Combo DVD + VHS: best choice?

[Marite]

Hello everybody,

I'm new to the forum, I'm from Milan, Italy, and I hope you can help.

I need to buy a combo videorecorder DVD + VHS in order to copy my old home-made videos from VHS to DVD. The videos were made on tape with a JVC videocamera (not digital).

The models on offer are scarce, and I need to choose between LG RCT699H and a similar model by Panasonic. The price of both is around 300 Euros. Which one do you suggest?

The seller told me the quality of recording is similar between the two models, but Panasonic has better mechanical parts. Do you agree?

Thanks a lot for your help.

[jman98]

We don't recommend ANY DVD/VCR combo players. If you buy one, you are actually going against our advice.

You need to buy a separate VCR and DVD recorder. The reason is that Hollywood makes all the manufacturers of DVD recorders make them so that they will not copy commercial videotapes that have Macrovision. Macrovision works by basically sending bad output that the DVD recorder can recognize and refuse to record. The problem is that defective tapes you made yourself can have various video problems and DVD recorders can interpret these problems as being Macrovision and refuse to record your homemade tapes. The only way to fix this problem is to put a TBC (time base corrector) between the VCR and the DVD recorder. You cannot do this is you have a combo unit.

If you feel like gambling there is always a chance that your homemade tapes will not have the kinds of errors that make a DVD recorder think they have Macrovision and a combo unit may record all of your video tapes. But if there is a problem and your combo won't record the tape, there is NOTHING you can do about that.

[DB83]

Do you still have the camera AND the original tapes ?

You would almost certainly get better results than using a combi. jman98 as covered the pitfalls even a brand new VCR could have playback issues with tapes that were recorded years ago on a different VCR.

[Marite]

We don't recommend ANY DVD/VCR combo players.

Thanks a lot for your reply. I wasn't aware at all of all these problems. The problem is that VCR-only players are virtually non-existent here in Italy, at least in normal shops (maybe I should try something professional, but then I guess the price will definitely go up!). Are they available in the US/UK?

I will try to make a copy with a combo of one of my friends, and then I'll let you know.

[Marite]

Do you still have the camera AND the original tapes ?

You would almost certainly get better results than using a combi. jman98 as covered the pitfalls even a brand new VCR could have playback issues with tapes that were recorded years ago on a different VCR.

Yes, I have the camera and the original tapes. Do you think I should connect the camera directly to the combo, then? Thanks.

[DB83]

If you have the original tapes and camera you do not need a combi. A good quality dvd-recorder will suffice for this method.

Try that out on a friend's machine.

[DB83]

To elaborate on my last post.

A good quality dvd-recorder with a hard disk is a better option. Allows you to do some editing before you commit the video to dvd.

These methods will never match the versatility abd quality of doing PC capturing. It all comes down to how much time and effort you want to put in to this.

[jman98]

You don't want a VCR from the USA. They only support NTSC output and that will likely be useless for you since you live in Italy. I have no idea what the current situation is in the UK for VCRs.

[usually_quiet]

The problem is that VCR-only players are virtually non-existent here in Italy, at least in normal shops (maybe I should try something professional, but then I guess the price will definitely go up!). Are they available in the US/UK?

I think it is currently difficult if not impossible to find a new VCR that is not part of a DVD recorder combo no matter which country you live in. Non-combo VCRs are often obtained second-hand from ebay, a thrift store, a pawn shop, or other outlet that specializes in selling used items.

[sanlyn]

Youlll have better luck and more choices in Europe than in North America.