I was reading through some older threads here about dvd recorders and was wondering if anybody here has had some recent experience with them? I was thinking about getting one to convert some old old VHS over to DVD (rather than watch them waste away) and in the process freeing up some valuable apartment space.
Does anybody remcommend a particular model/brand? Is the transfer process relatively smooth or will I have wished I had just bought the DVD in the first place? I'm looking to spend about $200 which I'm sure will make a difference in quality... TIA!

You mean a standalone DVD recorder i take it?

Whilst I don't have a particular recommendation, i will warn about some of the problems such devices have and you need to check. Some devices record with bad AR, or in a bad format so they can only be played back properally on a handful of players. Many tend to have problems with ghosting so you need to check reviews (http://www.dvdrhelp.com might help track down some models, and then you can go search for reviews based upon their listings).

I was going to buy one a few years back but i couldn't find one at a reasonable price that performed that well.

Yep. I had even thought about a dvd/vcr combo but from what I've read, most people opt against that due to if one side stops working you have a very bulky dvd player or VCR left over.




I guess what I am really trying to avoid is the other option which is a capture card for the computer and a DVD player that plays Divx files. ATM, for the movies I download, I have been converting them to a standard mpeg and making menus. While this is kinda fun, it gets kinda old when you start DL 10-15 movies at a time.

I've also read that capturing VHS is a royal pain in the butt. Do you have any experience doing VHS rips?

Thanks again!

I went cheap by getting a LG dvd/hdd recorder.

and got burnt ....

Does some things REALLY good (excellent pic quality honestly, inbuilt combi filtering) , while dropping the ball on other things...

Like finalizing discs - some other (RECENT !) dvd players not being able to play them, not being able to burn on 4 or 8 speed , not being able to ffwd divx files....
....and recordings whose audio go out of sync with video if the disc is crammed full...

Buy a capture card and a big F HD

EDIT:


Where did you hear that ? It's one of the (easy) things it does flawless :
Just plug a VHS intothe Scart-in at the back.
PAL source only though

Ugh, that does not sound promising (the stand alone). I wonder
why the technology is so buggy?

EDIT:




Well, just reading some guides (like doom9's) look a little
involved plus many many other forums about the topic complain
about sync problems due to tape wear and the horrible expense
to get a FR corrector. Of course, things may have changed since
those threads were created. I am assuming you have had good
experience with using a capture card? Also, is PAL easier to capture?

Wait, you misunderstood I think.
I capped a few PAL-VHS on my DVD/HDrecorder's Scart-in.

I don't have a capture card myself right now.
Seriously think of buying one next year when I upgrade the whole PC.
Standalones may be easier and faster, but if their general performance doesn't improve than a capture card it will be.

For now the damm thing will have to do

Woops! Yes, I think I read 'Scart-in' as SVideo in... like on a
capture or video card.

I think I'll do a little research on capture cards