Which is better... Capturing TV with a Capture Card or DVD Recorder?

[CD]

So I want to start recording tv shows "VCR" style. Do I buy a DVD recorder or get a capture card for the PC? What are the pros and cons?

[SingSing]

See : https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=309604&highlight=

[normcar]

The DVD recorder is the easiest solution. However, trying to find the "best" recorder is difficult, because there is no true 'best'. Each has one or many faults, one being they seem to have about a 1-2 yr life span. The DVDs can be ripped easily to a HD so they can be edited.

Using a computer requires you to learn more about capturing a video, editing a video, authoring, and then burning the DVD so you can watch it on a TV.

There is no one best solution, just easier. The technology of the DVD recorder is not as reliable as the VCR, even though it has been around for about 3-4 yrs. One example is none of the DVD recorders, unless you happen to get a lucky one, even keeps the time correctly. The clocks seem to gain or lose time, as much as 30 sec/day.

There are no "Great" solutions. Just listen and seach archives, and figure out what is best for your needs.

[INFRATOM]

if you want to watch it later on the same TV dvd recorder is easier, I upgraded my ATI video driver and new one doesn't have a lots of stuff like time and all and it freezes too so I bought this cheap Polaroid dvd recorder, its good for what it does but lots of hasstle, slow. noise gets hot uncomfortable remote and sound is only mpeg1 and puts logo on certain recordings etc. You need to have both if you have one choice go with capture card until you are forced to buy a dvd recorder.

[winifreid]

You would need a bigger HD if you wanted to do much recording on your computer as listed. The thing I like about a capture card is I can look at a nice TV schedule on Titan TV and just click on the shows I want to record up to 2 weeks in advance. My system would be ideal if I had a TV out on my video card so I could watch the recorded shows on TV without burning to DVD.

[ntscuser]

So I want to start recording tv shows "VCR" style. Do I buy a DVD recorder or get a capture card for the PC? What are the pros and cons?

I use a DVD recorder and edit on the PC if necessary. I have used a capture card but unless everything is set up perfectly, the results aren't as good.

[rkr1958]

I use a DVD recorder and edit on the PC if necessary. I have used a capture card but unless everything is set up perfectly, the results aren't as good.

My experience is just the opposite. I get better quality captures from my PC capture card (Hauppauge WinTV PVR-USB2) versus my PVR (Humax DRT800 w/TIVO). However, the TIVO unit is by far the easiest and most reliable to use and schedule. Because my PVR is hooked to TIVO the clock stays in sync and shows get recored as scheduled.

My Humax has a DVD-RW drive (in addition to an 80-GB harddrive). Transfers to my PC via tivo-to-go (and run through DirectShowDump utility) can be inputted and cut directly into TDA. The transfers come over at 720 x 480 w/ac3 audio.

Again, the captures via my Hauppauge WinTV PVR-USB2 appear (to my eyes at least) significantly better in quality (for the same approximate bit rate).