standalone dvd recorders vs capturing

[ha13may]

Hi !

Sorry if this has been posted before but are standalone recorders such as the panasonic E20 better than capturing with your computer.

I am talking about recording from cable,sattelite and maybe VHS. Is the difference very clear and the quality much better?. Can the final footage if recorded on a RW disc be imported on a computer and edited. Has anyone tried to import footage onto their computer instead of just recording on write-once dics.

What standalone recorder does anyone recommend ?

I am in the UK and would appreciate if someone can give me some info on any good deals going around these recorders.

Thanks in advance !

[fmctm1sw]

Hi !

Sorry if this has been posted before but are standalone recorders such as the panasonic E20 better than capturing with your computer.

I am talking about recording from cable,sattelite and maybe VHS. Is the difference very clear and the quality much better?. Can the final footage if recorded on a RW disc be imported on a computer and edited. Has anyone tried to import footage onto their computer instead of just recording on write-once dics.

What standalone recorder does anyone recommend ?

I am in the UK and would appreciate if someone can give me some info on any good deals going around these recorders.

Thanks in advance !

Hauppauge wintv radio off ebay: $51
Standalone DVD recorder: $?? (you tell me, and I'll tell you which one I'd pick)

[obiwan176]

I would go with the panasonic dmr-e20 or 30 vs. capturing. If you do not have very good know how capturing can be a painstaking process and you could waste lots of time getting things to work to your liking. With the panasonic you just pop it in and go and on the sp 2 hr. format the copy looks perfect . you won't be able to tell the difference from the original. I used to mess with the computer when it came to stuff like this but it got rediculous with the options. I would definately go with a standalone recorder. Much easier with quality that can't be duplicated by capturing.

[oldfart13]

fmctm1sw: that assumes you already have a good comp and all the cap hardware and software. If you want to stay legit with that, it'll probably cost at least $2KUS including the DVD burner. For the standalone, the E30 is about $500US and the H2 is $750 - $800US. For sheer simplicity, I'd go with the standalone. If I want to shoot my own stuff and edit it and create fancy menus, then the comp is the way to go. Depends largely on your level of computer expertise. If you are a comp nube then the standalone makes much more sense. For my purposes, I'm going to get both since I have a good cap comp now but I need to use the standalone for copying old VHS movies to DVD-R. I've all but given up on it (for now) using the comp after putting in too many sleepless nights trying to get things in sync, encoding, using filters, using Virtual Dub, frameserving, burning, etc. At the end of the day I have 40 Gigs of an 80 Gig drive with one movie capped in both 6 MB/s and 9 MB/s Mpeg-2 480*480 that I can't even rerender down to SVCD spec to post online. I have had help from people posting stuff like I want to do each and every week for the last year and having their stuff look just beautiful. I'm not giving up mind you, just taking a break and looking at other options that I can afford...

[fmctm1sw]

fmctm1sw: that assumes you already have a good comp and all the cap hardware and software.

Not really. Look at my computer specs. Then:

Cap card: $51 + shipping
Cap software : Free (vdub/freevcr/avi_io)
Conversion software: free (tmpg/avi2vcd)
burn software: free (easy cd creator, etc.)

equals

watchable product (albeit very slow to do until I get a better motherboard/chip)

If you got the jack.... standalone
On the cheap ... cap solution

L8

[oldfart13]

I assume you have a DVD burner? I don't as they cost too much to add to my setup today (PIII 1GHz, ATI AIW 7500 64 Meg, 4 hard drives inc. an 80 Gig Maxtor used for capping only, legit software including Video Studio 6, DVD Workshop, etc. also have the "freeware" stuff like TMPGEnc, VDub (for filtering), etc. I have to use Mpeg-2 capture as the files are way too big to use AVI and I don't want to blow another $300CAN on WinXP unless I build another system. A friend just bought a full system including the Pioneer A04, P4 2.2 Gig 533 MHz bus, AIW 7500, etc. but that cost him close to $4kCAN! I really don't have that kind of cash to toss around. I was trying to cap/convert down to SVCD but I think I'll get the standalone Panasonic DMR-HS2 when available and use his A04 if I need to copy DVDs or do some fancy menus. Since I'm only doing caps from satellite TV or copying old movies to DVD-R, it's a good system for my purposes.

[Anonymous65]

A stand alone DVD recorder can be used by your mother (hopefully), while a PC system needs skills, patience and time. Plus, if you need to, you can edit your video, add titles and transition effects.

However, if you have a decent PC, you can make DVD's like the standalones with a few aditions:

* mpeg capture card, like Hauppauge PVR-250 $150
* video editing and author software, like Ulead DVD Moviefactory $45
* DVD burner, goes for as low as $200 is you shop around

So, you need to spend around $400 to upgrade your PC for DVD creation. You might get a stand alone DVD recorder for $500, just $100 more...

[fmctm1sw]

I assume you have a DVD burner?

Nope, just a slow cd-r...

[cptv]

An engineering friend of mine (who looks at everything through scopes) says there is no contest - get a standalone for quality (Pioneer or Panasonic - not Philips).

[leebo]

Well, I can't believe your friend has actually seen the Pioneer set top.

In DVD-R mode, you only get two quality chioces, both CBR.
Both result in poor quality video. The two hour mode is slightly better than SVCD quality.

I curse the day I bought this unit!

[oldfart13]

I like the Panasonic models 'cause they use a modified VBR for recording. Too bad the model I really want, the DMR-HS2 with the 40 Gig hard drive isn't going to be marketed in Canada. Bummer...

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[leebo]

Hi Philip.

I know you are very knowledgable re: DVD stuff, however, reguardless of the specs, I see a MAJOR difference between VIDEO 2 hour mode and VR two hour mode.

I am very pleased with VR mode as far as picture quality goes (compatability with other players is another story). I prefer VR three hour mode to VIDEO one hour mode. Perhaps something is wrong with my recorder, but I doubt it.

The 2 hour mode is around 5Mbits/sec no where like SVCD quality, it is still DVD resolution.

Maybe. But not to my eyes. I get almost as much pixelation as with SVCD. Like maybe 70% as much (picture is 30% better than SVCD). This is not acceptable to me.

And going in through the Firewire port results in even worse picture quality!

I'm not really interested in what the spec sheet says. I'm more interested in what my eyes say.

It's my own fault, however, for buying from a vender who's return policy states "No returns on Pioneer (among other brands).

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[leebo]

I agree, Phillip.

But to my eyes, VR still looks much better than VIDEO MODE, at the same bit rates.

For whatever reason.

I just wish VR mode was compatable with most players.