HD/DVD recorder to backup 120-Min Hi8 tapes.

[Battisti]

Hi,

I would appreciate your suggestions and help in finding an
HD/DVD recorder that I will use to transfer about one hundred
120-Min Hi8 video tapes on DL DVDs.

I want to do this transfer with the highest possible quality.

I am looking for the following characteristics:

1. Ability to record on DL DVDs.
(I want one DVD per 120-Min tape, and
I would like to optimize the quality of the transfer).

2. Ability to record in Flexible/Best Fit mode

(The XP mode does not provide enough recording time
on a DL disc: with XP I would get only about 115 minutes,
but I need 120 or even 125 minutes,
since 120-Min Hi8 tapes are actually a few minutes
longer than 120 minutes).

3. DV-input (for convenience: one-cable video/audio
connection to my digital DV-camcorder)

4. S-Video input (to connect my older Hi-8 analog camcorder.
It is hard to believe, but some new recorders
do NOT have an S-video input! For example, the new
Liteon DD-A500GX has HDMI upconversion but no S-Video input

5. HD (for convenience to record TV programs)

and, if at all possible:

6. LSI chipset (to optimize recording quality).

Thanks for your help!

[handyguy]

There are very few DL recorders, that should narrow down your search quite a bit.
(https://www.videohelp.com/dvdrecorders)

Btw, have you considered that few dvd players play DL disks you write yourself?

[Battisti]

Hi Handyguy,

thanks for your suggestion. I tried the search function with just three of
my 6 desirable features": DL recording, DV input and having a HD.
(There is no option to search for "flexible/best fit recording".)

This search narrowed it down to few DVD/HD recorder brands:

- Hitachi (I have seen little, if any, info on these)
- LG (but the one I know off does NOT have a "flexible/best fit" recording)
- Liteon (a possibility, but I think it has flex recording only for "timer" recordings)
- NEC (are they available in Canada? do they have flexible recording?)
- Panasonic (a possibility, but I am concerned about the recording quality/macroblocks at lower recording settings)
- Philips (reliability problems)
- Sony (for some reason they do not seem very popular among the forum members, why?)

I will have to check out the above list more carefully...

By the way, I did not know that most DVD players do not play DL disks.

Thanks for your help!