DVD Recorders

[ikileo]

Kinda new at this DVD recording stuff. Can any of you direct me to a place to read up ( tried DVDdemystified and the faqs on videoehelp already) on like what they are and the detailed diff between DVD-rom,ram, DVD-Recorders, HDTV, even TIVO and stuff. Anyone can help me out? thx!

[robguy]

There are several threads on videohelp.com pertaining to the subjects you have surfaced beyond the search areas you have listed.

Try continuing your search on videohelp.

You might also want to be more specific, your subject, "DVD Recorders" -- covers a lot of territory.

[ikileo]

mm...noted. thx

[mats.hogberg]

IMO, DVD Recorders are glorified VHS recorders. The difference being that they do analog to digital conversion, and store the recording digitally on a disc, instead of analog on a tape.
I guess most recorders can also create a basic menu on the disc as you finalize the disc. (A bonus compared to VHS)
If you're not satisfied with what you've recorded (want to edit, cut commercials, create a cooler menu & cetera), I think youre better off with a computer capture/TV Tuner card.

/Mats

[gshelley61]

IMO, DVD Recorders are glorified VHS recorders. The difference being that they do analog to digital conversion, and store the recording digitally on a disc, instead of analog on a tape.
I guess most recorders can also create a basic menu on the disc as you finalize the disc. (A bonus compared to VHS)
If you're not satisfied with what you've recorded (want to edit, cut commercials, create a cooler menu & cetera), I think youre better off with a computer capture/TV Tuner card.

/Mats

Not really. DVD recorders are actually hardware MPEG2 encoders that happen to store the files on optical disc (or HDD if they have one). With analog video sources, name brand units generally produce a much sharper, more detailed recording at the higher quality settings (1 to 2.5 hours per disc) than what you will get from a typical computer capture card/software encoding setup. The 1 hour HQ/XP recordings are virtually identical to the original video source. Hardly just a glorified VCR.

The resulting VOB or VRO MPEG2 files can be frame-accurately edited (commercials removed, laserdisc sides joined, etc.) with Womble MPEG-VCR or MPEG Video Wizard without any re-encoding (no loss of quality). DVD authoring software like TMPGEnc DVD Author allows you to make a finished DVD from the edited file with custom menus, chapter points, etc.

[mats.hogberg]

The 1 hour HQ/XP recordings are virtually identical to the original video source. Hardly just a glorified VCR.

The resulting VOB or VRO MPEG2 files can be frame-accurately edited (commercials removed, laserdisc sides joined, etc.) with Womble MPEG-VCR or MPEG Video Wizard without any re-encoding (no loss of quality). DVD authoring software like TMPGEnc DVD Author allows you to make a finished DVD from the edited file with custom menus, chapter points, etc.

So does my Hauppage 250 card. I can set the bitrate at anything I want to (not having to deal with dumbed down acronyms like HQ/XP). I don't have to undo what has been done in order to edit or author what I've captured (using a DVD Recorder you have to rip the DVD to disc before anything can be done with it).
I still think DVD Recorder is a glorified VCR. As soon as you want to do anything else but just play what you've recorded, computer capture (with real time encoding) is a more stream lined process.

/Mats

[lordsmurf]

DVD recorders are essentially standalone versions of MPEG hardware cards.

Except many of the chip makers (LSI, Zoran, etc) are people that are involved in high-grade equipment (broadcast servers, etc). So you often end up with a better piece of equipment than many of the hardware capture cards, at least at the same dollar level.

A DVD recorder is merely a MPEG hardware card with a VCR style interface (but not really, it's still much more complex than that).

[ikileo]

i see i see...thanks.
As for some of the stuff I watch, it has a HDTV attached to the name. What's that. I though HDTV was some kind of viewing device like a TV?
How 'bout those recorders that store in their HDD, what's the diff? quality, format? compatability?

[handyguy]

https://www.videohelp.com/dvdrecorders