zep516...you are right, calling Apple is a good place to start. Thanks. owbist....Not sure I am following you. Is the DVD-R the one that records things permanently and the DVD+R the one that can be repeatedly recorded over? When you say you didn't perservere with the DVD+R, was there something more difficult about using it? Were you recommending to buy the DVD-R because they are cheaper? urlee....first of all, thank you so much for that link. I did not have a good website to go to with audio/visual questions and that looks like a good one. Not sure how you managed to copy/paste the 'visual' directions for where I needed to go, but it is sure impressive! No, I don't need directions on how to do it, because I am probably never going to do that myself, but amazed that someone can...lol. I did a google search on Pioneer 640 and found references to 'not available' any more as you state. That is too bad. Do you know if there is another comparable Recorder on the market? Right now I am renting a Box from Comcast that records TV programs and I have just loved it since I have gotten it. It is so easy to use and fairly reliable. The problem is that you are not 'saving' anything permanently and you can't take anything on the box off and transfer to dvd. Obviously I can't use it to transfer home movies to dvd either. That is a long thread on the Pioneer 640, if I read the whole thing will it answer the question about whether I can actually buy one or will it point me in the direction of a substitute for it? I am just not a person who understands Audio/Visual very well. I can manage most of the time to connect and learn to operate a new piece of equipment by just following along with a manual, but connecting all the equipment and getting it all to do what you want it to do together...well, it is just very intimidating. It is like learning a whole new language and I just don't have the interest, time or energy to do it. If I knew someone who was proficient in it, I would be asking them to come and just set it all up for me and cooking them dinner...lol. But alas, I don't. I could very easily and quickly get to the point where I will throw up my hands and just take the vcr home movies to Ritz camera and spend $30 per vcr tape to have them do the transfer for me. So what I am looking for is easy and simple. That is why I love my comcast box, it was easy to rent it, they installed it and all I have to know is how to work the remote and set up the recording schedule etc. That I can handle. Maybe I should find an Audio/Visual school to send one of my kids to? [g]

John: I'm pretty sure that my Panasonic also uses -R format. I didn't choose to use that format because my understanding is that they have to be formatted before recording, as well as finalized after. My recorder does not accept all formats (no +RW, for instance). LG makes some machines that do, but they had too many negative user reviews for me to take a chance. Panasonic is pushing the RAM disk format since those can be re-recorded and edited many times. But the disks are much more expensive than the others. I use my one RAM disk to record TV programs that we want to see once, or may fall sleep during watching, so we can see the end later. Check your instructions to see what formats your machine can use. It's confusing, you might want to take a look at some of the sites like About.com and Crutchfield, for explanations of the disk formats. Recording off the air or off of cable lets you collect movies, and TV shows, just like the old VCRs did. Depending on the quality of the signal, and the availability of commercial-free channels like HBO or TCM, you can build up a library, if you like. No having a hard disk just means that you can't save the programs to the hard disk and do the editing tricks that those machines can do. But you can record a movie for less that $1 (cost of a disk) and that's not bad. Steve

I assume you mean you want the simplest to program timer to record shows when you aren't home. If so, buy the Sony SLV-N900. It has the easiest to use timer system. Quickset Timer Dial - A one touch jog dial allows for simple VCR programming without ever turning your TV on. Simply press the Timer Dial In and follow the steps on the VCRs display. Here is a link that might be useful: click here

Thanks, Joe! Good old Circuit City. The guy made it sound like it would be a miracle if I got any reception at all through an antenna. Here's Amazon's description of a Panasonic unit. Does it sound like it can accommodate an antenna connection? The CC guy said it would, but I'd like to be sure. Thank you! Product Description The DMR-EZ47 offers high image quality in both recording and playback, easy operation, and improved networking capabilities. It comes equipped with the HDMI terminal, which allows easy, single-cable connection to compatible equipment. The DMR-EZ47 also offers Panasonic's proprietary VIERA Link functions for linked operation of other AV devices, and these functions are now even more convenient. It is now possible to control an optional DIGA recorder, when connected to a Panasonic VIERA TV, using VIERA's remote control unit. This provides convenient control over frequently used functions by using only VIERA's remote. By pressing the VIERA Link button on the remote, a DIGA menu screen can be accessed directly from the VIERA Link menu screen, to make recording settings or play a DVD. By combining intelligent i/p Conversion and 1080p Up-Conversion technologies, DIGA's 1080p technology renders high-resolution 1080p images from DVD movies and TV broadcasts to compatible TVs. The Accutune high-precision analog/digital tuner achieves stable signal reception even under poor signal conditions, such as when signals are reflected by surrounding buildings. The Accutune Digital Tuner is a high-performance hybrid tuner capable of receiving both digital and analog broadcasts. It uses a signal processor to effectively control noise and distortion, and its proprietary matching circuits allow it to transform and separate digital broadcasts into the appropriate digital or analog signals. With the built-in Digital Tuner, this will also allow you to record one digital broadcast program while watching a second program. The Tape input signal is automatically detected and optimized using Digital Noise Reduction (DNR) to provide an easy way to even more beautiful digital recordings from VHS tapes. Super Multi-Format Recording & Playback Digital Broadcast Capable - Built-in ATSC Tuner Automatic Program Information Acquisition Long Time