Any opinions on the Sharp DV-HR300?

Hi Silver 64,
My problem for putting multiple subjects in one post. In the meantime, I've worked around the audio problem by hooking one AV output set (analog) to the VCR input of my amp; the digital audio + another video to the DVD input, and it works fine, cos the analog audio is on all the time no matter the digital audio settings are. So, to my amp and the family, the DVR looks like the old DVD and VCR setup. Not slick, but OK.

Now, for your son's system; yes you should get a reasonable system, no worries mate. If it were me I would buy here for reasons of warranty and power supply; Australia is actually now one of the cheaper places to shop in the world, on par with most things on an exchange rate basis, even, believe it or not, for DVD's. Being of Scottish descent myself, y' dinna want to waste money, noo. There are plenty of places with wide choice, and I would wait until Sydney so you don't have to fly with all that gear. For that sort of system, places like Bing Lee, Retravision, Dick Smith Powerhouse, Harvey Norman, Megamart, Domayne, and Myer are the place to go, some more expensive than others, and sort of listed in my hunting preference order, the back end of the list possibly higher priced with less product knowledge. I have had a cursory web search on your behalf, and I would suggest Bing Lee to start. Look on www.binglee.com.au They have LG, Sony and Philips systems around your price range. The prices listed are their RRP, and they will definitely drop if you negotiate a little. Some of the systems have three years warranty, a definite plus if a repair cost the same as a new one. The Philips LX3600D system looks OK.
With the GBP - AUD rate, you will think you have died and gone to heaven for most things.
PS I went to the Scotland - Wallabies game a few months ago. Good game, would you like to know who won?

 

8X Dvd's - the last, last word!
Yesterday I set up a Pioneer DVR for my brother in law (nice machine, actually) There is a specific note in their manual that not all 8X media is created equal, with an approved brand list that is very similar to TDK's.
So, my conclusion is that it is a definite known issue; and to do with quality. So guys, stay off Lucky Flying Dlagon and cousins brands.

 

G'day EA5E,
I'll take your advice on buying a system for my son in Sydney. Don't know that the prices are much different in Oz compared with Uk though. I got my Sharp 300H in April last year online from a UK dealer for the equivalent A$700. I used to buy DVD's online from Australia until the pound Sterling fell against the A$. Best priced place for me now is Canada!
As for Scottish Rugby....'nuff said. Fact is I'm Irish but have lived in Scotland 30 years Cheers Silver 64

 

i like the sharp dv-hr300. I have converted almost a hundred tapes to dvd. However, there are two things I don't like about it. 1) its Pal only and wont let me convert ntsc tapes to dvd. 2)it's region 4 only. Can't play other region dvds on it. Does anyone know if it can be converted to read ntsc as well? Is there a code for it to enable it to play all region dvds?

 

Hi Wook. Your Sharp 300 is not the problem, it's the output signal from your PAL/NTSC VCR.
I know it will playback NTSC tapes and these play OK through your TV. However you would also have the same problem if you tried to make a PAL copy tape from NTSC using another Domestic VCR. It's all to do with the output of your VCR. It puts out a modified PAL 60 signal from NTSC to allow playback on your TV. The Sharp or any other DVD recorder would not be able to read this. It is possible via a PC with certain programs but I won't go down that route. It is also possible that your NTSC tapes are copy protected!
In response to your comment that your Sharp will only play Region 4. In fact it will play Reg 4, Reg1 and Reg 0. If you are in OZ it seems that Sharp AUS. will provide the necessary software to make your 300 multi-region, ( see the posts from EA5E above) Cheers Silver64

 

Well whaddya know...I tried a reg 1 dvd and it worked. The video's aren't copy protected. I just emailed sharp australia and am awaiting an email. I thought maybe if i got a dvd recorder that played both ntsc and pal that maybe i could record these tapes...but i guess that wont work. As the manual says : NTSC and PAL-60 signals cannot be recorded.(a black screen is shown when NTSC or PAL-60 signals are input to the external input. PLus the reg 1 dvd I played was in ntsc.

 

Hi Again Wook. In my earlier post I should have said your Australian Sharp 300 would play Reg 4, 2 and 0 DVD's! (not reg 4,1 & 0) Sorry about that.
However you are now saying you tried a region 1 DVD and it played OK? That would mean it's multi-region in most senses. I'm puzzled!! Any explanation? Cheers Silver 64

 

well i tried a couple region 2 dvds and they didnt work, so it looks like it plays region 1,4 and 0. I got an email reply from sharp in regards to my multi region querie....I laughed when i read it.

Thank you for contacting Sharp Customer Care in regard to your SHARP DVD Player.

Please note the information contained in your operation manual regarding the
region code of the DVD player. The front of the operation manual states:
"The region number for this recorder is 4"

Page 11 of the operation manual states: "DVD video players and discs have region
numbers, which dictate the regions in which a disc can be played. The region
number for this product is 4. (Discs marked ALL will play in any player.)"

and

"The following DVD video discs cannot be played.
Discs not containing "4" or "ALL" for the region number
(discs sold outside the authorized marketing area).*
Discs produced illegally.
Discs recorded for commercial use.
* The region number for this product is 4."

If you have any further inquiries, please call Sharp Customer Care on 1300 13 50
22 and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you.

Kind regards,
Tanya
Sharp Customer Care

 

Hi, anyone know why this unit seems to be discontinued? and whether/if the 120gb unit is available in the US? Thanks, Don

 

For those of you in the U.S.... I have had many problems with mine. All of which were posted in this thread in various discussions. Although it seems those outside the U.S. have been offered a software fix the U.S. Sharp division denies the existance of such. I did send in my unit and itcost me ($50) for repair. They told me 2 days turnaround, however going on 4 weeks later I still do not have my unit back. They said they were replacing the hard drive, however they still deny the existance of a software upgrade/fix. I call daily. I would NOT reccomend the purchase of a Sharp product in the U.S...Support is almost non-existant, they are rude, have lied to me many times over about where my unit is, and I seriously doubt that it is actually repaired (if I ever get it back).

 

Hi,
I just bought a SHARP DV-HR300A in Singapore. Unfortunatly
the manual ha gone missing and I am not having much success in using it without the manual. Is there a place I can get the Manual online. Also is there a way to go through the insitial startup phase as if the unit was plugged in for the first time?
Thanks!

 

Hi KGL, Not quite sure what region that unit would be, but re-intializing will put it back to its factory condition in any case. Ive included a link for the PDF copy of the manual: http://www.sharpusa.com/products/TypeManuals/0,1083,117,00.html
kind regards, Manny

 

Hi Mannycam Good to see you on again. Re your last posting; Sharp UK have the manual on the 300H in pdf format on:-
http://www.sharp.co.uk/customersupport/manual/showmanuals.asp?Model=DV-HR300H&SAPModel=DVHR300H
regards
Silver64

 

Hi Silver, always great to hear from you my friend, hope youre doing well in this new year. I also hope the weather is better in your part of the world. Its been unforgiving all over the world it seems.
Anyway, thanks for the info.

Cheers
kind regards, Manny

 

Dear Manny, Silver64
Thank you for the advice and links to the manual. My out of the box experience has not been very good so far. I am get the scary feeling this machine does not take NTSC as input. In Singapore they use PAL in Philippines they use NTSC, also my video camera is NTSC. I have tried plugging the Video camera in the front and the back. Still not able to see any picture. I know the camera is ok because it works on my VHS machine. Same with the Cable TV input.. I cannot get any signal. There is nothing on the box that shows this model DV-HR300A is only for PAL.
Very Frustrating
Sincerely,
Geoff

 

From Sharp:
DV-H300A was a PAL system only so you could not be able to receive or use this unit on any NTSC devices.With regards to other usage, you can use the unit as player connected to multi-system television.

 

Yes exactly, you can play discs made in the Ntsc standard region ALL, but you cannot use an Ntsc source for recording or even viewing from the various inputs. The manual states you will only get a black screen when attempting to do so.
Some video cameras do record in both formats, have you looked at your cameras manual to see if its possible?

 

Oh Dear KGL, Seems you will just have to try and sell your Sharp 300A on eBay! I do feel sympathetic but it's always a problem with PAL/NTSC incompatability.
Most of the Far East,Singapore,Malaya,Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand could use your Sharp. Unfortunately not China (Secam) or Japan(NTSC).
I guess you got it for a good price in Singapore as well regards Silver 64

 

Sorry my last postin may be incorrect. Not sure if China does use SECAM. They were going to go down that road one time but may in the ned also be PAL Silver 64

 

My Sharp (DV-HR300F) doesn't always output sound on the optical output.

I have connected the optical output of the Sharp to my Denon receiver to get DD and DTS sound when I play a DD or DTS DVD in the Sharp. My Sharp is configured to output signal in the format of BIT STREAM (as default I think) on its optical output. That way, my Denon receiver will receive and DD and DTS signals from the Sharp and decode them.

It works fine when I play DVDs in the Sharp.

But then I noticed that when playing something from the harddisk, no sound at all is output on the optical output ! unless I configure the optical output in the Sharp to output signal in the format of PCM.

But of course setting the optical output to PCM is not a solution because then when playing DVDs, a simple stereo signal is output on the optical output and not the original DD or DTS signals ! And that is confirmed by my Denon receiver which detects and display what kind of signal it receives.