Is there such a thing?

[Lucacovelli]

Is there such a thing that will play/record DVD, play/record VHS, record DVD from camcorder AND computer? Am I looking for something that doesn't exits (yet)?

I want something that will connect to my TV screen OR PC, record DVD from VHS tapes, DVD's from camcorder OR computer. Example: If I edit a movie on my PC, I want to be able to write it to a DVD. I cannot do this with my PC because I have an all-in-one Gateway that you cannot add anything to. Also, DVD format must be DVD-R and not ONLY DVD+R.

I saw a Sony that did all this EXCEPT burn a DVD from the PC. You could burn a DVD from your camcorder, but the guy said you could not do this with a firewire (though it had a firewire jack) buy only with s-video cable.

Please help me..and please forgive me for making this sound so confusing.. It's because I don't know very much. I only have experience with making VHS from mini dv tapes.
Thanks for all help!

[ZippyP.]

A DVD recorder will write to DVD using just about any type of video input, S-video, RCA, DV or TV tuner. There are combination VHS/DVD units but they are mostly cheaper quality units. It's better to get a good VCR and a good DVD recorder.

Most DVD recorders expect a camcorder to be connected to the firewire port and nothing else. Apparently some will accept DV from other sources like computers, though not many.

I have seen a DVD recorder with a network connection but it was very expensive. Not a great demand for that sort of thing.

You could surely attach an external burner to your computer through a USB connection. An external USB box and a burner would be less than $100. A DVD burner can record a disk in 8 minutes which is much faster than trying to send video out and having it recorded that way, which would only be in real time i.e. 1 hour of video takes an hour to record.

[thecoalman]

I cannot do this with my PC because I have an all-in-one Gateway that you cannot add anything to.

It appears to me that is your issue? What kind of gateway is it? If it's a desktop adding or replacing your current drive with a DVD burner shouldn't be a problem.

Edit: I see what you mean, it's a all-in-one.... A external burner would work as Zippy suggested.

[Lucacovelli]

Thank you, Zippy and Coalman, for your advice. I have been making VHS tapes from my camcorder and copying them (using 2 JVC VCR's , [one S-VHS] with good results, but everyone wants DVD's now.

I didn't know you could burn a DVD in 8 minutes! I guess, sooner or later, nobody will want to bother with VHS tapes any more, but for some reason, I am afraid I will not get something easy to use and reliable. Friends often give me DVD they have recorded and I cannot play them on my DVD player. I don't want that to happen when I give someone a DVD.

This happened with a few VHS tapesI gave to others as well. When I played it back on my VCR's, it looked perfect, but they said it was fuzzy or the audio was not good. I don't know if it was my VCR or theirs.

Always something! That's why I appreciate this board. Thanks!