You may be able to get a DVR with your cable box, but nothing comes close to being able to record shows and burn them to a DVD. So it makes sense that years-old DVD-recorders are going for as much as $1800 on Amazon.com and eBay. Consumers aren’t able to find boxes that can both record and burn shows without a monthly fee in stores anymore, so they’re turning to the Internet in hopes of finding a box with both a DVD burner and a built-in hard disk. Says cnet:
The answer is pretty simple–if you know the gritty details of consumer electronics and a little economics. The whole phenomenon is actually easily explained by one simple fact: almost* nobody makes DVD-recorders with built-in hard drives anymore. Just a few years ago, plenty of manufacturers made DVD-recorders with built-in hard drives, but if you walk into a Best Buy or Circuit City today you probably won’t find a single unit.
Popular models include the Panasonic DMR-EH75V and Philips DVDR3575H37. If you have one collecting dust in your living room, I suggest throwing it up on Amazon and selling it. Think of the sweet 42-inch LCD TV you can buy with the profits you make. The demand is here; take advantage of it.
its funny cause here in Australia every electronics store has dvd recorders with 250gb hard drives.
All of the major manufacturers are making DVD recorders with hard drives available OUTSIDE of the US. Check out dixons.co.uk for example. TIVO now has a complete monopoly here in the USA. What I want to know is why this great new technology was suppressed here yet is flourishing elsewhere.