I could use your help, I’ve read a few of the posts and they’ve been helpful, but let me tell you exactly what my situation is and see if you can make some suggestions to me. I’d like a stand-alone DVD recorder that will enable me to copy some old VHS tapes (family heirlooms), and also some I took in 8mm (I suppose as long as it has input jacks they should work). I also have a High Definition TV that is hooked up to my Dish Network HD system. I want to be able to run my Dish Network through it so I can record show on it as well. I’d like to be able to record in 2 to 6 hr. modes if available and I’d like to have the ability to record some in as close to if not exactly like the HD broadcast. I don’t know much about dual layer (except some of what I’ve read here) and don’t know if that is what I possibly want. I don’t want the unit I purchase to diminish my reception in any way so it needs to have good guts. Reasonably priced, and it being easy to understand and operate are also very important (I’m a poor ole hard workin stiff). Also please tell me which has the best future, plus or minus disks so I can record my stuff in the best mode for viewing (by other units besides my own) and which disks are the best to purchase. I know it’s a lot of things to ask and I’m sorry but you all are my best bet, and I appreciate anything you can do to help. God Bless Uncle Bob
I just glanced over your post so quickly I will say to look into a TiVo with a DVD burner like the Pioneer or Humax. check out TiVo.com for more info. Taken from TiVo about the Humax - ...It will allow you to record your Mini DV tapes onto the DRT800's hard drive for later viewing or subsequent recording to DVD. The composite, S-video, and stereo audio connections also allow you to record from your camcorder or VCR to the DRT800 hard drive for viewing or dubbing to a DVD. Even though it doesn't say Satelite etc. you still can do it as it is just a video and audio signal that can be captured to so you can just hook up whatever you want to the box press play on the sending unit to then press record (to the hard drive) to then let it do all the transcoding when you have all the info trnasferred.
Hey uncle bob.I see you want to put your vhs and 8mm tapes on dvd discs.I have the wal-mart special cyberhome ch-dvr-1500. From what i have seen when I bought mine last february,.most of them are either + or - formats. Now looking through the forums they have dual format stand alone burners with or without hard drives.I have 2 direct tv digital satellite recievers ,1vcr and the tv hooked up to it. It had no trouble with recording from vhs "unless it had a copywrite" and 8mm tapes. I don't know much about the tivo or mini dv and high definition. But if it has co-axials,s-cable and audio right,audio left and video jacks,then that will play most of todays recordings.Your question on burn times, mine will do 1 hr at HQ,then goes on 1 hr encrements up to 6 hrs. The HQ setting is what I use on my home videos.Very nice picture quality. Now they make them up to 8 and 10 hrs,but the picture is probably worse.On your media issue "discs", to to get high quality media. The higher quality media does not cost much more the the cheapo media. Beware of memmorex discs. You don't want to spend 4 hours making a special dvd of your camcorder tapes and then out of the blue,disc error, then you have to redo the video again.I use discs made by "mmc".You can check out the dvd media forums on this issue.MMC is the best, cmc is worse.A quick way I do it when I go to a store is make sure it was manufactured in JAPAN on the label. Many are made in taiwan,china, and other places. The cheaper media can also cause your other stand alone dvd players not play them. On my next standalone dvd recorder, I am going to make sure it records in both + and - formats. Just a little info for you might want to know and good luck on that Dvd-recorder.
