Do all dvd recorders record old vhs tapes?

[lingoguysw5]

I have been wanting to buy a dvd recorder for sometime that would record tv programmes onto dvd+/-rw & cd-rw discs. To kill 2 birds with one stone, would any dvd recorder that I bought be able to copy vhs tapes onto all or some of the forementioned? If so can anyone recommend any? Also hopefully that would give good quality analog to digital. Thanks Clive. Look forward to hearing from you all

[hech54]

Only if the tapes have no Macrovision protection on them. And DVD Recorders do not record to CD-R(RW)...only VCD Recorders do that.

[steptoe]

Correct, but you can easily buy a scart lead that has the electronics to remove the macrovison as you copy the tape to DVD, don't ask me for the link, I can't remember it

I need to find it again, as quite a few people ask the question about macrovision removal, and its cheap, about £20-30, if I remember correctly


Also, bear in mind that the best quality you will get depends entirely on the source. There is no way you can improve the quality to DVD standard, especially if its an old tape, and poor to start with

[lingoguysw5]

Thanks guyz for your replies. However, a couple of things the first is that I was told by a Dixon's employee that a Sony DVD recorder is capable of recording to both cds & dvds. Is he mistaken? Secondly, would I be able to capture the videos to the pc and take out the adverts etc and then record from the pc without diminishing further the quality as if I were to have done it from a VCR? Or once on cd could I then amend it, which would seem the logical thing to do rather than go around in circles?

[hech54]

But will the Sony record "music or video" to a CD? I personally have never heard of a DVD Recorder recording anything to a CD-R...I could be wrong but....doubt it.

re: editing...do as much editing as you can IN the DVD Recorder. At least divide the title or put a chapter marker where the commercials start and stop. Give yourself a fighing chance....I find editing MPEG files of any kind on my computer a real pain in the a§§.

I own a Philips Recorder so what I said about the title dividing and chapter markers may not be the correct terminology IF you get a Sony.