks & dunnersfella,

I'm interested in getting the BD-D8500 or BD-D8900, but have a couple of usability questions for you, which I couldn't quite find direct answers to in the manual.

1. Is there an auto time-shift function like some other freeview recording devices? (e.g. change to a channel, and time shift automatically starts recording).
Or do you have to hit Play button to activate time shift?

2. Do you have to have a USB drive plugged in before recording tv or using time shift? (page 17 in manual seems to suggest this?)
Or can you just record to internal HDD?

3. How many days does the EPG show?

4. Can you schedule recordings of a series, or same show every week?

5. Can you access the unit via android app (on phone or tablet) without a tv on?
e.g. I would like to have the Samsung unit plugged into an AV receiver /stereo, and use an android phone with samsung remote app to access MP3s over the network (Allshare), and play music via stereo, without using TV.
Possible?

6. Is the recorded content on the internal HDD shared via AllShare / DLNA?
e.g. can a PC/laptop see the content on the Samsung?

Cheers guys!

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#502924 7-Aug-2011 10:36

Just had a look at the user manual at Samsung.com and this unit doesn't even compare with the Panasonic.

NO disc burner.
NO recording 2 channels at once.
Looks like you can't copy HD recordings on the internal HDD to a USB HDD.
Very limited functionality.

The Panasonic allows you to record HD to BD Disc (BD-R or BD-RE). It works cos I've tried it.
Will also burn HD recordings to DVD but only in real time by converting to SD.
Records 2 at once and watch a 3rd.
And the new model is 3D as well.

Panasonic 1, Samsung Nil.

And it's nearly the same price as the Panasonic.

snowfly

543 posts

Ultimate Geek

#502925 7-Aug-2011 10:38

B1GGLZ: Just had a look at the user manual at Samsung.com and this unit doesn't even compare with the Panasonic.

NO disc burner.
NO recording 2 channels at once.
Looks like you can't copy HD recordings on the internal HDD to a USB HDD.
Very limited functionality.

The Panasonic allows you to record HD to BD Disc (BD-R or BD-RE). It works cos I've tried it.
Will also burn HD recordings to DVD but only in real time by converting to SD.
Records 2 at once and watch a 3rd.
And the new model is 3D as well.

Panasonic 1, Samsung Nil.

And it's nearly the same price as the Panasonic.

Does your panasonic unit allow automatic time shifting? What about remote android app? (not iphone)

maccasparks

39 posts

Geek

#502928 7-Aug-2011 10:50

BD-D8500

1 - Press play then if you change channel it changes too
2 - No USB needed but time shift only applies to the channel your on it does not also store it for later viewing. For that you use "record live TV"
3 - 1 week
4 - Yes
5 - I only use Android App for Samy TV which does need to be on for it to show up on network for access.
6 - unsure of that one - I only use DNLA with Onkyo Receiver and give signal from that to TV.

I have used this item for a few months now and I founds its a great unit but there are a couple of issues:

- only record 1 channel at a time
- if watching a recorded show and a scheduled recording starts it stops whatever your watching and takes you to the new recording . Then you have to go to menu to get back to recorded content and find the show then hit resume to get back to where you were. A bit painful
- even when using the clock on Auto (sets time from EPG) it still seems to miss the last 10 - 30 secs of some programs. You can extent the set recording time but its a hassle.

These are all minor glitches which I hope Samsung will fix in a future firmware update.

maccasparks

39 posts

Geek

#502931 7-Aug-2011 10:58

The Panasonic does look like a good machine. I only got the Samsung because it was good deal and have Samsung TV

Does the Panasonic have a Browser?

Also the Smart Tv on BD-D8500 does not have a full Web browser like Smart TV on 40d6600 - only You Tube and a couple of others - may be added later?

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#502969 7-Aug-2011 12:54

snowfly:

Does your panasonic unit allow automatic time shifting? What about remote android app? (not iphone)

Yes it has time shift (even via HDMI from the TV remote) except under certain conditions. Not sure what you mean by 'automatic' time shifting.
Don't know about remote android as it is of no interest to me. Probably not.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#502970 7-Aug-2011 13:03

maccasparks:

Does the Panasonic have a Browser?

No. Very limited Internet function. Just Vieracast and BD Live. Don't know about their new 3D model though.

Don't know about the new smart TVs but so far all I've seen let you go only to sites already programmed in their firmware. My Sony's internet connectivity is a waste of my time.

snowfly

543 posts

Ultimate Geek

#502972 7-Aug-2011 13:16

maccasparks: BD-D8500

1 - Press play then if you change channel it changes too
2 - No USB needed but time shift only applies to the channel your on it does not also store it for later viewing. For that you use "record live TV"
3 - 1 week
4 - Yes
5 - I only use Android App for Samy TV which does need to be on for it to show up on network for access.
6 - unsure of that one - I only use DNLA with Onkyo Receiver and give signal from that to TV.

I have used this item for a few months now and I founds its a great unit but there are a couple of issues:

- only record 1 channel at a time
- if watching a recorded show and a scheduled recording starts it stops whatever your watching and takes you to the new recording . Then you have to go to menu to get back to recorded content and find the show then hit resume to get back to where you were. A bit painful
- even when using the clock on Auto (sets time from EPG) it still seems to miss the last 10 - 30 secs of some programs. You can extent the set recording time but its a hassle.

These are all minor glitches which I hope Samsung will fix in a future firmware update.

Thanks for the answers maccasparks, appreciated.

Seems you have to hit the Play button to activate time shift then, it does not happen automatically.

E.g. on the panasonics, the "Rewind/Pause live TV" function always work saving current channel to temporary space.

So part from the 2 Samsung and Panasonic units, anyone know any other unti that has similar functionality?
I can't' find anything yet, so its a toss up between these 2.

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