Samsung DVD Recorder With Built-in ATSC Tuner

At CES 2007 this past week several pre-production DVD Recorders featuring ATSC tuners from Panasonic and Samsung (pictured) were on display. As far as the exact date these models will be released, you just have to keep watching the store shelves and ADs.

With ATSC tuners built-in to all forthcoming DVD recorders, this does mean that you will be able to record programming from DTV and HDTV channels; however, you have to also keep in mind that DVD recorders cannot record in High Definition. Any recording from an HDTV channel will be automatically downscaled to standard Definition in order to record it to DVD and to be able to play the recorded DVD back on other DVD players. Of course, if you play your recorded DVD (or any DVD for that matter) back on a DVD recorder or DVD player that has playback 720p/1080i/1080p upscaling, you will get an improved image over standard DVD playback, but you will not see true high definition source results.

If you want the capabilitiy to record HDTV channels in full high definition resolution on a disc, you will have to wait for Blu-ray and HD-DVD recorders that may be coming out later this year or next, or use an external PC-based ATSC tuner in conjunction with a PC equipped with a Blu-ray or HD-DVD writer. Reported from the Annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) by Robert Silva, About.com Home Theater Guide. Samsung DVD Recorder Photo (c) 2007 - Robert Silva, Licensed to About.com, Inc.