Best VHS to DVD Converter unit

[iderdik]

I'm looking to convert a few hundred VHS tapes (family videos) to DVD as easily as possible. What all-in-one unit should I be looking at? I'd prefer it to be as easy as 1 button push to copy a single tape onto a single DVD. I'd love for it to be able to do this in faster than real-time. I can spend around $400. Any recommendations?

[JohnnyMalaria]

Given the number of tapes and the desire for faster than real-time, I'd consider getting 2 or 3 VHS decks and 2 or 3 standalone DVD recorders (VHS decks and DVD recorders are so cheap now). That way, you can do 2 or 3 at a time.

Others, getting a VHS deck that can play faster than real-time without quality loss AND a DVD recorder that can do the same, you probably looking at much more than $400.

[iderdik]

The faster-than-realtime is a nice to have, not a deal breaker. The main key is that it has to be extremely easy to do - one button push on one unit is really all I can ask my technophobe Dad to handle .

Assuming, no faster than real-time requirement, what unit would you recommend?

(Also, how much would a faster than real-time unit cost? I haven't found any - just curious.)

[JohnnyMalaria]

Here's a review of 5 VHS-DVD combos:

http://hometheater.about.com/od/dvdhardwareandsoftware/tp/dvdvcrrecorders.htm

Some are out of your price range (probably due to having internal hard drives) but there is one (#3) that you could afford to buy two.

Realistically, the only way to do faster than real-time is to do it in parallel with more than one unit. I haven't been able to find any info on a high-speed unit.

BTW - don't skimp on the quality of the blank DVDs that you will use....avoid the temptation to buy a 100 pack of Best Buy's bargain basement blanks.