dinsdag 31 maart 2009

AC Ryan Releases Playon!DVR TV 1TB HDD Recorder For Media Hungry Users

Within a month of Playon! DVR TV making its entrance into the HDD Recorder market with a no-HDD model and a 500GB model, a new 1TB model is added to its line-up. While a 1TB model has always been on the scchedule, the speed of its release reflects strongly the current user’s appetite for media storage capacity. The 1TB model serves users who are getting the Playon! DVR TV for the dual function of BOTH TV recording and playback of media content. Being able to record, store and play on its own, as well as to and from the PC via the network gives it a unique central position in the modern day home.

For media hungry users, where no capacity is ever large enough, an attractive feature of Playon! DVR TV is that unlike conventional DVD-/HDD-Recorders, when the internal harddisk runs out of space, the user can easily expand with an usb external drive or play and store content from and to a PC / Media Center via network.

The Playon! DVR TV 1TB is immediately available, and comes with a shop price of 349 euro or online price of 299 euro.

www.playondvr.com www.acryan.com

maandag 30 maart 2009

Backup DVD disc onto Harddisk using DVD Decrypter and enjoy with Playon! DVR TV

What do you need…

  1. A Computer
    First of all, you need a PC with a DVD drive – a notebook, or a computer are all fine. Whether it’s a DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, etc, as long as it is able to read DVD discs.

    Once you put the DVD Disc in, you can see the contents of the DVD disc in your computer’s file explorer / browser. You can copy them onto your harddisk like any other files, BUT in my experience, this works with some discs and not with others. It’s easier and better to use a simple free program to do the backup/copy.
  2. DVD Decrypter
    Do a simple search on internet for “freeware backup DVD harddisk”, you’ll see many links to freeware, shareware. DVD Fab, DVD ISO Maker, DVDSmith Movie Backup, DVD Master Backup, DVDShrink … plenty. There are also commercial software too.

    I myself use DVD Decrypter – a very simple uncomplicated no frills, no thrills straightforward program that works. Copies DVD to Harddisk. Downloads and installs in a couple of minutes, select DVD Drive, select directory on Harddisk, press copy and done. There are other settings you can change for your preferences, the simple thing is that it works without changing any settings.
  3. Time to Enjoy!
    I’ve done all my DVDs onto my harddisk in one afternoon with zero problems at all. Once on the Harddisk, I transferred it to my Playon! DVR TV via wired network. Wireless would be too slow, and if you want it faster, connect the Playon! DVR TV directly to the PC with USB.

    Once on the Playon! DVR TV, I now enjoy all my DVD discs without discs! Change movies / music DVDs without changing discs! Watch hours of movie marathon without getting off the couch!

More info:

Is it legal to backup my DVD onto Harddisk?

Some Playon! DVR TV users have asked me this question. The short and simplified answer is yes, you can backup / copy DVD discs that you own onto Harddisk for your personal use.

After you copied it onto your harddisk, if you share it with your friends, family or upload it on internet…. then that’s clearly not allowed, pure illegal. Copying a rented or borrowed DVD to keep is also clearly illegal since you have no right to keep it.

For Commercial DVD, as long as you are copying your own DVD onto your own harddisk for your own personal use, the general interpretation is that this is “fair use”.

  • Making a backup of DVD so that if your DVD disc is scratched or lost, you still have the movie / video / software / content
  • Watching the Harddisk copy of your DVD is fine too, in other words your DVD disc becomes the “backup”.
  • Interesting to note that Canadian law (we don’t know if any other country applies this too) states you can only watch one copy at one time – meaning you can watch only the Hardddisk version OR the DVD disc version but not both at the same time.

Here we are talking about Commercial DVD. For other types, other rules apply such as your aunt’s DVD home movie (ask her for permission), free for distribution DVD (says it all – free for distribution) etc.

We suggest that you keep ONE and only one copy of your DVD disc on the harddisk of Playon! DVR TV and from your Playon! DVR TV you can now enjoy your DVD discs without discs. Keep the discs in the cupboard for safe-keeping.

It’s a relief to hear you’re not breaking the law by copying your DVD to Harddisk? Ready to start backing up your DVD discs? Backup DVD disc onto Harddisk using DVD Decrypter.

** This article serves as a reference that reflects the common information in the community. It is not to be used as a legal reference.

woensdag 25 maart 2009

Playon! DVR TV product video on Youtube.com

The Playon! DVR TV product introduction that you see on www.playondvr.com is now also on Youtube as a video file for your viewing and promotion pleasure ;)

Whenever you want to check out Playon! DVR vids on youtube, just search “Playon DVR” in Youtube.

donderdag 19 maart 2009

Playon! DVR TV Wallpapers?

Here’s a series of 4 “desktop wallpaper” size pics, each presenting a different scenario of Playon! DVR TV. We call them “scenes”.

maandag 16 maart 2009

Playon!DVR TV is No.1 DVR Bestseller at IT SHOW 2009 Singapore

In the past weekend, Playon!DVR TV premiered in Singapore at the IT Show 2009 12-15 March with huge success. The Playon!DVR TV was sold out on the last day of the show and we are pleased to announce Playon!DVR TV is the No.1 Bestseller DVR at IT SHOW 2009. A cool thanks to all users in Singapore for the tremendous support.

ACR-PV72100TV-Bestseller-ITSHOW-Singapore

Comparison Playon!DVR TV vs DVD-/HDD-Recorders

Move on to the real digital age, why mess with optical discs (CDs / DVDs / Bluerays) anymore when you can Play Record Store with network, usbdisks, external usb drives. Here’s a direct comparison with DVD-/HDD-Recorders of equivalent price with much less features and a miserably smaller capacity harddisk. Or go for one with similar harddisk capacity and be prepared to pay much more and still get much less features. Playon!DVR TV is simply the most relevant digital HDD recorder with the right features, at the right price.

PV72100TV-comparison_800x600

zondag 15 maart 2009

Playon! DVR TV recording test on Youtube

Here is a couple of Playon! DVR TV recording tests.
[sidenote: I was pleasantly surprised how fast and easy these quick tests were completed :)]

###

- recorded with AC Ryan Playon!DVR TV (ACR-PV72100TV)
- recorded directly on USB flash disk (AC Ryan diskje)
- TV Recording Test
- Analog TV (Cable TV), Netherlands, Channel RTL7
- recorded resolution 720x576 (DVD-quality) PAL
- opened in Windows Movie Maker to add text
- Windows Movie Maker saved move in 640x480 resolution
- Uploaded to YouTube

---------------

Another straight-up upload test without processing or editing. This time recorded in SLP mode "Special Long Play" which has the highest compression, giving the smallest file, longest recording hours. To compare the quality between HQ and SLP, whether it is visible on Youtube.

Recording source : Analog Cable TV, Channel RTL4,
Recording equipment : AC Ryan Playon! DVR TV / SLP quality setting
Recording media : AC Ryan diskje (usb disk)

-------------------

Earlier test was after editing in Windows Movie Maker (to put in text). This is a straight-up test, upload to Youtube from the original recording file, without any edits or processing.
- Plugin USB disk on Playon!
- Press Record on Remote Control (Playon! default Recording is set to USB disk)
- Press Stop on Remote Control
- Plug out USB disk from Playon!, Plugin in USB disk on notebook
- Open web browser to Youtube, select Upload, type in this text

Very happy with this test - very "idiot-proof" :)

Recording source : Analog Cable TV, Channel RTL4,
Recording equipment : AC Ryan Playon! DVR TV / HQ quality setting
Recording media : AC Ryan diskje (usb disk)

###

Playon!DVR TV - HDD Recorder - 18 March in NL

Dvrtv_packaging_square

The newest AC Ryan Playon!DVR TV 500GB HDD Recorder (ACR-PV72100TV-500) is expected to arrive this week in The Netherlands - 18 March 2009, Wednesday.

You can easily record television programs directly (live recording) or via a recording schedule (timer recording)

  • record on the built-in 500GB harddisk – from there you can easily transfer / copy your recordings to computers through network (wired / wireless) or via external USB harddisks or via Diskje usbstick
  • of record on Diskje usbstick – very small, very portable, plays on every computer or dvd players with usbdisk support

On Youtube we have made a few recording tests, and in less than 5 minutes they were up on Youtube. (search "Playon DVR" on youtube)

Recording schedule (timer recording) can be done in several ways:

  • Timer recording : once, daily, weekly, every Mon-Fri, every Sat-Sun
  • EPG (electronic program guide) of digital TV DVB-T – just select the program

Playon!DVR TV is first and foremost a top HDD Recorder, but naturally it is also a media player, a NAS drive (Network drive), and an external drive (data storage).

check it out op PlayonDVR.com special microsite www.playondvr.com

Playon!DVR TV introduction from our colleague in Singapore

Check out the new Playon!DVR TV with Eugene (Singapore) as he takes you on a walkthrough of the new Playon! DVR TV…

###

AC Ryan Playon! DVR is no unfamiliar name in the home DVR market. With our successful ACR-PV72100 model, we bring you our latest debut. Playon! DVRtv ACR-PV72100TV with built in Analog / Digital tuner!

Yes, we heard you and once again we have made it to be the first DVR model that comes with a hybrid tuner.

With the hybrid tuner, you can now hook up your wall coaxial TV-In antenna to enjoy watching and recording local analog channels. If that isn't enough, you can hook up the supplied DVBT antenna and enjoy free to air digital channels such as TV Mobile and Digital 5/8/CNA test signals in certain parts of Singapore.

A look at the main menu, the tuner mode can be individually selected to watch/record Digital (DVB-T), Analog or external sources such as set-top boxes, DVD players etc via the A/V In connection (Composite). At the end of the menu lies the Internet Radio option which is a value add on our DVR. I'll come to that later...

The PV72100TV is pretty strong in picking up digital channels, we've scanned and gotten 23 digital channels, but due to signal encryption of local broadcasters, only TV Mobile is available to watch at all times. And if you're in the area where you are able to receive digital 5/8/CNA test signals, enjoy!

 

For countries with lots of digital channels, users would be able to press the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) button on the remote control to check out program schedule as seen in the following photo.

EPG taken from TV Mobile channel:


The playback menu conveniently separates out recording from DVBT or Analog/AV-In sources.

A preview of recordings made off DVBT channel


A preview of recordings made off Analog and AV-In (from Starhub set-top box)


Notice the recording name of Analog recording corresponds to the program number when you scanned for Analog channels. You can also change the program number for example, change CH 10 to CH 5 to correspond with our local Channel 5, etc. Oh, teletext is supported too!

Users can now do a real-time recording of any Digital/Analog/AV-In channels while watching another program off your television set.

Scheduled recording can also be set to record from a mixture of channels, for example, MobileTV (DVBT) in the morning, Channel 5/8 etc (Analog) in the afternoon and cable channels (AV-In) off your own set-top box in the evening.

Never miss watching another program again!

To add value on top of the hybrid tuner, we have also included a nifty Internet Radio function which when connected to your router with access to the internet, allows you to scroll through thousands of free streaming radio channels hosted around the world!

Notice this is just page 1 out of 1255!


We tried out .977 The Hitz Channel and gotten many mirror sites!


Just go into any mirror sites, if one failes to stream due to traffic congestion or any other reasons, just hop on to the next bandwidth. Bound to have one that's available!

Other improvements made to our new DVR includes a new playlist where you can add mixture of media contents, photos/music/videos to a playlist or individual playlist consisting of only just music, photos or videos.


Multiple wireless network profiles are supported now, users can conveniently switch easily to connect to Router A, another profile to Router B and another profile to a peer to peer connection.


NAS function can now be turn on or off, depending on user's requirement.


While the video settings of the DVR remains largely the same, the TV System option now comes with a HDMI Auto to detect automatically if a 50Hz/60Hz connection best matches your television HDMI connection.

A new option can be found in the Record setup section, which is the Permanent Timeshift option. This is a nifty option to constantly record in the background to the timeshift buffer (1 - 4hrs) of the DVR, and you can pause or rewind live TV anytime!

Pretty cool option that allows you to rewind and watch that amazing goal while you are off to the toilet and resume the live soccer match without any further interruption.

Of course, if you choose to turn off the permanent timeshift option, you can still do a timeshift anytime by pressing the timeshift button on the remote control. The difference?

Normal Timeshift - User intervention required, pauses the current live TV program frame and continues recording until the buffer is full (according to how many hours the HDD was configured during formatting) or cancelled by user.

Permanent Timeshift - No user intervention required, live TV is constantly recorded to the buffer and user is able to pause, rewind or resume at any point.


We have also added a few upgrades to photos viewing with slide show timing, transition effects and background music while running your photos as a slide show.

HDD usage can now be viewed at a glance via the HDD information option that shows how many percentage is available and used up by the UDF, FAT32, NTFS, as well as the timeshift buffer partition.


That pretty much wraps up on my little review of our new DVR model.

http://www.playondvr.com

Feel free chime in your questions right here, or email us rotterdam@acryan.com | asia@acryan.com