Avion DVR100 DVD Video Recorder
Excellent audio, four external input sets, TV tuner, likely an orphan product
Compared to its features, the Avion DVR100 is dirt cheap.  However, I believe it is also likely to be an orphan product:<br /><br />The Avioncorp domain name now belongs to Maxgroup.  The original Avion seems to have disappeared after the AviAn flu appeared.<br /><br />For me, the DVR100 was a bargain at the lower price I paid, even if I don't expect to  use the DVD recording feature that often. I can typically record things using my computer DVD recorder just as easily.<br /><br />The DVR100 has both s-video and component video outputs and two sets of analog RCA phono jack audio outputs.  While the description states that it has both coax and optical digital outputs, mine only had a coax digital output (which is unfortunate since my receiver only has an optical digital input.)  The sound quality, however, was excellent especially for MP3 CD/DVDs - better than any other DVD player I've tried.<br /><br />A key feature, the reason why I bought it, is the internal high quality TV tuner.  I have a 32\\" Samsung TV with a tuner that simply stopped working ten days after the short 90 day Samsung warranty.  I used a Toshiba VCR's tuner as a temporary fix.  The Avion DVR100's TV tuner, however, is far better than both the original Samsung TV tuner or the Toshiba VCR tuner.<br /><br />The other great feature is the number of video inputs - (1) component video (2) s-video/composite (3) front panel s-video/composite (4) front panel firewire/1394 4-pin (camcorder or notebook).<br /><br />This greatly simplified my wiring to my TV and receiver.  My Pinnacle Showcenter goes into the component video inputs.  My jWin Karaoke DVD player goes into the rear s-video input.  I have an X-box connect to the front s-video input.  I haven't tried the firewire input yet but it is nice to have it available.<br /><br />All this means I can have all my video go into a single component input set on my TV and all my audio connect from the DVR100 audio output into my receiver.  The DVR100 becomes the central control unit instead of my receiver.<br /><br />The DVR100 menu system is fairly basic and probably not as well organized as it should be.  The manual is not indexed and also could be better.  (It took quite a while trying to figure out how to view all those EXTERNAL inputs - press 0 [menu] and then cursor down.  You press the \\"monitor\\" key to flip back and forth between DVD functions and TV/external functions.)<br /><br />When I first hooked up my Pinnacle ShowCenter component outputs to the DVR100 component inputs, the \\"red\\" color wasn't working.  I found that I had to go into the ShowCenter to switch to \\"component output\\" instead of \\"normal\\" video output.  It worked fine after that.  An external DVD player may also require some small menu change like this.<br /><br />The DVR100 does not play AVI or DIVX discs.  It will play VCD MPEG  discs although \\"computer-made\\" MPEG conversions of DIVX/XVID files are hit and miss.  The jWin (your best cheap DVD player) had far better success with these files.<br /><br />Unlike my under $50 jWin DVD player, the DVR100 plays only MP3 sound files, not WMA.  The DVR100 displays much more complete information about each MP3 file than the jWin, but navigation to find files (especially with directories) is not too good.  The, sound quality, however, is truly excellent.<br /><br />The remote control is laid out well and the buttons are a good size. Even so, I won't use it much.  I prefer to cram as many functions as possible from the TV, DVR, DVD, Showcenter, and Receiver on my Sony VL710 \\"learning\\" remote control.<br /><br />BOTTOM LINE: a likely orphaned product a little rough around the edges but with high quality output and a number of very worthwhile features.  For me, the recording capability is just an added plus.becomes the central control unit instead of my receiver. <br /> <br />The DVR100 menu system is fairly basic and probably not as well organized as it should be.  The manual is not indexed and also could be better.  (It took quite a while trying to figure out how to view all those EXTERNAL inputs - press 0 [menu] and then cursor down.  You press the \\"monitor\\" key to flip back and forth between DVD functions and TV/external functions.) <br /> <br />When I first hooked up my Pinnacle ShowCenter component outputs to the DVR100 component inputs, the \\"red\\" color wasn't working.  I found that I had to go into the ShowCenter to switch to \\"component output\\" instead of \\"normal\\" video output.  It worked fine after that.  An external DVD player may also require some small menu change like this. <br /> <br />The DVR100 does not play AVI or DIVX discs.  It will play VCD MPEG  discs although \\"computer-made\\" MPEG conversions of DIVX/XVID files are hit and miss.  The jWin (your best cheap DVD player) had far better success with these files. <br /> <br />Unlike my under $50 jWin DVD player, the DVR100 plays only MP3 sound files, not WMA.  The DVR100 displays much more complete information about each MP3 file than the jWin, but navigation to find files (especially with directories) is not too good.  The, sound quality, however, is truly excellent. <br /> <br />The remote control is laid out well and the buttons are a good size. Even so, I won't use it much.  I prefer to cram as many functions as possible from the TV, DVR, DVD, Showcenter, and Receiver on my Sony VL710 \\"learning\\" remote control. <br /> <br />BOTTOM LINE: a likely orphaned product a little rough around the edges but with high quality output and a number of very worthwhile features.  For me, the recording capability is just an added plus.