I posted this thread before. But I may have put it into the wrong category. I'm reproducing it here in hopes of getting a response. I want to make DVD copies of commercial VHS tapes in my collection for archival purposes. Some of the tapes were never available in DVD format and some are out of print. I have a JVC HR-J692U VCR and a Panasonic DMR-ES10 standalone DVD Recorder. I want to copy directly from my VCR to my DVD Recorder. I realize that some of my VCRs are copy-protected and I’m looking for a low-cost video stabilizer that will remove the copy protection. I want a stabilizer that (1) permits me to produce copies as nearly equal to the original as possible, (2) requires no interaction on my part other than to plug it in and change batteries as necessary, and (3) costs $100 or less. The stabilizers I’ve found so far fall into two categories. For lack of better terminology, I’ll call them basic stabilizers and enhanced stabilizers. Basic stabilizers run around $20-$30 and enhanced stabilizers cost between $70-100. Here are some examples of basic stabilizers: http://www.qualitekindustries.com/vidstab.html http://www.checkhere22.com/stabilizer.html And here are some examples of enhanced stabilizers: http://www.simacorp.com/products/item.ep.html?id=477 http://www.firebird-systems.com/graphics/eliminator/eliminator.shtml http://www.dimax.com.ua/dvd/dvdredpro.shtml My questions are these: 1. Will a basic stabilizer produce the results I’m looking for? 2. If it will, is there any reason to pay the extra money to purchase an enhanced stabilizer? 3. If it won’t, which enhanced stabilizer with a price of $100 or under yields the best results?
OK, Jim. But why the Sima? Does it do something the other less expensive ones don't do? I mean, I hate to pay for a name if that's the only thing that's driving the price up. And I'm really not interested in all the "video enhancement" goodies that the Sima offers. From what I've gathered, most people don't use them. Please come back.