Over the last couple of years I have been using 'Pinnacle Studio' video editing program to make DVD's on my computer, from my DV (tape) camcorder. Its a bit of a pain in the neck sometimes, problems with crashing etc. I want to keep doing this, but additionally, I want to convert about ten VCR tapes to DVD's. I can do this on the Pinnacle/ computer. However, I was wondering, I have never had any experience of working with DVD recorders, or DVD/ VCR combination recorders. Are these any easier to use than the Pinnacle? I realise DVD recorders probably cannot do any complicated editing, but I am not bothered about that, as long as I can put a few dates or titles in. Anyone used both methods? Regards, John Long
DVD recorders have two real advantages over PC editing: One of them is time; to edit on a PC, you need to capture the video, edit it, render it, convert it to DVD format, and burn it. This ends up taking about 6x the original time fo the video. To use a dvd/vcr device, it captures and records at the same time, so the total time will only be equal to the total time of the original video. Simplicity is also a factor; a dvd/vcr can convert DV or VCR to dvd in, literally, one click of the "dub" button. These devices are made for simplicity, hence, it's quite easy to dub to DVD, finalize, etc. The device does much of the complicated stuff for you. The only problem with using a dvd recorder and not a PC: lack of editing ability. There is, literally, nothing you can do on a DVD recorder to edit the video being recorded. As far as adding titles and dates..... you're out of luck. The only "editing" that you can do it concatenating multiple videos and adding chapter marks. Basically, what it all comes down to is editing. If you want to change your original video in any way, then you will need a PC. If, however, you want to make a simple copy (for example, vhs to dvd) then a dvd recorder will work fine.
Actually, I sm thinking that depends on the DVD recorder. I just recently purchased a DVD recorder, because I have only a laptop and video capture is not really an option because USB video capture cards are horrid from my own experience with them. And I just got a basic recorder with a VCR on it to so I could do the VHS to DVD dubbing, as I have over 200 tapes to turn to DVD, and yes, it lets me do some semblance of editing. I can split the video into titles, change the title of the DVD, add chapters and some other stuff. Only issue it has is that I can only make those edits compatable if I am using a DVD RW disc, but was able to easily solve that as I just bought a small pack of DVD RWs and then when I finish all the edits, I use DVD decrypter to get the source and then put it on a DVD R disc. Its just an extra step, but hey, I have a finished copy then, and then can use the DVD RW for the next one. Only thing it really can't do is make neat menus, but I can take captures of video to make title images at least, and I also gather the menu background can be edited with image captures, but I haven't fooled with that as much. I am not looking for perfection, just want the job done because I am sick of tripping over my VHS tapes And it doesn't do the dubbing any faster than it takes to play the tape, but I can at least just leave it running like I did when I made copies of tapes too. I bet video capture makes it hard to do much of anything else on the computer during that time. At least one thing I can say is that its not hard to learn how to do it, and at least the DVD recorder isn't going to crash on you like a program can
Hi, Thanks for your advice, I appreciate you taking the time. Question for Ladynadia - I am not sure whether all VCR - DVD combination recorders are the same. The one you have got seems to me as if it is probably the one that I want. Would you mind telling me what make / model number Regards, John Long
Sure, the make is SV2000 model is WV20V6. I personally found mine at Wal-Mart as it was among their after Thankgiving specials, but I do love it and it definitely does the job. But I think they are out even in my smallish area now. But it may be findable online or at a different store. I only paid $99.95 for mine, which is a combo unit, and it has composite, s-video, component and coax hookups (and plenty of composite hookups that I can even run my ps2 through it and still have some input slots left). And the manual is very good and complete and explains how to do all the editing. If worse comes to worse, you can always go to a store where the employees don't work on commission and ask questions about what the players are capable of and see if one can do what mine can. I don't know if they are all alike, as I thought I was going to have to do the rest of the edits on my computer, but all I have to do is just make a copy so I don't spend as much on blanks.
I received the SV2000 model WV20V6 for Christmas. Last night I ran the dubbing for VCR to DVD. It appeared to be working but the disc was a total blank when I tried to play it. I used DVD-R for dubbing. Do I have to use DVD-RW or do you have any other hints. Thanks so much.
Are you sure it was blank, or was your player just not playing it? Try putting it in a PC and see if it is actually blank.
My recommendations are to read the manual, as it can be a bit tricky at first and many people forget to read manuals. That explains all the steps needed, things to be careful of, and what sort of media can do each thing you can do. If I recall correctly, you play to the point you want to start dubbing, start a few seconds before though to give a chance for the video to adjust, then hit pause, switch to dvd source, hit the dubbing button on the remote. Maybe you forgot to go to dvd? But I can say I dubbed just fine with DVD-R and RW, it was just the edits that were tricky, they didn't work on my computer or the dvd player on our main TV, but if I did it with a DVD-RW there was an option to make edits compatable and that made it work anywhere. But no matter what, you should see something, try checking the manual and following the directions exactly, if that doesn't work, I know they have a technical support line that could help. Hope that helps, and good luck to you, but it took me a few tries to get the hang of everything, but now I have some nice DVDs of my VHS tapes
Hey. WHen you record with DVD- or + R, but not RW, you have to "finalize" the dvd before you can play it in another dvd player. basically, press stop when you want to finish dubbing and it brings you a dvd menu. Press stop again to stop the dvd. Then go to Menu or Setup on the remote control and scroll to disc edit, and choose finalize. This is all written in the book. I had done the same thing. Now that I finalize the dvd, it plays fine everywhere. You do not have to finalize dvd-rw. This is using the SV2000 from WalMart. Excellent value for the buck Pijo
I have a Toshiba RD-XS24 hard disk recorder. You simply start your VCR and HD recorder, wait for the dubbing to end, then edit into chapters, chop pieces out, rearrange the chapters into a playlist if you want, add (rudimentary) titles, then dub onto a -R DVD disk. After getting the hang of the various remote control sequence, very easy and fast, compared with a PC editing suite, although, as yet, not quite so slick presentation (For most of the time, I don't really care.) I would DEFINITELY go the hard disk route with a domestic DVD recorder, as opposed to just the DVD disk. Much more versatile
