Set top DVD recorder or Capture Card and DVD Burner-HELP!!!!

[manikm]

I am confused.

I currently capture Sky digtial via my VCR using a S-VIDEO cable into my PC with a capture card.

I capture with PIC VIDEO codec with IUVCR- and then edit to my liking with TMPEG and burn the resultant .avi file with TMPEG DVD AUTHOR - and burn with NERO to my PC's dvd burner (pioneer a05 4x) - this is sooo time consuming.

I want to know the difference between doing this, and using a setup DVD recorder box.

Do you still have to go through an encoding process like u do with TMPEG to get the file....

I currently capture old VHS material and convert to DVD - but sometimes i get capture interuption\noise etc (SATA problem), and i think i could be getting better results. although what im doing does seem to work ok.

Can someone please clarify the difference.

I have just ordered SKY PLUS - this may help me, im not really sure - i suppose its no different than what ive got other than that i will have a big library of shows to chose from, edit and burn as the process ive described above.

Can you get DVD recorders without Hard disks, if so, how does that work!?? i am confused.

Please give me as much info as poss.

Thanks.

[macleod]

The desktop recorder blows away any cap card process (IMO). I have done both and the ease of use with a desktop recorder is far better than using any capture card.

With a desktop recorder, you will not need to re-encode anything like you do with a cap card, nor will you have dropped frames and many of the other little goofs that come from using a capture card.

I have the panasonic E30 (which has a built in TBC) and capture VHS home movies (I have a small home business) and then convert to DVD for customers. What I actually do (so as not to waste a dvdr) is record onto RAM and then rip that down to my computer, then use TMPGENC DVD Author to author the result (clip scenes, make motion menus, etc.) and then burn it onto dvdr. A HELL of a lot better than the cap card process.

The E30 does not have a hard drive, but I use RAM to record onto (10,000 re-recordings). You might want to check out ebay for a better price than what you can find in stores.

[ejai]

The desktop recorder blows away any cap card process (IMO). I have done both and the ease of use with a desktop recorder is far better than using any capture card.

I've also used the computer capture route for several years using all sorts of capture cards ranging from $200 - $1000 dollars and none even come close to the quality of my Panasonic E50. I've used Tmpgenc and all sorts of other software and while they work great none have been able to capture the video quality the standalones can offer. No more audio sync problems, computer crashes and long rendering sessions.

This is my opinion, I've spent years not months trying to get the quality I now get from my standalone, I would never go back.

[handyguy]

For a recorder you put in a disk push record & thats all you have to do. Weren't their some topics about issues with Sky & recorders though?

[Schmendrick]

The only alternative to a DVD-recorder in Europe is a recording of a DVB-broadcast as the video already is broadcasted as MPEG2-stream plus usually MPEG-Audio and sometimes even Dolby-digital-AC3-5.1-sound. Such video-stream even have a better quality than a DVD-recorder is able to produce, not to speak of HDTV-DVB-broadcasts.

I now have a Panasonic E30 and its quality is really good in XP and SP mode. Before I have used first an ATI Rage 128 All in Wonder 32MB-card for MPEG2-capture and stereo-audio. Its quality was quite limited compared to DVB and Pan E30-recordings. Then I used a FAST/Dazzle DVD-Master (Digital Video Creator II= DVCII) capture card which produces a better quality than the ATI-card. In contrast to others I did not have problems with this card even though it is very picky about many components in the system.

So besides DVB-recordings I agree with the other postings.

CU

Schmendrick

[Kevin abq]

I've been capturing MPEG2 using a hardware encoder, TBC, VCR and a PC for about 2 years now. I recently bought a Panny E50 and I just wish they had made these back when I was starting. Back then the only standalones were the 1st gen Pioneers that were flaky and way, way expensive. You can't beat the Panny for quality. The only advantages I can see from a PC setup like mine are flexibility of settings and immunity to copy protection. If you can see it, I can capture it. I've heard some folks have had problems with standalone captures of macrovision-protected material. This weekend I plan to back up a couple commercial VHS movies to DVD on the standalone and I'll see if it's an issue. If so, it's upstairs I go to the PC setup

[macleod]

Kevin abq, You are 100% correct on the commercial (actually macrovision or other copy protection issue) VHS conversions to DVD using the panny. If you attempt to record a tape that has a form of protection, the panny will either pop up a message saying that it cant record from this source OR the capture will goof up all over the place (audio messups and video lines).

People have reporte success with using a "filter" like a sima clarifier. I looked at those and have heard:

1) they work great
2) they dont remove generation II macrovision
3) they good up all over the place
4) still didnt allow a copy

The cost for these (ebay) are in the $40-$50 range and at the "store" they are anywhere from $80 - ?

[manikm]

Thanks so much for your replies guys:

Some questions though...

1. What issues have people had using a set top recorder, recording SKY broadcasts...?

2. How do you get the DVD_RAM to PC? Will my Pioneer A05/105 read DVD-RAM disk, if so i can rip to HD using DVD Decrypter for instance?

3. How (what format) does it save in, if recording to DVDRAM (Vobs, bups, etc, or AVI or MPEGS) if so, how do you edit them?

4. Whats a TBC?

5. Cant you get a special SCART lead that removes MACROVISION - i thought u could.

6. So the consensus looks like i should ditch captuing with my pc, and get a SET TOP BOX then?

Thanks for your help!!!!

[handyguy]

A DVD_RAM disk is a small 4.7 gig HD. Thus, you can edit on it in your recorder. Panasonic makes computer DVD_RAM drives, I have a lf-d521 & it accepts cartridges too, which is nice.

[manikm]

Thanks mate!

I can get hold of a Region2 Panny E-50 - is it worth buying a pre modded one for multi region do you think?

If so, should i get the E60 though? My current DVD player is multi region, but i'd rather just have one unit doing all my DVD showings\recordings, i guess i could see my player, and spend a little more on the E60 which i beleive is Multi region?

i dont know.....help!

lol

[davideck]

I've been capturing MPEG2 using a hardware encoder, TBC, VCR and a PC for about 2 years now. I recently bought a Panny E50 and I just wish they had made these back when I was starting. Back then the only standalones were the 1st gen Pioneers that were flaky and way, way expensive. You can't beat the Panny for quality. The only advantages I can see from a PC setup like mine are flexibility of settings and immunity to copy protection. If you can see it, I can capture it. I've heard some folks have had problems with standalone captures of macrovision-protected material. This weekend I plan to back up a couple commercial VHS movies to DVD on the standalone and I'll see if it's an issue. If so, it's upstairs I go to the PC setup

So the standalone produces DVDs of better quality than your capture setup? Which capture card did you use, and what bitrate are you comparing? I have been wondering if it would be worth buying a standalone purely for picture quality improvement. I am using a Hauppauge PVR-250 at 8000 kbs, a JVC VCR with internal TBC, and an external frame based TBC. Would I notice a significant improvement?

[lordsmurf]

Satellite tv source? Only? I'd do DVD recorder, easier. I do that for a bunch of my satellite "captures" these days. Keep the old cap card for tougher sources (like VHS).

[louthewiz]

I got the E-80H and I can tell you that a recorder with a hard drive is better than a stanalone without one ,I had the E-20 and I sold it to upgrade and I am a happy camper because of all the neat stuff you can do with it. :P :P

[ejai]

As for the macrovision issue I have several devices that allow me to copy my copy protected dvds and tapes.

1. The Clarifier - It works great on dvd captures but has problems with some vhs tapes.

2. AVT-8710 - A great tool that has a built in TBC, video filters such as color, tint, brightnes, contrast and sharpness all in one small device that can fit in your shirt pocket. It does a great job on tapes and dvds.

3. Datavideo TBC-1000 - Works on both dvds and tapes. It works great and is the device I use most often.

I use these products with my E50 and have no problem copying anything.

[FulciLives]

As for the macrovision issue I have several devices that allow me to copy my copy protected dvds and tapes.

1. The Clarifier - It works great on dvd captures but has problems with some vhs tapes.

2. AVT-8710 - A great tool that has a built in TBC, video filters such as color, tint, brightnes, contrast and sharpness all in one small device that can fit in your shirt pocket. It does a great job on tapes and dvds.

3. Datavideo TBC-1000 - Works on both dvds and tapes. It works great and is the device I use most often.

I use these products with my E50 and have no problem copying anything.

Which do you like better? The AVT-8710 or the DataVideo TBC-100?

Does one look better than the other?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[SatStorm]

Standalone DVD Recorders are good, but not better any average PC capture card and MainConcept 1.4.1 for realtime mpeg 2 captures at 704 x 576/480 framesize and 3400 average bitrate (yes, that low...). With a modern CPU (>2GHz) you can also aply noise reduction filters, for even better results. And, mainconcept doesn't have lipsynch issues. Those are problems of other applications...

The pros of Standalone Recorders are that they are easy to use and they follow a VCR like approach, with excellent results. They are limited but do the job done for most people.

A good reason to use PC based solutions, is when you wish to restore something. For example, an old VHS tape.
It is also the best alternative, when you wish to burn more than 4 Hours on a 4.7GB DVD-R with excellent quality. This is impossible with DVD Standalone recorders.