Copying VHS skating tapes on to DVDs

[patio7773]

Is this easy or hard? Can anyone recommend a great DVD recorder?

Thanks!

[TashaKat]

It's really easy :) Even easier if you have a tv/video combo :)

I've got a Phillips DVD recorder, can't remember the model number I'm afraid but I will try and remember to check it for you. It's extremely easy to use and if you use DVD+RW discs you can watch and wipe and then re-record :)

[A.H.Black]

For me there has definitely been a learning curve. I found a combination vhs/dvd recorder from Sansui at Sears for around $400. That was a year ago. There may be other brands and better prices now.

Since you are transferring tapes, I assume you want them to be permanent. That means you will want a -R or +R, rather than an RW. I am speaking here about stand alone machines rather than computer burners etc. which is a whole different story.

I find that I have to be much more attentive when I do DVD's because once I start them, I can't change anything I record. I have made many "coasters" along the way.

Also, be aware that the new "blue light" technology will be available at the beginning of next year - I think. You may want to check into that and wait for a while. Plans are that the current DVD's will play on the new machines, but the "blue light" DVD's will hold many more hours of programming. It will be pricey - of course.

[stogba]

I bought a Philips DVD recorder/player last year. Once you learn how to record from your vcr its a snap. Mine was a bit complicated at first because of having digital cable and the instructions were not quite the way it said in the book. I had tapes from 1988 to the present and of course I wanted to keep them all! So everynight before I went to bed or if I left the house I would record 6 hours of my tape to dvd. You will not believe how much space you will save not having all those vcr tapes around. Now I have all my tapes in one drawer of my tv cabinet. They are all labeled by year and I can find whatever I want in a snap. Good luck recording!

[VGL]

What is the image quality like on the DVD when you transfer the tape over?

[A.H.Black]

It totally depends on what time you use. If you use the 1 or 2 hour times, it's as good as the tape. Once you get to 3 or 4 hours the quality suffers significantly.

[La Rhumba]

What does everyone think of a DVD-Video-Recorder combination thingy, where you can copy from video to DVD and back again in one machine? :?:

I've seen one in a catalogue, and it's very expensive, but it might be the answer for techo-phobes like me? :giveup:

The thing I worry about is that machines that do more than one thing usually break down more easily. :frus:

[A.H.Black]

What does everyone think of a DVD-Video-Recorder combination thingy, where you can copy from video to DVD and back again in one machine? :?:
:

That's what I have with my Sansui machine that I got from Sears. See my post above for price. So far it has been dependable. I have had it about a year and a half and use it heavily.

[sk8pics]

I have a Sony combination DVD recorder-VCR and I love it. You only have to push one button to transfer from tape to DVD. You are supposed to be able to finalize a RW disc so it will play on other units, so you don't have to use exclusively -R ror +R discs.

My unit cost around $400 a few months ago. There was a little bit of a learning curve and the manual requires a lot of flipping around to other sections for cross-referencing, but I got used to it pretty easily.

Pat

[doubletoe]

We got ours a year ago and when we tried to record directly from VHS to DVD, the quality was terrible. But we like it other than that.

[sk8pics]

Yeah, well, that depends on the quality of the VHS tape, what speed it was originally recorded at, how many times it was played, whether it is a copy of a copy, and so on. The one tape transfer to DVD I have done had the same quality on the DVD that the tape had.

Pat

[A.H.Black]

Yeah, well, that depends on the quality of the VHS tape, what speed it was originally recorded at, how many times it was played, whether it is a copy of a copy, and so on. The one tape transfer to DVD I have done had the same quality on the DVD that the tape had.

Pat
Pat's right. One additional thing is that you use the optimal time on the DVD. If you try to put too many hours on it - it's worse quality than the tape. The difference in quality on a DVD is even more visible than it is on a tape. At least I think it is.

[Japanfan]

I think I'm stuck with my tapes because many are copies of a copy--lately I've been taping more carefully so I can just use the tape I made direct from TV and not have to go down a generation.