how is quaity with DVD Recorder

[lansky]

anyone use a dvd recorder to cap anything? is it as good as capping with your pc or is it better or is it worse?

[ZenZen]

You would really think that capturing Foxtel Sat TV via a Canopus ADVC-100, then encoding it into DVD with CCE using a high VBR...Is about as good as it gets. Right? Wrong. (That's how I used to do it).
Last week I purchased a Panasonic DMR-50, along with 10 DVD-Ram discs. To test the water, I recorded a 30 min Foxtel program on DVD-Ram using the SP (2 Hour) mode, and captured exactly the same program via the ADVC-100 and encoded it with CCE with Max settings. (If you want to record longer than 2 hours, you can use the Flexable Record mode, which is very much like VBR. You set a time Eg 2 Hrs 17 mins and the DMR-50 will fill up the DVD-Ram disc using that time).

The Results: The DMR-50 using DVD-Ram produced a much cleaner sharper picture. So, now my method of capture is on the DMR-50 to DVD-Ram, then Ram disc into the computer. (I needed to purchase an LG DVD reader that will read the DVD-ram discs..Cost $45) Using TMPGenc DVD Author I now remove the station breaks, etc, add a menu if required or feed it to DVDLab, mix with previously captured files if required, and burn straight to DVD -R.

I have 10 single-sided DVD-Ram discs, which will give me 20 hours of really good capture time, or 10 hours (XP Mode) of fantastic capture time.
Once the program has been recorded onto DVD-R, then the DVD-Ram discs are erased and ready for their next operation

[mazinz]

and on the other end of the spectrum, i have the panasonic dmr-hs2 deck and for my pc i have the (no longer made) dazzle dvc2 (pci ver) card. Although the results from the homedeck are sometimes ok-to quite well, i still get a cleaner and better pic using my capture card then my homedeck recorder.
It is also a matter of time as you can record things much faster and easier on the homdeck (obviously) then with capture crds/authoring, etc

[lansky]

anyone else got any input? and if i use a capture card, it will be better quality then using a dvd recorder?

[bugster]

This is like one of those 'What is Best' Questions. There is no correct answer. There are just too many variables. You have to take into account the quality of the source material/signals. The quality of the capture equipment (Standalone or PC card) and on the PC you also have the option of applying various filters and doing complex editing before encoding.

So the answer to the question is - There isn't one!

[piano632]

Based on my experience, both methods can be good or bad. I have a Pinnacle Studio 8 Deluxe card and the Sharp DW-RW2 recorder. Both will produce very good quality if the input source is a strong signal fairly free of noise. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. It's really hard to say that one is better than the other. If you don't need to do a lot of editing - I'd go with a standalone since it saves a lot of time and frustration. If you want to do frame-accurate edits or make fancy menus, then a computer capture (preferably in DV format rather than MPEG) is a must. Standalones have the advantage that they encode AC3 audio which is a DVD standard, but most computer apps use MPEG audio which many DVD players can't read. In terms of actual image quality - I see little difference between the two at comparable bitrates (at least between my two methods).

[Bob W]

My panasonic E50 produces far better quality captures of VHS tapes than I was ever able to get with my capture card and does in in real time. I would never even consider going back to doing VHS captures on my computer, no contest IMO.

[macleod]

from an ease of use standpoint, the recorder wins hands down. I have the E30 and it does an awesome job and it is much easier than capping. Now granted, my caps have always been from a ati tv wonder pci card. Nothing with the higher ends, but I have been VERY happy with the standalone.

Hey bob w and all you other converts to standalone recorders. I would love to know what settings y'all use when recording vhs or tv. I have been doing 2 hour mode for the most part and tried normal, fine, and cinema. Getting ready to go into the user mode, but was hoping y'all could save me some time on those settings.

[Bob W]

On my E50 I always use the "F-Rec" mode and set the time of the recording to the length of the VHS movie. That way I get the best possible quality by using all of the disc.

[zanos]

You will not get better quality from a dvd recorder even at the highest setting but the difference is almost unnoticeable to the naked eye when viewing full motion video. You will always get better quality capping to the pc especially when you have to do stuff over 1 hour and beyond.

[jdpace2]

I purchased the Panasonic DMR-E80HS stand alone unit. It is a DVD-R/DVD-RAM device with an 80 GB hard drive. I agree with what a few others have said in that this is completely subjective. No matter what Panasonic may say about this device or about the DMR-E100HS, the stand alone recorders are NOT frame accurate. The reason these devices are not frame accurate is because they record in the MPEG-2 codec.

If you want absolute frame accuracy, I suggest using a computer (with the DV codec). If time is of the essence (as it is with the amount of recordings that I do on a weekly basis), then I suggest the stand alone unit. I also suggest that you get a stand alone unit with a hard drive. That way you can edit on the stand alone unit instead of having to transfer to a computer.

JDP
Ace Deuce

[ejai]

We can get into technical nonsense all day long but most of us have used computers to capture for a few years now and have not been happy with the quality of the output.

My best recordings have come from the standalones. Both models of the Panasonic dvd recorders are outstanding in comparison to the pc captures.

I remember trying to get a decent copy of an old movie from vhs using the computer. I purchased all sorts of products from $700 capture cards (Broadway) to lesser products such as ATI cards with terrible results. I've purchased $1000 TBC units to enhance the video, they all sucked.

When the Panasonic E-30 came out I decided to try it even though I wasn't completely sure what the end results would be.

DAMN! it was as if I found the Lost Treasure of the Incas. That same video looked better than I could of ever expected. I use the computer for only one thing now and that is to copy the video I made from my standalone to make menus and author to dvd-r.

No more waiting hours to render video, computer lock ups etc.
Standalones are the way to go.

[EricS]

Ejai- what software are you using for the meus, etc?
Thanks

[donpedro]

ejai, exactly

There are situations when I still use PC (home video from MiniDV) but for archival and day to day use. This is best way to go.

[lansky]

I will be capping Digital tv with the dvd recorder, will it stil be very good?

[ejai]

I use Ulead's DVD Workshop to author my videos.

I will only use my computer to capture raw footage from my DV camcorder to edit and transfer to DVD-R. I'm finally a happy man.

[ejai]

I capture from Satelite TV (Digital) and cable TV with wonderous results. If the source is good then the end product will also be good, and sometimes even great. 8)

[verchad]

I have a panasonic dmr-hs2 and a cendyne/pioneer 104. For saving time and ease of use, use the dvd recorder. I transfer my digital-8 tapes in xp at 1 hour per dvd. For most other things I use 2hour per dvd setting or flexible record. I get very good recordings. Quality of captures from satellite tv depend on the signal from the satellite provider, how much they have compressed it.

For ability to customize your finished product - menus, edits, fades, add music go with the pc/mac. You can be very creative with some of the software packages that are available.

Or you can use the two step method of capturing with a dvd-ram/rw capable unit and using the pc/mac to edit.

[ejai]

I agree

[spiderman2k1]

"jdpace2" you can cut MPEG frame's no problem with MPEG2VCR it's the one program that I know of that edit's MPEG 2 frame's really good.