HDTV VCR recording, VHS TAPE?

[jb66]

Hello All,

I am looking to buy a DVD/VCR combo. Kinda have an eye on the LG RC897T. I have a general
question. If HDTV is digital then how come most of these DVD/VCR combo recorders use regular VHS tapes
instead of D-VHS tapes?

[jagabo]

Because they're cheap standard definition DVD/VHS recorders, not expensive high definition D-VHS recorders.

[jb66]

The signal must be getting converted from digital to analog then for it to be recorded to regular vhs tape.

[usually_quiet]

It can't record in HD at all, since both VHS and DVD formats are standard definition only. It downscales video to SD digital (and converts to analog for VHS) when recording. If used as a DVD player, it upscales DVDs to 1080p, when you use HDMI output. However, if you use the composite or S-video out, it plays back in SD analog too.

Commercial DVDs could look pretty good when played with the LG RC897T, but its hard to say whether your home-made ones will. That would depend upon the how good the mpeg encoder in the recorder is, as well as the quality of the source being recorded.

[jagabo]

The signal must be getting converted from digital to analog then for it to be recorded to regular vhs tape.

Yes.