video capture vs dvd recorder

Discussion in 'Video capturing from analog sources' started by coolguy86, Mar 14, 2012.

  1. coolguy86

    coolguy86 Member

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    Ok, if there is a discussion of this already, please point me in the right direction. Anyhow, i currently use direct tv dvr service and would like to transfer shows from my dvr onto a dvd and be able to edit out commericials. My question is which is the best way to get better quality? I know most dvd recorders are around $100 or so and i found a video capture device on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/EasyCap-Usb...62?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a71c0b71a. Now, the item on ebay is only about $7 and there are some for a little more, but they are way cheaper. Thats why im skeptical about buying one before asking. I will be switching to hd pretty soon, so i want to be able to get good quality when recording to dvd. I read somewhere that once you have it on your pc there is a software to change the quality. Im totally lost on this stuff so please help me someone!!!
     
  2. Mez

    Mez Active member

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    I would not waste money on a cheap capture device. The good thing about them is the better ones come with some form of editor. I bough my first capture card for $75 but the software sucked. To use it I would have had to pay for an editor and a converter costing a few hundred dollars. I wouldn't buy anything for less than $100 and I would check out the editor before I bought. They usually cost more than the hardware they are bundled with so capture devices are a good deal. Yes, the capture device is a computer card.

    The good thing about recorders is they are cheap and easy. They work like the old VCRs so you don't need to run a cable to your computer. The one I have can use junk media, 1-2 cents apiece on ebay because you burn at 1X. Editing videos is a real pain in the ass unless you have special high powered hardware. The better the resolution the more painful the edit. I haven't used either capture device I own in years. I can live with fast forwarding the video vs spending an hr or more cutting out the commercials for something I might watch a few times. Some person enjoy spending their weekends perfecting what they have captured that week. I prefer to have a life.
     
  3. coolguy86

    coolguy86 Member

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    ok, so now ive found out about using directv2pc. Not sure how it goes, but i can watch shows off my dvr on my pc. So, cant i use some software to record on pc while its playing on pc?
     

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