Pioneer DVR-533H-S Slim Design DVD Recorder with 80 GB Hard Disk Drive
Nice new feature, but it cripples this machine to death!
When Pioneer added the TV Guide feature, they managed to cripple this recorder.  If everything worked according to plan, it would be great, but... <br /> <br />First, when downloading TV Guide data, the hard drive is working almost continually, making the typical HDD clunking noise, which if this is in a bedroom, is simply too noisy.  Actully, my dear wife finds it irritating in the media room too. <br /> <br />Second, if you have digital cable (we have Comcast Digital Cable) you need to use your cable box, and have the 533H control it.  You stand a fair chance the 533 won't properly switch channels on the cable box, like in our case.  By the way, if the 533H is turned \\"off\\" and is downloading TV Guide, and you want to watch your cable box, forget it!  The 533H has control and won't let you change channels!!! <br /> <br />Third, TV Guide doesn't seem to ever get the channel line up right in our area.  So, when you look through the guide on the 533H, and pick a show to record, you might get a different show.  The times and show title are right, but it selects the wrong channel.  Nice, huh? <br /> <br />Fourth, and this is the biggie...if you don't like the TV Guide feature, you CANT turn it off!!!  I tried telling it the 533H was connected to an antenna (it isn't) so it couldn't get TV Guide data.  That's true, but without any TV Guide data, you can't use the timer recording feature at all!  Even if the data is wrong, you still have to let it download, it or the timer won't work, and you can't even set the clock manually.     <br /> <br />If Pioneer wanted to add a \\"feature\\", they should make it optional, and if you choose not to use it, the recorder should still work at least as well as a dumb VCR.  Sorry, the 533H isn't that machine.  It's a frustration at best, and sometimes completely useless.   <br /> <br />I used to own at 510H, which worked fine.  The user interface was similary to the 533H, but no TV Guide.  It did everything you'd expect, and did it well. Itworked for about 18 months, then the DVD drive failed, and the Pioneer service center wanted $350 just for the replacement drive.  I said no, and took it home, thinking I'd use it as just a HDD recorder.  But then the HDD failed too, so I replaced the machine with the 533H, and now I wish I could buy a 510H again.  In fact, I might!  My 533H will probably find its way to eBay. <br /> <br />Thumbs down on the 533H for trying to take control when it doesn't know how.  This machine is like a control-freak boss who doesn't have a clue of the job he's in charge of.  Bummer.