I'm new here. Thanks for making this available, and sorry if I missed something or didn't think of the way to search.

Originally I was thinking of getting a Canopus-like device to save tapes to my hard drive, but I figure the wear on the computer isn't worth it, and if I don't get an additional computer, I'd have to live with the processing strain during other tasks. So I think I should get a DVR and just spend a few minutes a day loading tapes until I want to edit the content. But I've never had so much trouble trying to research a consumer electronic purchase, and I see all kinds of compatibility problems.

My ideal would be to plug my old VCR into a recorder, and let my mostly extended play tapes (about 6:15 in content) be saved into a nice compressed file that I could then edit in Quick Time, but I'm not aware of any standalone device that would do this, let alone in real time, so I'd settle for recording to a large drive (or rewritable that I could offload onto a drive for editing).

If I don't get a combo unit, will I need a digitizer for the VCR?

I read that up to 16 hours can fit on a disk; is it standard for recorders to fit a whole extended play tape on a disk if I so choose? Are combo units better for syncing things like this up?

While I'd like the maximum useful resolution, many of my material is of poor quality as it was recorded with fuzzy reception and/or extended play and/or I would record in small bits, with the kind of noise that comes when programs start and stop in the middle of other older material which I decided to preserve in part. Nonetheless, I'd like whatever I can get of these sound bytes and images. And I'd rather wait until I get cable or satellite before investing in any tuner or fancy capabilities for future TV recording (without a monthly fee, of course). Thanks.