VHS to DVD, should i buy a recorder?

[NRJ]

I was just wondering if DVD recorder were better to make my VHS to DVD, or should i stick with my ATI capture card?

[Brent G.]

If you're getting good results with your capture card, then stick with it, especially if you're going to be editing the video later on. A DVD recorder is just a "simple dumb box" that has limited editing capabilities and if it breaks down, it is likely too costly to repair. For recording new shows off of satellite or cable, t is quite simple to use and won't require a dedicated computer. But if you have no problems now, then I'd say stick with the computer.

[Jeremiah58]

I was just wondering if DVD recorder were better to make my VHS to DVD...

Definetely yes. You'd get the same video quality as your source in SP mode recording.

[overloaded_ide]

I am wondering the same thing here and bought a cheapy recorder, but it was not arrived yet.
No one answer is right for everyone, and no one answer is always right for just me all the time either.

My thought is the stuff I want the very best quality or with long running time etc... I will use the ATI AIW and the computer still. When doing custom work and original conetent, etc... or if there is money involved like commercail work of some sort, or big fancy stuff like like custom menus lots of editing, or whatever, I need to do all that on the PC. I may need AVI or such for running scrolling text, banners, logos, and none of that would ever be done on a settop recorder of course.

BUT,
If this cheap recorder can do a standard 2hr or less VCR tape with the same or better quality as the tape itself when viewed from the VCR then I will use it for much of my backups. Hopefully just start the movie playing on the VCR, hit record, sit back and watch the movie relaxing doing nothing and then have the disk done when it's over.
Tons of tapes here, who has time to invest 1,000hrs of work for a "tiny bit" of better quality for a movie only backup? Myself I'd rather be doing the fancy stuff, maybe work I'd get paid for, or use the time in my other hobbies. I mean it takes 2 hours to capture a 2hr tape, more time to edit and author a DVD and then burn it. What's a FAST average? Maybe 3-4 HRS for just basic stuff?
I'd rather watch 2 movies on the VCR in 4 hrs and have the 2 disks done and ready to watch next time. Just have to print them and the covers and shove them in a case.

But that's just me, some people would rather spend the 1,000 hrs making a tiny bit better quality video than actaully watching them. Heck I was like that for awhile myself, but I changed my mind.
I only have so much time, do I want to spend it making DVDs I'll never have time to watch, or do I want to spend the time watching the movies?

I also changed my mind about motion menus! I no longer like them! I find that on a sleepless night they are very annoying. Watch 2 DVDs and finally fall alseep, then get woke up by some annoying menus with sound repeating over and over and over!
I now am backing up my comercail DVDs as I get them as Movie only! Pop it in and it plays (no garbage to wade through) and when it's done playing it just stops (no annoying noise waking me back up). I like them better this way and it's starting to be a bit more fun to watch movies again. So why would I want to put such things on my VHS tape type backups when I am removing them from the DVDs I buy!
I did not like the settop recorders I tried in the past for various reasons like cost and lack of menus etc.., but now I don't want such things for VHS conversions so they may be OK if the price is right.

In some ways the old tapes were far better than the new DVDs! You could always fast forward through all the comercails at the begining, and when they end they go silent and then rewind at end of tape if your asleep and never bother you. I now want DVDs kind the same way, just play the movie and shut off.

[Jeremiah58]

Hopefully just start the movie playing on the VCR, hit record, sit back and watch the movie relaxing doing nothing and then have the disk done when it's over.

That's what I like the most! 8)
No hussle, trouble free...push a button and voila.

[NRJ]

I was thinking of adding menu to mine and maybe extra infos to it, since those VHS would doubtfully come out on DVD.

[rgs_uk]

I would want one that let me adjust the levels and colour, as I do that a lot with VHS tapes.

[overloaded_ide]

I was thinking of adding menu to mine and maybe extra infos to it,

Well you can always copy the DVD to the PC later and do any fancy stuff like menus and such if needed.
Might be a toss up the best way to capture those. Probably still faster to capture on the Settop recorder to a RW disk if you get the quality video and then re-author for extras on the PC.
Some stuff you might be able to do on a settop depending what it is.
But at least the PC is not tied up 2 hrs for the basic capture of the VHS tape.

I had tried settop recorders myself since they came out off and on, $500 for the first one, $150 for the last one, and a few in between. Always took them back for a refund for some reason. But now I figure at $65 for this thing I bought, if I don't like the recording quality I can figure it as an expensive player anyway for that a cheap price and just keep it. How much is a cheap DVD player now? $30-$40??

You might want something more expensive like one with a hard drive and such with more options, I figured I just wanted basic capture and cheap.
Heck it may not be 2 weeks before I take it apart and play inside it even

[NRJ]

Yes i was thinking of getting one with a HDD maybe 80GB or more and can read Divx. But doubt i can afford something more then $200.

[verchad]

I use both. I have used my ATI card to capture some video to make customized videos, using old vhs, high8mm, digital8mm, and minidv as source material. I also have used my old panasonic dmrhs2 to record from directv and also for quick and easy captures from camcorders and vhs.

If you want to do anything custom like menus, then you'll need to use the pc. Like others have mentioned, I also have taken discs made on the panasonic, then copied that dvd to the pc for editing and custom menu screens.

Good luck.