Two Basic Question's

[Ritter]

If you use a stand alone dvd recorder and you copy a dvd-r with menu's and a chapter/episode selection screen will it copy that over as well making an exact copy, menu's and all?

Also, I was all set to buy a stand alone and I began thinking about using my pc instead because I really want to be able to do menu's and chapter selection screens. I would really like a little feedback as to the major pro's & con's of using my pc instead of getting a stand alone??

Thanks

[mkelley]

You can't "copy" a DVD with a standalone recorder, unless you mean play the DVD and record via the standalone's inputs. If so, it will appear as you play it (so, yes, you could see the menu, but note that the copy won't allow you to actually navigate via the menu, only record the way you navigate the menu while you're recording it, if that makes sense).

The pros and cons basically boil down to this: a standalone is much easier to record with, as it does all the steps (capturing, encoding and burning) all at the same time. It does not allow you to copy commercial DVDs except with specialized equipment (and, as noted above, you won't get menus, etc) and you cannot create your own menus beyond the very simple ones offered in the machine.

In the ideal world you'd have both (which I do, for those reasons): if you are transferring a lot of prerecorded stuff (VHS, Hi-8, etc) without need for editing the standalone is unbeatable. If you want to create edited DVDs with nice menus and/or going to create editing movies of your original DV footage, going the computer route is by far superior. With prices the way they are, it's not at all unreasonable to get both.

[andydd]

I had a brit horor film Deathwatch the other day n i found it hard to copy using DVD decrypter Or any other tool so i went back n used my Panny DMR E30 to record it by playing it on my Afreey DVD player, yep...you dot get menus or commentary n stuff...but on that occasion i wasnt that bothered. And the panny only records in AC3 2.0 n not 5.1.

[Ritter]

So, the menu's won't work? I'd really appreciate a little more info on this. Thanks. I meant playing the dvd-r with the show on it through my regular dvd player and hooking the stand alone up to that and recording.

Here's what I want to do and I am have a heck of a time figuring out the best method.

I have a set of a tv show on dvd-r's with a custom menu and an episode selection screen. I want to be able to make copies for friends and what not, but I want the menu's and everything to work like the original.

The other is, I have a set of a show on vhs and I want to put it on dvd-r's but with a nice menu and a episode selection screen like my other one.

So I don't know what to do. I see a lot of ppl complaining about audio and video sync problems with the pc method (not to mention a lot more steps in the process), but I know I won't be able to do menu's and what not on a stand alone.

I heard someone mention recording on a dvd-ram through a stand alone and then taking it over to the pc and do menu's and title screen using a movie factory type proggie. I'm thought maybe this is the way to go for my vhs? Thoughts please, pretty please

[FT Shark]

A stand alone DVD burner just caputures what you connect to it. It doesn't create an exact copy of the original.

If you want exact copies you will need to rip it to your computer.

In the case of the dvd you want to copy, ripping it to your computer will create a perfect copy. You will not loose the menus or any frames.

On the other hand copying the VHS to DVD with the computer can be a bit more difficult. You need a decent quality capture card and processor to get a good capture (without loosing frames). Finaly you will need a DVD authoring program such as TMPGEnc DVD Author to create the menue that you want for your VHS copy.

Good Luck. There are many guides on this site that can help you.

[AndThenSome]

Ritter. You are only able to do the equivalent of "taping" your episode disc when using your set top recorder. Meaning, no there will not be any menus for your friends to use. They will simply have footage of you navigating the menus.

A DVD recorder will only capture the actual video - none of the data files necessary for the menus will transfer. You will not have interactivity.

But...you could record your episodes by playing each one individually, much the same way you originally recorded them from TV. This would allow you to use your recorder's built in features for menus.

BTW - I only answered your post because you said pretty please. lol

[Ritter]

So for the dvd-r's I'll just have to get a burner for my pc and burn them that way. Would I just be able to put in both disc's (blank & show disc) and use nero and copy it, or would I have to use a dvd dcryptor type thing first, then burn it back to a dvd-r?

For my vhs issue what about burning them with a stand alone onto a dvd-ram disc. Then using a authoring program add menu's and chapters. Would this work? I can't find anything that directly talks about this process and what I would need to do this, in these forums.

Thanks

[mkelley]

Yes, you can simply copy a DVDR to another DVDR (since it won't have encryption it's pretty simple) but you need to make sure the burning software you use recognizes the DVDR is to be played on a standalone recorder (such DVDs are formatted differently from data DVDs). Most burning software will have a function to do this.

As for using your standalone to record to RAM... some people do just this, but to my way of thinking this is a pretty roundabout way to avoid getting a capture card and encoding. It also is beset with it's own issues (like getting your authoring program to correctly recognize your files). I'd just spend some time reading around the forums here and you'll see that doing VHS captures and transfers onto DVD isn't that big a deal (I don't even think about the process anymore -- just turn on my VHS machine and capture and encode away).

[Ritter]

I forgot to ask but I've seen a lot of ppl say that you have to have enough processing power so frames don't drop. What is pretty much the minimum to get good results 1.0 ghz, 1.5 ghz, 2.0 ghz? ? I don't have the best pc (pentium 3 800mhz) that's why I was thinking of the dvd-ram solution because I didn't think my pc could handle the capturing good.

thanks again

[mkelley]

Even with your machine you can capture without dropped frames assuming your OS is decent (Win XP or Win2K), and you have a dedicated hard drive for video capture (with such drives going for less than $80 for 120GB there's no excuse not to have one).

Somewhere in these forums txpharoah has posted a pretty good list of the reasons for dropped frames -- you might do a search and read all about it.

[Ritter]

I guess I'm out of luck because I don't have a dedicated HD and I have Win98.

[cplevel42]

Ritter, why not just get a decent computer for a little more money than you were going to spend on the set-top? What ever you do, don't get the set top. Every one I know who has them are selling them or have sold them. Theye are not very useful.

here is a pretty good system for cheap. You can get a little more if you built it your self though.

This one has:

2.4 ghz Pentium 4
80 gig 7200 RPM HD
ATI 9100 128 MB with TV/In/OUT
MSI mobo with LAN and extras
Soundblaster Audigy w/IEEE 1394 (firewire)
A 16X DVD Player
The New and very cool: Pioneer A06 Burns DVD+R and -R @ 4x
XP Home Edition, Get XP pro for a little more.
56K modem and 100 ethernet LAN
Mouse and keyboard
512 MB of PC2100
1 Year onsite support and 3 Years warranty.
Plus, a nice server case

See here: http://www.cyberpowersystem.com/custom/piv.htm

You can built it for less though, but it can be a pain if you are new to it.