VHS to DVD copy recorders

[BillB]

The rules say not to mention any MFG names or part numbers, etc., but can this forum section mention where I can find a REALLY good web site for comparing VHS to DVD copy machines !?
I tried every tool, s/w and idea I found in Doom9 for doing this with a VCR to my computer, and the results are always terrible. It's been suggested doing it with a player/recorder made for this, which makes more sense to me than wasting my time (hours to days) trying to do it on a XP box. Suggestions PLEASE !
BillB

[jggimi]

The rules say not to mention any MFG names or part numbers, etc...They do? Where? :scared: Rule #12 requests that we not ask "what's best" -- because whenever someone asked it before we had the rule, there was always an amazing spectrum of replies -- and often, this "diversity of opinion" then devolved into flame war.http://www.videohelp.com/dvdrecorders is a searchable database of such devices, with comments from owners.

[BillB]

Sorry, I was thinking of another forums rules.
Thanks for the link!
BillB

[nibbles]

I wasn't able to find any comparisons of modern VHS/DVD-R recorders when I was shopping for one last September. So I searched and read as much as I could, went to a few stores to see what was being sold, then ordered 5 different ones from the mail and pick up at Sears. I tested each one with the same video tape and chose the Samsung DVD-VR325 over the JVC, the Sony, the Toshiba, and the Panasonic. Model numbers? I only tested the top model each company sold. The Samsung was excellent on every level, from dub quality to DVD, cable recording to DVD or VHS, menus! Wow the menus were nice to use, just like the Sharp Aquos menus. A bonus for the Samsung was that is upconverts everything to 720p if you are connected through a HDMI cable w/HDCP. It worked reasonably well with DVD-RW from Fuji, flawlessly with any DVD-R. Fast at changing channels. One machine I tested took 2 whole seconds to change a channel... crazy. Excellent remote... well very good I should say. It's a little busy and is not back lit. You can not create DVD chapters at arbitrary points, like at the beginning of a song in a concert video. It puts them in automatically at 5 min intervals if you want them at all. If creates a weak menu, but it works. I burn to DVD-RW, then extract with DVDDecryptor and re-author the menus w/chapters and nice background musc. At one point I needed to clean up the video more, and for that I captured from the Samsung to an NVidia 6600GT on AMD64 3200+ to w/Raptor 150GB dedicated drive in Huffyuv with zero dropped frames doing 2 hour captures, then used avisynth and VDub and CCE Basic to encode to MPEG2, then author. Good luck, nibs

[BillB]

I just bought a Video Cassette Recorder/DVD Recorder. For $295+ tax, it sure saves a lot of headaches doing dubs. I get a clearer DVD picture than the original VHS tape gives. There must be some filters in the unit, but I cannot find any details via the S company, on what happens inside the box. Sure beats trying to get VHS into my computer and spending hours moding the HD Files. I then take the burned DVD and dump that into the system, use DVD Shrink to reauthor the files and burn a new DVD . Works great!
BillB