Capturing with a DVD video recorder

[danniballoon]

I've just been thinking about the problems I've been having, copying home videos, my old VCR tapes & recording TV programmes, using the PC and one of those awful Hauppague WinTV PVR cards.

When you think about the expense involved (DVD recoder - £260, Quality capture/TV card - £300). You can buy a DVD video recorder for under £400! (eg. Philips DVDR-880)

I don't know a lot about them, but it would appear that some of them come with firewire connections. As well as recording directly from a DV camera, I would imagine they could hook up to a PC, via firewire, for video editing. The PC doesn't even need a capture card !

My big question is, what are they like copying VCR tapes. Do they have sound sync problems, like I'm getting big-time with my WinTV card, if the tapes a bit worn ?

I'd be interested to hear anyone else's thoughts on the subject.

[thxkid]

can't answer about the less quality Philips over the better panasonic, but the E20, E30 and the great HR2 have full frame TBC so VHS tapes tape great on them, have no idea if the philps comes with a TBC or not and if so if its full frame or the more common 3-4 line cheapies.
Plus you can use the Ritek $1 DVD-R blanks on the panasonics and they work great, never a problem with them. Quality is ver very near loseless in the 1 hr. XP speed(9000 bitrate) and super great in the more common SP 2 kr. speed(5000 bitrate).