Why buy DVd recorder when one can use laptop for recording?

[Choora]

Surely one can record disc by using laptop (by using internal dvd burner) then why do ppl pay 250-400 $ on Dvd recorders?? Maybe i'm not aware of the advantage of DVd recorders as i'm totally new to disc recording, if someone can guide me on it then i'll be greatfull.

[broadway]

how do you propose to capture the analog signal signal from your source and convert it to a format that is required for burning to a DVD?

[Epicurus8a]

1. Good quality capture devices cost as much (or more) than a good quality DVD Recorder.

2. While your DVD Recorder is working, you can use your compter for something else.

3. You don't have to spend extra money on decent (i.e. expensive) software.

[trhouse]

I used to use a USB2 capture device to capture VHS to a laptop as you suggest but the the cost of the capture device and its software and the upgrades to the software cost more than a good dvd recorder now that recorder prices have dropped to $125-$200.

The laptop approach makes sense if the laptop has a Firewire input and you are capturing DV from a camcorder since that does not require any additional hardware only some software. Sometimes laptops with Firewire even have the software so it costs nothing.

[hwoodwar]

Choora:

Well first you need a laptop cheapest value model $600-$700 USD

Some sort of capture device USB, or PCCard $50-$200 USD and the low cost ones will probly not give the quality you want.

Additional RAM $80-$120 USD

Internal DVD burner (to replace the combo drive that came with the low end laptop) $60-$80 single layer, $110+ USD dual layer

Larger faster hard drive $115-$150 USD for a laptop 5200-5400 RPM 80gb drive.

So, if you start out with a brand new value notebook you are talking in the vicinity of approximately $1100-$1400 USD and you still may get dropped frames, or an unsatisfactory video.

[broadway]

I think Choora is under the mistaken idea that to burn a DVD, all you need is a DVD burner. I have read posts similar to his on the Dell.com message board. Then when someone throws in some details, they just kinda disappear to be disappointed that it isn't as easy as they thought at first.

[Choora]

Thanks guys. Basically i was totally ignorant as broadway correctly suggested. I've decided to buy a pioneer Dvd recorder, would be my firsts one

[trhouse]

Pioneer is one of the better ones. The DVR-220 is about $199 at Walmart. It records to dvd-r/-rw media.

P.S. Hope you are not going to copy tapes with copy protection. The Pioneer and most others will not without additional hardware.

[Robert Simandl]

Another big reason people buy standalones, probably the biggest reason that I've seen, is PC's are too complicated for them.

Someone whose VCR has been blinking 12:00 for the last eight years is never going to master capturing, authoring, and burning on a PC!

[lordsmurf]

I think Choora is under the mistaken idea that to burn a DVD, all you need is a DVD burner. I have read posts similar to his on the Dell.com message board. Then when someone throws in some details, they just kinda disappear to be disappointed that it isn't as easy as they thought at first.

Yeah, sad but true. Everybody has to start somewhere, I guess.

[broadway]

Choora, Good luck with your Pioneer.

[BogieV]

Take it this way.
I decided to go the PC route the cheap way so I made my rig by myself a bit more than year ago. It was very high class for the time (3GHz, 2 HDDs, etc.) and as I intended to use it for both PC and recording it was good investment.

What happend later is sad though. I havent had much time to use it for recording, the prices of the standalone recorders droped significantly, the task to capture to the PC is often chalenging and timeconsuming and also the required software and upgrades cash can be unbelivable.
So actually I'll be ending up buying standalone soon.
This way at least I don't have to work for my wife's tasks.

[Racer2x]

Amen brother. I was in your shoes, about a year ago: PC, capture card, editing software, burner. To me, it wasn't worth it, especially when the prices of set-top recorders started to plummit. Now, if I want to edit, and burn on the pc, I will just rip the discs I recorded on the set-top unit, to the pc, and go from there. The PC way just isn't worth the headaches.

[handyguy]

My dvd recoder has a component out. Has lots of other outputs & tons of inputs. That's something you don't find on a laptop.

[pchan]

Take it this way.
I decided to go the PC route the cheap way so I made my rig by myself a bit more than year ago. It was very high class for the time (3GHz, 2 HDDs, etc.) and as I intended to use it for both PC and recording it was good investment.

What happend later is sad though. I havent had much time to use it for recording, the prices of the standalone recorders droped significantly, the task to capture to the PC is often chalenging and timeconsuming and also the required software and upgrades cash can be unbelivable.
So actually I'll be ending up buying standalone soon.
This way at least I don't have to work for my wife's tasks.

I am in exact situation. With the money spend on the PVR rig(PC based recorder), I can get a DVD recorder with hard disk. There are tons of problem with the PVR rig.

[BogieV]

To be more precise a year and few month ago good DVD recorder with hard drive was about 2/3ds of the high spec rig I bought.
Meanwhile the quality and functionality of the stand alones rose while their price droped more than 2 times. In the same time I've been paing more money for minor updgrades and software making my curent rig cost more than 4 times the price of a standalone. Not to mention the ease of use of former.
Now for example I moved to new housing and just the layout of my furniture doesn't allow permanent conection of my PC to my AV system. This is also a factor - standalone integrates much better with your TV-video set ups.

[lordsmurf]

A DVD recorder is only good for MPEG. A computer capture setup has a learning curve. So before everybody gets carried away calling a DVD recorder better, understand these two facts.

[Racer2x]

If you are going to disc, chances are, your final files ARE gonna be MPEG. Not to mention, my DVD Recorder doesn't crash, like PC does, and I can do it , right from the comfort of my own couch, with a remote, for about $140. So, for ME, the recorder IS better.

[handyguy]

If you want to make your own, just try this huge site:
byopvr.com

build you own pvr

[jdizzy40]

THis one is a runner up for "Stupid Post" of the month. Sorry but true!