Someone please explain the time limits for recording.

[KennyV37]

Do they work just like they do on a VCR? Say I have a VHS tape that was taped in SP mode and has about 3 hours of coverage. If I set the DVD Recorder to SP, will all the VHS coverage fit on one DVD-R?

Now, if say I have a VHS tape with a full six hours of coverage on it and want to transfer it to DVD, how would I go about doing that? What about a ten hour VHS tape? Do DVD recorders span discs? Will I have to stop the VHS tape after so long to switch DVD discs?

I'm having some trouble undestanding how this all works and how much fits on a DVD-R...it's a bit confusing after 25 some odd years of VCR's. Any help anyone could offer here would be appreciated!

Kenny

[Capmaster]

For quality reasons you proba bly shouldn't attempt putting more than about 2-1/2 hours on a DVD. Any more than that and you'll have blocks, hesitation and other artifacts of too low a sample bitrate. It's not worth it - especially with the dirt-cheap prices of DVD blanks now.

If you have a single taping that covers 6 hours, I suggest you capture it into 3 files of 2 hours each, and make 3 DVDs. If you stick to no more than 2 hours on a DVD you'll be OK.

Look in your recorder's owners manual and see what setting to use for 2 hours.

[ZippyP.]

The Panasonic recorder that I am familiar with has "speed" settings which allow 2, 4 or 6 hours on a DVD. Quality drops with each setting and I never use the 6 hour setting, but then I never put more than 2 hours on a VHS tape either. The resolution and bitrate are lower with each setting which allows more video to fit on a disk.

If the DVD runs out you can start another disk, it will have to be done manually by you though, the recorder does not "span" disks for you.

[lordsmurf]

A good recorder (like a JVC) will be fine up to 4 hours. Mediocre units like a Panasonic tend to look bad after 2 hours.

[KennyV37]

Thanks, folks, for the replies. I have a new Toshiba DR2.

Ok, as for capturing a six hour tape into 3 - 2 hour dvd's. Fisrt, this is being done with a stand alone dvd, not a computer drive so as far as creating 3 files, that's not going to do it. I guess i'll just have to watch my times and stop everything when they approach two hours, switch dvds, then proceed, correct? Is there an available DVD disc that I could get the full six hours on say like a DVD-RAM double side?

I did waste a dvd today just seeing if I had everything setup right. I burned about five minutes of a VHS tape, finalized it, and it played back perfectly. It actually looked better on DVD than on the VHS.

Thanks again all!

[ckwok1]

Is there an available DVD disc that I could get the full six hours on say like a DVD-RAM double side?

Even if you have a DVD-RAM double side, you still need to flip the disc manually to use the other side. Just like using a cassette tape in the old days.