Hello all this is my first post, escuse my old age punctuation I am nearing 60. I have found a DVD to DVD all regions Recorder and player combo, with a device that elimates 'all' copy protection for under $700 US. should I wait to get a DVD-9 recorder or buy this one which has a capacity of 4.7GB ( don't know if it's japanese gigs or the correct 1024. Dual well construction,I have bought off this company before in early 2001, for a all regions DVD Player that has worked flawlessly since, and still does but it's not VHS/DVD friendly. The device will record NTSC to NTSC or PAL to PAL(Phase Alternating Line). It's siad to be able to record VHS protected taped to DVD with no problems, I am just asking you whether it would be worth the wait as my Wide Screen (16 X 10)*laptop* cannot take a drawer drive for DVD recording. This will be for my own collection,*not* for sale, I do not look forward to any *big* fine or spending the rest of my soon to be senior citizen in captivity AKA the slammer! I now own about 800 DVD and about 50% of that in VHS, that more than likely will never become DVD as most are OOP or companies are OOP also IMHO.
If like I think you're saying, this dvd recorder is the standalone hifi type, I'd suggest the following. I don't what u know, so I'll just say everthing in case you didn't know (apologies if you do). First off, I'd personally stay away from dvd to dvd standalone recorders because of a number of reason: 1. It's only going to record a dvd-5 discs (4.7Gb) like u said, and most commerical discs are dvd-9(8.5Gb) so u need some sort of encoding/transcoding software to backup those disc's (which a standalone hifi component won't have) 2. I think that standalone dvd recorders are very immature technology at the moment, with media problems being just the start of it. I'd definitely wait at least for DL recorders or HD-DVD or Blu-ray before I'd buy one. 3. Standalone recorders just aren't setup for backing up discs at the moment, encryption technologies will change and there's just so many other variables that computer software is the only way to go. 4. As to backing up VHS to DVD, that can be done with a computer, it's a little more complicated than with a standlone recorder but you have more control. I'd personally go and buy an external dvd burner for you're laptop at the moment, they connect through firewire or USB 2.0. their just so cheap at the moment that it's too hard to past up. Then with the help of aD here you'll be up and backing up dvd's in no time. The only two good thing's for you I can see about buying this type of dvd to dvd recorder at the moment will be the ability to backup VHS to DVD because the DVD to DVD option is really out of the question in regards to commerical dvd's. That and the ability to record tv to dvd, and even that's pretty average at the moment. I'd just wait alwhile untill the technology of DVD recorders comes up to par. Buy a external dvd burner and use that untill then. You can use that to backup the VHS discs you really, really want to convert to DVD now, then later on when you buy a better dvd recorder you can easily backup the rest of your VHS collection. Sorry about such a long post. and Welcome to Afterdawn.
