VHS to DVD

[GaryPSU]

I want to copy my home made VHS videos to DVD. I would like opinions as to which would be better - a standalone VCR/DVD recorder combo, or an analog to USB-2 port converter for my computer. Either way, I plan to use authoring software on my PC to create the final versions - cutting out a lot of unwanted material. I am mostly concerned with the quality of the conversion to digital format, and the ease of authoring the raw digital product that was created by the conversion. Price is not a major factor, and I could use a new standalone VHS and DVD player for my home theater anyway. My PC is a Dell 8400 Pentium 4 - 3.0 Ghz. My internal PC burner is a Philips 8601 R/RW.
Thank You

[turet]

Gary, normally when someone said money no object, I would suggest that you look at the Radeon "all in wonder" product. This is combination videocard and has every kind of input and output connection imaginable. You can patch your coaxial cable right into it and record TV shows. The software even allows you to set up to record specific shows/times. (You might need broadband for that so that you are always connected, not sure.)

The problem is that Dell would not be pleased if you were to replace their videocard, especially if it's still under warranty, and your chances of having hardware conflicts are very high.

I have had good experience with the Adaptec external device called VIdeOh. Not the full media center, just the $80 device that you can plug your VCR into. It does not have outputs to video, which is too bad.

This just plugs into the USB 2.0 port. The software is very scaled down and I just use it to make Mpegs and then use TMPGEnc DVD Author to edit. I've found that Ulead VIdeoStudio 7 doesn't like the Mpegs created by the Adaptec unit and under some circumstances will pull the final product out of sync.

I've never edited with Nero, but that's probably the best burning software, from what I've seen.

Again, Dells conflict with absolutely everything, so you can only give it a whirl and see what happens.

[turet]

Oh, I forgot to address the other part of your question. I've never used one of those video to DVD units, but I assume you'd have to forward thru the program to find the next commercial break, forward thru that before recording again? What a nightmare!

Editing on the computer is very easy. You can see where you are and if you know roughly when the commercial breaks are, you can get there, or in the vicinity, very quickly.

[GaryPSU]

Thanks for your reply. I was considering using my PC to edit/re-author the DVD after it was created on a stand alone DVD recorder. Also, when I said that "price is no object" - I meant a couple of hundred dollars difference wouldn't be the deciding factor. In addition, my Dell PC has no APX slot, only PCI and PCI express. If I do the conversion on the PC, I'd rather use a USB device, and not an internal card.

[jeanl]

Originally posted by GaryPSU
Thanks for your reply. I was considering using my PC to edit/re-author the DVD after it was created on a stand alone DVD recorder.

OK becareful! I once bought a Pioneer DVD recorder, with the same plan as you have (recording on it, then transfering to the PC then editing).
I found that that particular recorder recorded the video in a way that made using it in nero a royal pain (the video was cut in 30s chunks and when imported in nero, the chunks would appear as separate files (and not play seamlessly in the end)). I had to demux-remux the video to get rid of the problem (which isn't that hard, you can use decrypter to do that when you rip the DVD in the first place). Simply be aware. The quality was good though. But I returned the recorder...
Jeanl

[GaryPSU]

Thanks for the reply.