Page 1 of Newbie to DVDR`s - Don`t want to waste VHS

Hi all you wise ones...

Thanks to updating film list, I find I have over 400 VHS titles. Only jumped on the DVD Bandwagon a few years ago with my Samsung 709 and we have co-habited quite happily. I don`t watch vids very often now but want to know if they can be transferred onto DVD for my viewing pleasure (and create space in my cupboard where vids are stored)

I want to invest in a DVD recorder which seems to be the way forward, but haven`t a clue what to look out for or if transfer from VHS is possible.

Can anybody help me with this.... Sorry if this issue has been addressed before - total novice when it comes to DVD players - know how to play film and thats about it!! :/

Many commercial VHS tapes are copy protected, so you`ll need something like this between your VHS recorder and the DVD recorder.

Apart from that, you should have no problems. :D As for what to buy - I think the Panasonic recorders are pretty good, but others will be able to advise you better than I can.

Mike

This item was edited on Friday, 9th April 2004, 15:54

In all honesty,transferring commercial vhs to dvd is a waste of time and discs.Unless its something pretty rare then chances are its either out or on the way out to dvd.Vhs is dead-cut your losses and have a boot sale while you can get £1 for each of them and buy some dvd`s with the cash

This item was edited on Friday, 9th April 2004, 21:05

I will give the cable a try. Majority of things I have on VHS are home recorded that would be nice to transfer to space saving medium.

Thanx for advice - now to persue which machine to buy.... :)

If your tapes are home recorded they will have no copy protection and the lead would not be needed.
The main reason for changing over from vhs to dvd (on the shop bought movies side only) is the improvement in quality.So whats the point of having a pile of dvd`s that are vhs quality,which is what transferring vhs-dvd will give you.Obviously,camcorder and similar stuff is worth transferring to dvd for space and safer long term storage.

This item was edited on Saturday, 10th April 2004, 21:00

I`m in a similar position - I have boxes full of vhs with stuff from years ago that I really don`t want to get rid of. But it would be nice to free up some storage space! Whether the quality is poor compared to DVD quality recordings has no bearing - I want to keep this stuff (as do you).

I haven`t taken the plunge yet - I`ve been waiting for prices to drop/features to increase. For archiving VHS I intend to go for a hard disk model - from what I`ve read, you can copy the VHS material onto HD and then edit it/take out adverts etc before writing to DVD. You can edit WITHOUT a HD of course with some formats, but this seems to be the best option if you want to store on a DVD which will be watchable on just about any machine afterwards.

As for the question "which one?" - Panasonic seem to have a good reputation, but that`s just from me reading whatever I can find on the subject - maybe actual users can comment.

If a HD model is too expensive, DVD RAM format offers the best editing options - but compatibility with other makes and models is a drawback there.

Hope that helps (a bit, at least!)

Phil
www.electromancer.com/artists/flip_martian

This item was edited on Saturday, 10th April 2004, 23:26

Phelings, there`s more stuff that has been on VHS and isn`t and may never be on DVD. Admittedly the quality`s sh*te, but at least I`ve got a digital copy of something they`ll probably never repeat, and which won`t either be chewed into oblivion by my VCR or moulder to white oxide at some point in the future.

Siouxsie, I`ve got a Philips myself which everybody will no doubt tell you is a terrible machine but I`ve been very happy with it. If I was buying a machine currently I`d bow to peer pressure and pick up a Panasonic DMRE55 at around £300 (although I think I`d get an extended warranty to be on the safe side. There are cheaper machines, but unlike budget players, budget recorders are so far an unknown quantity.

J Mark Oates

This item was edited on Sunday, 11th April 2004, 01:33

Mark,there is obviously more material on vhs than dvd as it was around almost 20 years earlier.But I`m sure you will agree,there is a lot of stuff,tv material especially,that is coming out on dvd that never came out on vhs.As I said earlier,vhs-dvd is worthwhile for a rarity that may never turn up-the waste I was referring to was the wholesale transfer of a complete vhs collection to dvd,as movies are likely to be out or on the way.Various tv stuff is a different matter and its better to be safe than sorry and I would never ditch a tv series that I did not know was coming out.But chances are,the 400+ collection has a lot of theatrical films,and thats a waste

You can pick up a multi-region Panasonic E55 from Richer Sounds for £229.

Quote:
But chances are,the 400+ collection has a lot of theatrical films,and thats a waste

Oh absolutely. I completely agree it would be a waste of time to dupe an entire collection from VHS to DVD when on an item by item basis it would be cheaper to buy a DVD copy and sling the VHS (been there, done that myself). I just thought, going from my own experience, there was some room for cross-over. There are enough rarities in my dwindling VHS collection (both commercial tapes and off-air recorded stuff that I`m depressingly certain will never see release on disc) that I`d keep the option of transfer to disc open.

J Mark Oates