A small request for considered opinions

[moonmonday]

Dear all,

As this site seems to be the most well-informed and overall helpful site of people out there, I wanted to ask my question here. I'm looking for a good DVD recorder under $250 that will serve my needs; I plan to use it to transfer some aging VHS tapes to DVD so that I can preserve the tapes and still enjoy their content. Most of them are simply personal recordings, although some are tapes I've bought long ago and still enjoy. I plan to put them onto DVD for my ease and private watching, rather than further age the tape, since these are literally irreplaceable. I won't be using it for off-cable recordings or anything like that, so I really don't need that feature or care about its details. I also don't care about DVD editing because if I want that, I can simply rip it from the DVD and edit it on the computer if I'm really that bothered by it. What I want, simple and straightforward, is something I can hook up to my VCR, have the VCR play my tape, and have the DVD recorder make a DVD of it.

I bought a Magnavox one impulsively the other day and returned it later that same day, as in a small side-note in the manual (which I found after some time of searching) it said you couldn't connect it to a VCR, making it totally useless for my purposes. I read up on many reviews here and at other places and found that many people have very different ideas about what makes a DVD recorder good. Personally I just want one that records, has a good picture (at least equivalent to the source), and doesn't go kaput two months down the line. I have composite outs from my VCR and composite ins, and that's really all I'd like to fool around with. The coaxial is too annoying to deal with and it connects with the TV. I'd prefer something I can hook up easily and unhook, if necessary.

I'd really appreciate anyone's considered opinion on what you think I ought to get. I'd be extra grateful if you could recommend some places to get them as well. Thanks very much, and I am very grateful for your time and thoughts.

Sincerely,
moonmonday

[davideck]

I would recommend a Toshiba unit for VHS transfers because of their superior TBC performance.

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1482771#1482771

The tapes that you bought may be copy protected, which will complicate things for any DVD Recorder.

[moonmonday]

They may indeed, although I can say that none of them have Macrovision. The pictures in the topic you've linked do tell a very clear story! If any of the tapes are copy-protected, would a video stabilizer do the trick or would there be a need to alter the recorder's firmware? In any case, thanks very much. I do appreciate your input. These old tapes really do need to be put on something else if I'm going to watch them at all, and I desperately do need something to archive that material.

I'll wait for your response.

Sincerely,
moonmonday

[Frobozz]

With a $250 budget you should have no trouble finding a good-quality DVD recorder for transferring your VHS tapes. Avoid Philips/Magnovox and all those odd-brand models. You can read user reports on different makes and models by clicking the DVD Recorders link on the left of this page. There was a recent thread here on this topic.

The recorders are instructed to refuse recording when they see a Macrovision signal. Video from those tapes would need to go through a "stabilizer" in order to be recordable. I like Bob Hudson's article on converting VHS to DVD available here: http://www.signvideo.com/conv-v-to-d.htm

[Marvingj]

The Best are JVC, Pioneer, Toshiba with either one you can go wrong...

[reevesro]

Keep this in mind, a stand alone unit will not copy VHS copyright movies. So I recommend Sony RDR-VX515 stand alone unit for copying VHS or live, or cable to DVD. If you want to copy VHS movies, then get a unit like ADSTECH,s new DVD unit around 100.00 or so.

I used other DVD media and some would work once but not 2x, others would only work in a computer never stable, I listened to the stores telling me "Oh ya I make DVD's and they work fine" as they told me this product is just what I need, all they did was waste my time.
If you use DVD-R type media single layer and burn at 8X and use Verbatium media your Discs will work on 98% of all players, dont listen to what the stores try to sell you such as +R and faster speed burners.

[Bridge]

I never heard of a recorder that won't let you connect to a VCR. Was it lacking composite inputs or something?

Unless it's copy protected movies I wouldn't see why any number of known companies recorders couldn't do the job. Panasonic, Toshiba, Pioneer, Lite on, Sony, JVC, etc. What ever you can find at your local store for a good price. The key, unfortunalty, is that you have to get one and take it home to see if you like the video quality that records from your VCR. Also, to see if that the unit doesn't "think" that you are transfering a copy protected tape when you really are not. I've read that people try to transfer their normal VCR tapes and the unit thinks that it is copy protected. If that's the case then you might have to look for a company that is lighter on their copy protection recognition software. Word is Sony is very tough on that. Although I don't have a Sony some say that some Sony won't even record HBO or other cable channels because it's that though with copyright software.

[LCSHG]

[ reevesro ]

[quote]
a stand alone unit will not copy VHS copyright movies.


There are still some out there that will and some are non compliant.
Also additional equipment could allow this

[MissIrisM]

Dear all,

As this site seems to be the most well-informed and overall helpful site of people out there, I wanted to ask my question here. I'm looking for a good DVD recorder under $250 that will serve my needs; I plan to use it to transfer some aging VHS tapes to DVD so that I can preserve the tapes and still enjoy their content. Most of them are simply personal recordings, although some are tapes I've bought long ago and still enjoy. I plan to put them onto DVD for my ease and private watching, rather than further age the tape, since these are literally irreplaceable. I won't be using it for off-cable recordings or anything like that, so I really don't need that feature or care about its details. I also don't care about DVD editing because if I want that, I can simply rip it from the DVD and edit it on the computer if I'm really that bothered by it. What I want, simple and straightforward, is something I can hook up to my VCR, have the VCR play my tape, and have the DVD recorder make a DVD of it.

I bought a Magnavox one impulsively the other day and returned it later that same day, as in a small side-note in the manual (which I found after some time of searching) it said you couldn't connect it to a VCR, making it totally useless for my purposes. I read up on many reviews here and at other places and found that many people have very different ideas about what makes a DVD recorder good. Personally I just want one that records, has a good picture (at least equivalent to the source), and doesn't go kaput two months down the line. I have composite outs from my VCR and composite ins, and that's really all I'd like to fool around with. The coaxial is too annoying to deal with and it connects with the TV. I'd prefer something I can hook up easily and unhook, if necessary.

I'd really appreciate anyone's considered opinion on what you think I ought to get. I'd be extra grateful if you could recommend some places to get them as well. Thanks very much, and I am very grateful for your time and thoughts.

Sincerely,
moonmonday

Well, my Samsung is working well for that purpose. I can't imagine a DVD recorder that you can't hook up to a VCR via the video out, but the Samsung is a very inexpensive and attractive machine, that I've had not quite a month now, and I'm in the process of putting some of my tapes on DVD. It works especially well if you don't have cable. Why don't you read my review of it at Amazon.com and then feel free to ask me my experiences with it.