Okay, I've got some serious Tech questions here:

1. How much does it usually cost to buy a DVD/VHS player that can convert VHS tapes to DVD's?

2. DVD/VCR combos that can convert DVD's to VHS tapes, what would this do to the Interactive menus that are in the DVD's?

3. Is it possible to get a DVD player that can record off of TV like a VCR?

4. Will blank/homemade DVD-R discs play in any DVD player? Like, you go to the store, buy some blank DVD-R's, download some video file off KaZaA, burn it to the DVD-R, then go play the DVD-R in a DVD player; would it work? "DVD player" meaning ones in computers and ones used with your TV. (Note: I don't have KaZaA or any other P2P program.) Should one look at the DVD player and see if it "Supports DVD-R"? Does that mean it WILL show ANY homemade thing on DVD-R?

5. They're supposed to be coming out with something better than DVD+RW's this fall for computers called "Dual DVD Burners". Should I wait and not get a new comp. 'til these come out? Because I was planning on getting a DVD burner. What are the new abilities of these "Dual DVD Burners"? "DVD+RW" DOES mean it can play CD's and DVD's, AND BURN CD's and DVD's, right?

6. Are blank DVD discs like the blank CD's? Like, CD-RW's with Audio don't play in as many CD Players as normal CD-R's with Audio do; is this consistent with DVD-R and DVD-RW discs?

7. You CAN just take advantage of the 4.7 GB's on blank DVD's and store info/files, right? It doesn't have to be video, right?

I don't know how much help I can be, but as far as I know there are no video/DVD converters on sale YET. I know some people are able to get it done at certain stores - I think Walgreen's does it for something like $20. I was just reading about a new "movie writer" that will be onsale next month and cost about $399. They say it's very good and you can set up chapters and a menu if you want to. Frankly I don't have that kind of money, so if anyone here knows of a better alternative I'd like to hear about it :)

I've been looking to get Shock Treatment put onto a DVD here in the UK-but is it possible to convert an NTSC VHS to a PAL (Region 2) DVD? I might just have to look for an old PAL VHS copy on ebay

I got little shop of horrors recalled dvd on vhs and no menus are on it at all- but I think the person that transferred the dvd may have edited this himself, because I've seen other videos (pirate mainly) and the dvd menu is on the video for the first 5 minutes or so.

I don't think proper businesses specialising in dvd transfer do copyrighted movies unless it's for research-but there are probably facilities you can use somewhere- why don't you just hook your VCR up to the PC and make a VCD instead? I don't have the right cables, and I'm not sure if I have a videocard to do that-but VCD plays on mos DVD players.

Originally posted by webuster
I've been looking to get Shock Treatment put onto a DVD here in the UK-but is it possible to convert an NTSC VHS to a PAL (Region 2) DVD? I might just have to look for an old PAL VHS copy on ebay

I know you can get an NTSC VHS transferred to a PAL, there are plenty of shops that will do that - and then you can transfer the PAL to a DVD :)

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Okay, I've got some serious Tech questions here:

1. How much does it usually cost to buy a DVD/VHS player that can convert VHS tapes to DVD's?

depends on what you want to spend, but you'll need either a stand alone ($$$$$) or a video capture card and DVD writer drive

2. DVD/VCR combos that can convert DVD's to VHS tapes, what would this do to the Interactive menus that are in the DVD's?

don't know for a stand-alone device, but for a dvdrw drive, it needs software that supports it to recreate the menus because they are not part of the videoflow

3. Is it possible to get a DVD player that can record off of TV like a VCR?

don't know about a stand alone, but i have heard a rumor that a future version of Tivo may do this - recording to dvd/rw, and if you have a video capture card and PVR software combined with a dvd/rw drive, you can do it

4. Will blank/homemade DVD-R discs play in any DVD player? Like, you go to the store, buy some blank DVD-R's, download some video file off KaZaA, burn it to the DVD-R, then go play the DVD-R in a DVD player; would it work? "DVD player" meaning ones in computers and ones used with your TV. (Note: I don't have KaZaA or any other P2P program.) Should one look at the DVD player and see if it "Supports DVD-R"? Does that mean it WILL show ANY homemade thing on DVD-R?

if encoded properly, they should play in most DVD players, of course different players, software, types and brands of dvd/r and /rw make a difference, noone can guarantee 100% compatibility, but it is getting better,
generally the drive in your computer has a better chance of reading a homade dvd than a standalone player, as for "Supports DVD-R" it is better than one that doesnt say it I guess, but it is no guarantee, I would look for reviews online to see if an unbiased reviewer (like pcmag/cnet/egghead.com) found it to be compatible...

5. They're supposed to be coming out with something better than DVD+RW's this fall for computers called "Dual DVD Burners". Should I wait and not get a new comp. 'til these come out? Because I was planning on getting a DVD burner. What are the new abilities of these "Dual DVD Burners"? "DVD+RW" DOES mean it can play CD's and DVD's, AND BURN CD's and DVD's, right?

there are a few of these available now, and specifically it means that they can read and write dvd+r/rw and dvd-r/rw, two different, incompatible formats, Sony makes the DW-U10A, Pioneer makes the DVR-A06U, and Lite-ON makes the LDW-400D
The Sony is a second generation drive and has gotten pretty good reviews all around, but doesnt come with the best software package, it would be worth shopping around, maybe even waiting til a few more companies come out with them...

6. Are blank DVD discs like the blank CD's? Like, CD-RW's with Audio don't play in as many CD Players as normal CD-R's with Audio do; is this consistent with DVD-R and DVD-RW discs?

yes, generally newer dvd players will be more compatible, and a dvd player has to say that it will play dvd audio for it to be compatible

7. You CAN just take advantage of the 4.7 GB's on blank DVD's and store info/files, right? It doesn't have to be video, right?
yes, you can, but one general disadvantage of dvd-r/rw and dvd+r/rw is that most movies are written to several layers of the disc, so they use more than 4.7GB, meaning you can't always fit a movie onto a single disk
Some software can compress the video making it possible to squeeze it back onto a single disc - check out DVD X Copy (http://www.321studios.com/) from 321studios

hope that helps, but you should probably do some more research online, check out ATI's All-in-wonder and Pinnacle's video capture cards

depends on what you want to spend, but you'll need either a stand alone ($$$$$) or a video capture card and DVD writer drive

Okay, now how MUCH "$$$$$"? $400? $4,000? And, what do "Video Capture Cards" do/how do they work? And, how do they work with DVD Writer Drives?

don't know for a stand-alone device, but for a dvdrw drive, it needs software that supports it to recreate the menus because they are not part of the videoflow

Well, so what would happen after the software "Re-creates" it onto the VHS Tape? Could you navigate through a menu on a VHS TAPE?

don't know about a stand alone, but i have heard a rumor that a future version of Tivo may do this - recording to dvd/rw, and if you have a video capture card and PVR software combined with a dvd/rw drive, you can do it

Okay, again, what would a Video Capture Card and "PVR Software" do?

if encoded properly, they should play in most DVD players, of course different players, software, types and brands of dvd/r and /rw make a difference, noone can guarantee 100% compatibility, but it is getting better, generally the drive in your computer has a better chance of reading a homade dvd than a standalone player, as for "Supports DVD-R" it is better than one that doesnt say it I guess, but it is no guarantee, I would look for reviews online to see if an unbiased reviewer (like pcmag/cnet/egghead.com) found it to be compatible...

Thank you.

there are a few of these available now, and specifically it means that they can read and write dvd+r/rw and dvd-r/rw, two different, incompatible formats, Sony makes the DW-U10A, Pioneer makes the DVR-A06U, and Lite-ON makes the LDW-400D The Sony is a second generation drive and has gotten pretty good reviews all around, but doesnt come with the best software package, it would be worth shopping around, maybe even waiting til a few more companies come out with them...

Thank you. And, you would recommend I wait until more are released? What specific company would you recommend? Andthey are called "Dual DVD Burners"?

yes, generally newer dvd players will be more compatible, and a dvd player has to say that it will play dvd audio for it to be compatible

Thank you.

yes, you can, but one general disadvantage of dvd-r/rw and dvd+r/rw is that most movies are written to several layers of the disc, so they use more than 4.7GB, meaning you can't always fit a movie onto a single disk. Some software can compress the video making it possible to squeeze it back onto a single disc - check out DVD X Copy from 321studios


Thank you. And, actually I meant, can you use these to store files and programs? I know you can store movies, but files/programs?

Thank you for all your help so far.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
1. How much does it usually cost to buy a DVD/VHS player that can convert VHS tapes to DVD's?

2. DVD/VCR combos that can convert DVD's to VHS tapes, what would this do to the Interactive menus that are in the DVD's?

3. Is it possible to get a DVD player that can record off of TV like a VCR?

4. Will blank/homemade DVD-R discs play in any DVD player? Like, you go to the store, buy some blank DVD-R's, download some video file off KaZaA, burn it to the DVD-R, then go play the DVD-R in a DVD player; would it work? "DVD player" meaning ones in computers and ones used with your TV. (Note: I don't have KaZaA or any other P2P program.) Should one look at the DVD player and see if it "Supports DVD-R"? Does that mean it WILL show ANY homemade thing on DVD-R?

6. Are blank DVD discs like the blank CD's? Like, CD-RW's with Audio don't play in as many CD Players as normal CD-R's with Audio do; is this consistent with DVD-R and DVD-RW discs?

7. You CAN just take advantage of the 4.7 GB's on blank DVD's and store info/files, right? It doesn't have to be video, right?

If you're talking about transfering...

1. Upwards of $500. The one I have retails for about $600. Philips DVDR.

2. Most VCR/DVD combos won't let you dub DVD's to tape.

3. Yes. Mine does.

4. If it's DVD+R...not DVD-R, it will play in almost anything once you finalize the disc.

6. DVD-R and RW don't play in as many players as do DVD+R. +R/+RW is the best format.

7. I don't think so. There's plenty of room on CD+R/RW's.

This site might help:

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd

Philips (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000093US1/qid=1062983686/sr=1-16/ref=sr_1_16/002-8971796-1161636?v=glance&s=electronics)

Philips are good machines.

Here's the one I have...it's very easy to use.

985 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005YXZE/qid=1062983861/sr=1-33/ref=sr_1_33/002-8971796-1161636?v=glance&s=electronics)

Originally posted by dawsongirl
If you're talking about transfering...

1. Upwards of $500. The one I have retails for about $600. Philips DVDR.

2. Most VCR/DVD combos won't let you dub DVD's to tape.

3. Yes. Mine does.

4. If it's DVD+R...not DVD-R, it will play in almost anything once you finalize the disc.

6. DVD-R and RW don't play in as many players as do DVD+R. +R/+RW is the best format.

7. I don't think so. There's plenty of room on CD+R/RW's.

1. So a "Philips DVDR" allows you to put in a VHS tape and a DVD. You then simply tell it to record FROM the VHS tape ONTO the DVD? Is it really that simple?

2. Well, I haven't tried it yet, but the one I have says it copies DVD's to VHS tapes. I need to check it out/try it sometime.

3. How much did it cost? What is the name/company? And, is it available in common retail stores?

4. So, you can buy both blank DVD+R, and DVD-R Discs? What's the difference?

6. Thank you. If -R/-RW are so bad/inferior, why were they even made? Were they just made BEFORE +R/+RW?

7. I dunno, time's are changing; 700 MB seems like less and less relevant/useable, or what have you. Thanks, though.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
1. So a "Philips DVDR" allows you to put in a VHS tape and a DVD. You then simply tell it to record FROM the VHS tape ONTO the DVD? Is it really that simple?

2. Well, I haven't tried it yet, but the one I have says it copies DVD's to VHS tapes. I need to check it out/try it sometime.

3. How much did it cost? What is the name/company? And, is it available in common retail stores?

4. So, you can buy both blank DVD+R, and DVD-R Discs? What's the difference?

6. Thank you. If -R/-RW are so bad/inferior, why were they even made? Were they just made BEFORE +R/+RW?

7. I dunno, time's are changing; 700 MB seems like less and less relevant/useable, or what have you. Thanks, though.

1. Look at the links I posted. It's a stand alone machine. You hook up the DVDR to a VCR to put what's on the tape on DVD. I can talk you through it if needbe. It really is pretty simple.

3. See the 985 link I posted. That's what I have.

4. Yes...I'm not sure what the difference is, but they say + works on more DVD players. www.dvdrhelp.com might say what the difference is.

6. Not sure, but I think they did come out first.

So, did you buy that 985 in a retail store?

Thanks, I think I have all the info I need except:

I want to know what a Video Capture Card and PVR Software is/does.

Should I buy a Dual DVD Burner now, or wait 'til more come out?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Okay, now how MUCH "$$$$$"? $400? $4,000? And, what do "Video Capture Cards" do/how do they work? And, how do they work with DVD Writer Drives?
Well, so what would happen after the software "Re-creates" it onto the VHS Tape? Could you navigate through a menu on a VHS TAPE?
No software can recreate dvd menus on VHS tape (other than manually copying them as still pictures), but, for example DVD X Copy allows you to copy menus onto dvd or create them,
As for pricing on stand-alones, that you'll need to look up on your own, but the $600 range sounds about right - i say shop around see what deals you can find
All DVD's are encrypted with a technology (DSS) that prevents dubbing to VHS, there are ways around it, but in most cases the loss of quality makes it completely pointless to do so.

Okay, again, what would a Video Capture Card and "PVR Software" do?

Best way to describe it, is a video capture card lets you capture video from your VCR, cable box, video camera, etc - pretty much any device that has a compatible output.
Personal Video Recorder software basicly does what a Tivo does - lets you copy video in realtime to a hard drive so you can watch it when ever you want - usually you can find these bundled together, like with the ATI All-in-Wonder (http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9700/aiw9700pro/index.html) video cards

Thank you. And, you would recommend I wait until more are released? What specific company would you recommend? Andthey are called "Dual DVD Burners"?
Well, certainly the Sony model has gotten rave reviews, and seems to be a good product, but I would say that it depends on how much you want to spend (prices WILL drop) and what features do you want (there may be future products that are more integrated and do everything right out of the box) as to whether you should wait.
Mostly they are advertised as "Dual Format" or "DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW" drives, I have seen lots of claims from either side each saying that DVD+R or DVD-R is more compatible, I dont think it matters too much anymore, as long as your other hardware (what you are playing it back on) is fairly recent
As for specific companies, it is hard to recommend a single brand, as I haven't tried them all, all I can say is that the Sony has gone through a couple different models, so has gotten most of the bugs out, and I personally like Lite-On products, and they come with Nero software, which I prefer.

Thank you. And, actually I meant, can you use these to store files and programs? I know you can store movies, but files/programs?

Thank you for all your help so far.
yes, you can use DVD+/- R/RW for storing data, and that is one of the biggest benefits over a stand-alone DVD recorder, you just need to make sure you have software that supports it, this is usually bundled with the drives, of course in order to read the data on another machine, the disc must be finalized and the drive in that machine must be capable of reading DVD+-R/RW's (most newer models should)

One comment about storing files versus storing programs - most programs will have problems if they are installed to a writable disc - if they dont need to be changed at all, and you can set it up in the registry properly, it MAY work, but that disc is a LOT slower than your hard drive, and probably isn't worth the trouble.

So, for those Video Capture cards, you hook your PC up to your TV/Cable to watch stuff? Does it download them into files on your PC or something?

And so, to convert VHS to DVD, the best way is to put a tape in a VCR, connect your Video Capture Card into a PC, get the video in a file format on your hard drive, burn it onto a blank DVD+R and play it in a compatible DVD player?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
So, did you buy that 985 in a retail store?


Yep...and when I bought it, it was $800.

Okay good, I try not to buy over the Internet.

With DVD recorders now can you record your videos onto dvd's- or just precord from television? Coas it's almost impossible to use most tv's to record your dvd's to video-they put the dvd channel on a whole different channel that vcr's cant tape from( AV-it's called that on my telelvision)

From what I've read here, you can do both, but it's expensive, and you have to be fairly digital-savvy.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
So, for those Video Capture cards, you hook your PC up to your TV/Cable to watch stuff? Does it download them into files on your PC or something?

you pretty much plug it in and the TV tuner software lets you watch it in a window (the newest ATI cards even come with a remote) when you want to record it you save it in whatever format it lets you.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
And so, to convert VHS to DVD, the best way is to put a tape in a VCR, connect your Video Capture Card into a PC, get the video in a file format on your hard drive, burn it onto a blank DVD+R and play it in a compatible DVD player?

Well for Video capture cards, you have the option of getting one that is integrated into your video card, like the All-In-Wonder, install a seperate Capture card into your computer, or there are some external ones you can get that would plug in through a Firewire (or possibly USB 2.0) connection,

but yes, you'd need to connect the output from your VCR to the input of your capture card, then record the video to hard disk,
i believe that when you try to write the file to dvd, you may need to make sure that it is in the correct MPEG format, but I beleive some software will record it in that format - thats one point I am not confident of though

Originally posted by robyrob
...
but yes, you'd need to connect the output from your VCR to the input of your capture card, then record the video to hard disk,
i believe that when you try to write the file to dvd, you may need to make sure that it is in the correct MPEG format, but I beleive some software will record it in that format - thats one point I am not confident of though

So it needs to be in MPEG/MPG form? I once asked someone about some DVD issue (I can't remember if it was this or not) and he said something about not being possible beccause of "MPEG-4 Layering"; does that have any relevance here?

So, I've got a VCR, a PC, a DVD Burner, and some DVD+/R's (I dont really have the last two, but pretend), which Video Capture Card would everyone recommend? Can you buy them in retail stores? How expensive are they?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
So it needs to be in MPEG/MPG form? I once asked someone about some DVD issue (I can't remember if it was this or not) and he said something about not being possible beccause of "MPEG-4 Layering"; does that have any relevance here?

if you want to play it back on a standalone dvd player it would need to be in the correct MPEG format - this is a LICENSED technology which means that you can not get free software that will convert to this format - - - HOWEVER - - - MOST DVD+/-RW drives should bundle this, which is why it is so important to make sure the hardware comes with the software that you need (whats the point in buying something that wont do what you want?)

- i'm not sure what your friend was talking about, im not pretending to be an expert here, i just have some qualified knowledge and interest in this stuff, same as you do,
but, i believe that the MPEG files are layered with the audio and video, so that they are encoded and extracted separately (which is why you have the MP3, or MPEG layer 3 audio music files) - all of which means that you just need to have the right software to do it.

So, I've got a VCR, a PC, a DVD Burner, and some DVD+/R's (I dont really have the last two, but pretend), which Video Capture Card would everyone recommend? Can you buy them in retail stores? How expensive are they?
you should be able to find them in retail stores, just read carefully what you are getting and shop around ( i detest Best Buy, and do not trust their sales people at all - ASK QUESTIONS, but look up any information yerself)
try www.techbargains.com (http://techbargains.pricegrabber.com/search_gen.php/form_keyword=video%2520capture%2520card/topcat_id=1/ut=1845ffcb494f0ec7)
(oh and on their front page (http://www.techbargains.com/index.cfm) check out the deals on DVD+/-RW drives - $125 and $133)
I found a couple of deals on www.egghead.com for Radeon 7500 and 8500 ATI All-in-Wonder cards for under $200, the newest Radeon 9800 AIW cards are almost $500

looked on shopper.cnet.com i found -

adaptec's pci kit (http://reviews.cnet.com/VIDEO_CREATOR_PCI_CARD_KIT_DVD_S_W/4505-3002_7-20273516.html?tag=upidmlp) for as low as $94
there is the Dazzle Video Capture kits for about $100, and Pinnacle systems makes kits in the $100 to $200 range (both should be available at your local computer retailer (even Best Buy)


A lot of this is personal preference, and comparing what features you get to what you want to do - I have an older ATI All-in-Wonder card and I love them, but they are so expensive I can't afford to buy the new one that I want :grr:
-- I have heard great things about the Pinnacle Systems Kits, but I havent used them personally,
the Dazzle/Snappy and other low cost kits you would have to search google for some reviews, but how wrong can you go for under $100 if it does the job?

I guess what all this boils down to is that you can do a lot more with the capture card/PVR/DVDRW combination than you can with a standalone dvdwriter, but it is a lot more expensive and complex - it is not going to all just work together out of the box,

i believe it is worth looking into though - see if it is something that you can afford and are willing to put the extra effort into learning how to put it all together

So I need:

Video Capture Card
DVD+/-RW Drive
PVR Device

Correct? And, I think I'll get this:

Video Capture Card - "ATI All-in-Wonder"; I'm gonna go to some local stores and ask if they have the "ATI All-in-Wonder Card", would it be right to say that? You recommend this brand/type, correct?

DVD+/-RW Drive - Whatever's cheapest. So long as it does the job, I don't care if it's slow, I just want one. But what I need IS EXACTLY called "DVD+/-RW", right? And, I should buy blank DVD+R discs to burn Video Fiels onto them?

PVR Device - If I was to walk into a store, what exactly would I say to ask about this? "I need a Personal Video Recorder Device to hook my PC to my TV."?

Thanks for your help so far.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
1. How much does it usually cost to buy a DVD/VHS player that can convert VHS tapes to DVD's?

If you were me you'd get yoursef a Terapin VCD Recorder. This baby does real time VHS to VCD conversions. Push play on your VCR, hit record on that and in an hour your sitting there with a VCD (MPEG1) disc of your VHS tape. Then I'd take that burned CDR and pop it into your computer and convert there to DVDR format. I'd use Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2.0 because the conversion process is done for you automatically. The reason I wouldn't go with the video card is you end up with wires stretched from your computer to your TV. And most do the conversion to either SVCD or DivX, neither the prefered format to me. But the video card method is cheaper...You will need a Burner as well.

Will blank/homemade DVD-R discs play in any DVD player? Like, you go to the store, buy some blank DVD-R's, download some video file off KaZaA, burn it to the DVD-R, then go play the DVD-R in a DVD player; would it work? "DVD player" meaning ones in computers and ones used with your TV. (Note: I don't have KaZaA or any other P2P program.) Should one look at the DVD player and see if it "Supports DVD-R"? Does that mean it WILL show ANY homemade thing on DVD-R?
[/B]

There are two formats out there, + and - R. If you listen to Microsoft and those people, the -R is total crap and you need to get the + format. Do yourself a big time favor and head over to http://www.dvdrhelp.com and check out the real data about which is better. I'll save you a step though...+R and -R have ONE major difference...The +RW (rewritable) discs are able to be rewritten like a CDR when you want to remove one file from the 4.38 gigs, you can. With the -RW, you can't. You must delete all of the files to get that one file off. Other then that....-R discs are cheaper then +R discs by a mile. Both discs are about equal to compatibility with each other...I think the numbers are 94% of all players on the market will play them. But check that website out for futher proof to what I say...Listening to those pigs at BestBuy will end up costing you a TON of money later on...don't say you weren't warned!

Now back to your orginal question...They will play if recorded correctly, AND the player supports them. That link I mentioned has an awsome compatibility chart to check out your paticular DVD players capibilitys (if it plays them or not) ;)

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
They're supposed to be coming out with something better than DVD+RW's this fall for computers called "Dual DVD Burners". Should I wait and not get a new comp. 'til these come out? Because I was planning on getting a DVD burner. What are the new abilities of these "Dual DVD Burners"? "DVD+RW" DOES mean it can play CD's and DVD's, AND BURN CD's and DVD's, right?


They've been out for a long time now. Funny story how they came out with Duel Format Burners....Micropigs and those boys decided to back the +R formats and even were so bold as to say "Our new computers will not support -R discs, future versions of windows will not work with them, etc" biging the nice not monopolizing dudes they are right? So they tried to squeeze the -R to death, but there was one simple problem they couldn't get around....The technojunkies like myself how were onto this DVD Burning before they were had spoken and the voice was -R was better because it was CHEAPER....for 1 DVD+R blank you'll pay 2-3 bucks, for one DVD-R disc you will pay .75 cents each!! So they back peddled when they knew that untill more people were into +R discs they would fail to not "support" them and all the +R guys now make duel format burners (Sony, Microcrap, etc..)...Duel format burners means nothing more then the burner will burn + and - R discs.

6. Are blank DVD discs like the blank CD's? Like, CD-RW's with Audio don't play in as many CD Players as normal CD-R's with Audio do; is this consistent with DVD-R and DVD-RW discs?

7. You CAN just take advantage of the 4.7 GB's on blank DVD's and store info/files, right? It doesn't have to be video, right? [/B]

First #7, the answer is you can burn whatever you want on those blanks (video, pictures, data, games, etc..). #6, DVDRW's normally won't play in anything like you mentioned minus DVDRom Drives and burners. And not all Rom drives will read them either.

Hope that helps dude. Email me moviedude25@hotmail.com if you have more questions :cheers:

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
So I need:

Video Capture Card
DVD+/-RW Drive
PVR Device
Correct? Well, mostly correct - the PVR isnt really a device, but I'll explain that a little later....

And, I think I'll get this:

Video Capture Card - "ATI All-in-Wonder"; I'm gonna go to some local stores and ask if they have the "ATI All-in-Wonder Card", would it be right to say that? You recommend this brand/type, correct?I recommend it, but I do so with the added recommendation that you at least look at some of the competitive products, with something this expensive you really need to check out your options

and YES, they are called "All-In-Wonder" cards, but they come in a number of models with a very wide price range - if you play a lot of games, or plan to do a lot of video editing, you should probably plan to spend more rather than less

DVD+/-RW Drive - Whatever's cheapest. So long as it does the job, I don't care if it's slow, I just want one. But what I need IS EXACTLY called "DVD+/-RW", right? And, I should buy blank DVD+R discs to burn Video Fiels onto them?

I have been seeing the Dual format drives listed as: "DVD±RW CDRW Dual Drive" - or - "DVD+-R/RW CDRW DRIVE" - or - "DVD+R/RW DVD-R/RW CDRW Drive"
because there is NO official format for this, they basically call it whatever they want (making things really confusing) but it would definately have the + and - in there somewhere

Cheap is good, but make sure it comes with software, or figure in the cost of either a Nero or Roxio package (or if you already have cd writing software will it support a dvd writer?)

One benefit of the dual format is that you can try both the +R and the -R formats - if the cheaper one doesnt work in your DVD player you arent stuck with it

PVR Device - If I was to walk into a store, what exactly would I say to ask about this? "I need a Personal Video Recorder Device to hook my PC to my TV."?
PVR isnt really a device so much as the combination of hardware and software that allows you to record video realtime -
a Tivo is a PVR, but so is the combination of Video capture card and the PROPER software;
what I would ask is: "Will this video card let me record and pause live TV as I am watching it?"



Other features I would look at are:
what cables does the capture card come with
what input options does it have? (S-video, coaxial, audio, etc...)
how easy is it to set up
what accessories/extra features does this model have (do you want a remote control, or do you plan to add an IR Blaster later)
what minimum requirements does it recommend (processor speed, ram, hard drive space)
is your power supply sufficient to keep up with all this power-hungry stuff you are adding
(i ask this after burning out 3 power supplies in 2 years after adding a cdwriter and an AIW card!!!)
how comfortable do you feel opening up your computer to install the card into the AGP slot (for that matter do you have an AGP slot, or do you need a PCI card)
how much will the retailer charge to install/setup the card or the drive - it might be worth it to have them do the hard part

Originally posted by moviedude25
If you were me you'd get yoursef a Terapin VCD Recorder. This baby does real time VHS to VCD conversions. Push play on your VCR, hit record on that and in an hour your sitting there with a VCD (MPEG1) disc of your VHS tape. Then I'd take that burned CDR and pop it into your computer and convert there to DVDR format. I'd use Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2.0 because the conversion process is done for you automatically. The reason I wouldn't go with the video card is you end up with wires stretched from your computer to your TV. And most do the conversion to either SVCD or DivX, neither the prefered format to me. But the video card method is cheaper...You will need a Burner as well.



There are two formats out there, + and - R. If you listen to Microsoft and those people, the -R is total crap and you need to get the + format. Do yourself a big time favor and head over to http://www.dvdrhelp.com and check out the real data about which is better. I'll save you a step though...+R and -R have ONE major difference...The +RW (rewritable) discs are able to be rewritten like a CDR when you want to remove one file from the 4.38 gigs, you can. With the -RW, you can't. You must delete all of the files to get that one file off. Other then that....-R discs are cheaper then +R discs by a mile. Both discs are about equal to compatibility with each other...I think the numbers are 94% of all players on the market will play them. But check that website out for futher proof to what I say...Listening to those pigs at BestBuy will end up costing you a TON of money later on...don't say you weren't warned!

Now back to your orginal question...They will play if recorded correctly, AND the player supports them. That link I mentioned has an awsome compatibility chart to check out your paticular DVD players capibilitys (if it plays them or not) ;)



They've been out for a long time now. Funny story how they came out with Duel Format Burners....Micropigs and those boys decided to back the +R formats and even were so bold as to say "Our new computers will not support -R discs, future versions of windows will not work with them, etc" biging the nice not monopolizing dudes they are right? So they tried to squeeze the -R to death, but there was one simple problem they couldn't get around....The technojunkies like myself how were onto this DVD Burning before they were had spoken and the voice was -R was better because it was CHEAPER....for 1 DVD+R blank you'll pay 2-3 bucks, for one DVD-R disc you will pay .75 cents each!! So they back peddled when they knew that untill more people were into +R discs they would fail to not "support" them and all the +R guys now make duel format burners (Sony, Microcrap, etc..)...Duel format burners means nothing more then the burner will burn + and - R discs.



First #7, the answer is you can burn whatever you want on those blanks (video, pictures, data, games, etc..). #6, DVDRW's normally won't play in anything like you mentioned minus DVDRom Drives and burners. And not all Rom drives will read them either.

Hope that helps dude. Email me moviedude25@hotmail.com if you have more questions :cheers:

Boy, that Terapin VCD recorder sounds pretty nice. Convert it to a VCD, then pop it in a DVD Burner and use Ulead DVD Movie Factory to convert it to a DVD? Man. See, here are some pros and cons:

Con: Terapin is more expensive.
Pro: Terapin is quicker.
Pro: Terapin is easier.

Now, the ATI All-in-Wonder:

Pro: I can get get a snapshot image of anything I'm watching since it's playing on my comp. (Makes for good avatars.)
Pro: It's cheaper.
Pro: All the wires aren't a problem, I have the TV sitting right next to the comp.

Now it's a question of quality. Would using the Terapin VCD Recorder, or the PVR/ATI All-in-Wonder method bring a better looking DVD?

moviedude: If blank +R and -R DVD discs are basically the same, why did dawsongirl seem to think +R was superior?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Now it's a question of quality. Would using the Terapin VCD Recorder, or the PVR/ATI All-in-Wonder method bring a better looking DVD?

moviedude: If blank +R and -R DVD discs are basically the same, why did dawsongirl seem to think +R was superior?

The Terapin does sound nice, and thats part of the reason why I'm not buying anything yet - they may come out with something EVEN better that integrates what I want to do into one package
(well that and I can't afford to do it right now....)

as for the +R versus -R thing, i honestly think that it is 95% hype... i have seen both groups claim that their format is superior, and has better compatibility, the problem is that they CAN'T both be better!!
I have read tons of reviews and comparisons, and all i learned from it is that one or the other may be a little faster in certain drives, more or less expensive (which will change) and more compatible at the time of testing - it doesnt really mean much at all if you can have both

it would be nice if they would just come up with ONE spec, but until they do my bet is on the dual drive, and i say use the cheapest media that will work with your hardware

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Boy, that Terapin VCD recorder sounds pretty nice. Convert it to a VCD, then pop it in a DVD Burner and use Ulead DVD Movie Factory to convert it to a DVD? Man. See, here are some pros and cons:

Con: Terapin is more expensive.
Pro: Terapin is quicker.
Pro: Terapin is easier.

Now, the ATI All-in-Wonder:

Pro: I can get get a snapshot image of anything I'm watching since it's playing on my comp. (Makes for good avatars.)
Pro: It's cheaper.
Pro: All the wires aren't a problem, I have the TV sitting right next to the comp.


If you read my post you would have seen I said "If you were me..." In this business of creating DVDR's I have tried out dozens of programs, looking for what works best for me. I found my solution and I wrote it here for someone new to this. I don't know why you would jump on my idea like this? The thing you said was correct, the Terapin recorder is more expensive...buy 40 dollars. The All In Wonder 8500DV 64mb card, isn't the top of the line card but sells for $199.00. You can go to Google for the Terapin player and find one brand new for 238.50. Is the ease of use and lack of taking up you computers resources worth 40.00 to you? To me it is. I have an 18 month old here that loves to snack on any wires she can. Plus I have a large TV, and a large desk. My TV is not right next to my desk like yours. It is for each person to decide what works best for there paticular situation. I personally like not having my computer locked up when I do conversions, you might not think its a big deal?


Now it's a question of quality. Would using the Terapin VCD Recorder, or the PVR/ATI All-in-Wonder method bring a better looking DVD?

From my tests, if you have garbage in you will get garbage out. If you have good looking quality you get good looking quality. There is no difference of quality between the two. But if you are planing on ripping to DivX or MPEG2 and then converting the files you will lose quality in that conversion with the method I mentioned. The major disadvantage of the Terapin recorder is it will not record to SVCD or DivX, only MPEG1. But that's what I want anyway so it works for me.



moviedude: If blank +R and -R DVD discs are basically the same, why did dawsongirl seem to think +R was superior?

I don't know dawsongirl but I'll throw some facts to you:

1) There is a ton of misinformation around
2) One of the companies supporting +R is Microsoft, they are a monopolizing company hell bent to take over all kinds of businesses. Do not believe everything they say or the dudes at Bestbuy
3) DVDRHelp says the following about the two formats:

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd

New DVD Writers!!! Problem deciding what DVD Writer to get?, the DVD-R/W or the competing DVD+R/W standard? Why not get both formats in same DVD Writer, the new dual DVD Writers supports both DVD-R/W and DVD+R/W.
New DVD Writers again!!! Do you want a DVD writer that supports all three DVD Recording formats, DVD-R/W, DVD+R/W and DVD-RAM then get the new multi DVD Writers.

DVD stands for Digital Versatile/Video Disc, DVDR stands for DVD Recordable and DVDRW for DVD ReWriteable. If you're familiar with regular audio/music CDs or regular DVD-Video discs, then you will know what a recordable DVDR/W looks like. A recordable DVDR/W stores up to 2 hours of very good quality DVD-Video, including several audio tracks in formats like stereo, Dolby Digital or DTS and also advanced menu systems, subtitles and still pictures that can be played by many standalone DVD Players and most computer DVD-ROMs. If you choose to lower the video quality it is possible to store several hours video on a recordable DVDR/W using low bitrates and low resolution with video quality more like VHS, SVHS, SVCD, CVD or VCD. It is also possible to have up to 4.38* GB ordinary data or mix DVD-Video and data on a recordable DVD that can be played by most computer DVD-ROMs.

Today there are three competing DVD Recording standards, DVD-R/W and DVD+R/W have pretty similiar features and are compatible with many standalone DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs while DVD-RAM has less DVD Player and DVD-ROM compatibility but better recording features.

DVD-R and DVD-RW
DVD-R/W was the first DVD recording format released that was compatible with standalone DVD Players.
DVD-R is a non-rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 90% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD-RW is a rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 73% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD-R/W supports single side 4.7 GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 9.4 GB* DVDs(called DVD-10).
These formats are supported by DVDForum.

DVD+R and DVD+RW
DVD+R/W has some better features than DVD-R/W such as lossless linking and both CAV and CLV writing.
DVD+R is a non-rewritable format and it is compatible with about 85% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD+RW is a rewritable format and is compatible with about 73% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD+R/W supports single side 4.7 GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 9.4 GB* DVDs(called DVD-10).
These formats are supported by the DVD+RW Alliance.

DVD-RAM
DVD-RAM has the best recording features but it is not compatible with most DVD-ROM drives and DVD-Video players. Think more of it as a removable hard disk. DVD-RAM is usually used in some DVD Recorders.
This format is supported by DVDForum.


4) Prices for +R discs are much more then that of -R discs.

so you make the call. The advantage of the +R discs are the way you can rewrite them over the -R. I don't use these discs, so this isn't important to me at all. To each there own :cheers:

Originally posted by robyrob
as for the +R versus -R thing, i honestly think that it is 95% hype... i have seen both groups claim that their format is superior, and has better compatibility, the problem is that they CAN'T both be better!!
I have read tons of reviews and comparisons, and all i learned from it is that one or the other may be a little faster in certain drives, more or less expensive (which will change) and more compatible at the time of testing - it doesnt really mean much at all if you can have both

it would be nice if they would just come up with ONE spec, but until they do my bet is on the dual drive, and i say use the cheapest media that will work with your hardware

Your right, most of this was hype. And advertising. And sponcership. And...They are the same, one is supported a little more then the other, but as long as your DVD Player was made after 2001 you can bet they most likely play one or the other. Speeds aren't a big issue, 1x writes 4.4 Gigs in 1 hr, 2x in 30 mins, 4x in 15 minutes. If your not sure what yours plays check out http://www.dvdrhelp.com and look for your player.

There will never just be 1 single format I believe. They have done everything they could do to get rid of the -R format (financial reasons only) but consumers like myself will not cave in. The -R discs are cheaper to make, so the +R people "came" out with duel format burners. So now there is no reason for this to happen. the +R discs cost more to make, so they cost more per blank. If you give a consumer a cheaper product that is the same as the other, which one do you think the average earning person would buy?

Thank you, everyone for the help; I've learned a lot in this topic.

I'm gonna:

Buy a small package of blank DVD-R's and a small package of DVD+R's.

I'm gonna use the All-In-Wonder Card method, and I'm gonna look into getting the type that's for Video editing, make sure it can record/pause TV AND VCR playing on my monitor.

Make sure I get all the cords needed to hook my TV/ or VCR to the card once it's installed in my comp. (Is it like, one end plugs into the card in my comp. and the other end is either RF or AV Cables? Guess I'll just check; but can some really be that simple?)

MAKE SURE I GET VERY GOOD/EASY TO USE/UNDERSTAND SOFTWARE WITH IT!

Once I get it playing from my TV/VCR on my computer monitor, I'm able to save it as some sort of Video File, right? Is this Video file able to be burnt just like it is onto a blank DVD disc through a DVD Burner? And played on a stand-alone DVD Player (Assuming the player DOES support DVD+/-R's) Or, do I need to get/download some other type of software to convert it somehow before burning it? What does the file extension need to be in most(/all?) cases?

And, I'm gonna check into the Dual DVD Burners. The kind that burn:

DVD+R
DVD-R
DVD+RW
DVD-RW
(DVD-RAM if it's not TOO much more expensive.)

Once again, thank you for all your help.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Thank you, everyone for the help; I've learned a lot in this topic.

I'm gonna:

Buy a small package of blank DVD-R's and a small package of DVD+R's.

I'm gonna use the All-In-Wonder Card method, and I'm gonna look into getting the type that's for Video editing, make sure it can record/pause TV AND VCR playing on my monitor.

Make sure I get all the cords needed to hook my TV/ or VCR to the card once it's installed in my comp. (Is it like, one end plugs into the card in my comp. and the other end is either RF or AV Cables? Guess I'll just check; but can some really be that simple?)

MAKE SURE I GET VERY GOOD/EASY TO USE/UNDERSTAND SOFTWARE WITH IT!

Once I get it playing from my TV/VCR on my computer monitor, I'm able to save it as some sort of Video File, right? Is this Video file able to be burnt just like it is onto a blank DVD disc through a DVD Burner? And played on a stand-alone DVD Player (Assuming the player DOES support DVD+/-R's) Or, do I need to get/download some other type of software to convert it somehow before burning it? What does the file extension need to be in most(/all?) cases?

And, I'm gonna check into the Dual DVD Burners. The kind that burn:

DVD+R
DVD-R
DVD+RW
DVD-RW
(DVD-RAM if it's not TOO much more expensive.)

Once again, thank you for all your help. the ATI website has lots of info on all the models there, here is a features page (http://www.ati.com/support/manualpdf/AW9800Sr.pdf?type=pc&cardType=ALL+IN+WONDER&prod=aiwPCproducts&submit.x=12&submit.y=9) for the 9800 AiW,

and it would probably help you to take a peek through the manual (http://www.ati.com/support/manualpdf/AW9800Sr.pdf?type=pc&cardType=ALL+IN+WONDER&prod=aiwPCproducts&submit.x=12&submit.y=9) , to see what's involved in setting it up/what stuff you need with it

i dont know if i'd be too concerned with dvd-ram; i think it is more of a special-interest thing - its not very popular and you can do pretty much the same with dvd+rw

Okay, I went to Bestbuy and found:

A Sony DVD+/-R/RW Drive for $280 for an Internal one. And, I THINK $330, maybe $350 for an external one.

All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro for $150.

10 Blank DVD+R's for $20.

10 Blank DVD-R's for, I think $25. (Maybe $15, I dunno.)

I'd like to get the External one, even though it's an extra $80, but it plugs in with a USB 2.0, and I don't know how to tell if I have a USB 2.0 or not. Heh, there isn't an adpater for "USB 1.0, (or 1.1., whatever) to USB 2.", is there? I wanted to get an external so I could use it also with my laptop I plan on getting fairly soon.

Anyway, the deal was, I wasn't sure I had the right cords available on the back of my VCR OR TV. The Card needed a Co-axial (Is that how you spell it?) And an S-Video, and I don't think my TV or VCR has that. So, I don't know what to do now.

Looking on the back of my TV, it has:

12 Volt DC input jack.
Two Audio (The "AV" type) jacks.
A Video (Again, "AV" kind) jack.
It does have a Coaxial. It's orange, right?
A VHF/UHF RF "jack".
And it says "Output" above all these. (Except the DC.)

The front has:

The Red, Yellow, White AV jacks and a Headphone jack.

My VCR has:

AV Input and output.
RF Input and output.

That's all.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Okay, I went to Bestbuy and found:

A Sony DVD+/-R/RW Drive for $280 for an Internal one. And, I THINK $330, maybe $350 for an external one.
definately shop around for better prices
All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro for $150. not bad, just make sure it has all the software included

10 Blank DVD+R's for $20.
10 Blank DVD-R's for, I think $25. (Maybe $15, I dunno.) i'd start with the DVD-R's, maybe even try find some cheaper ones, and see if you can find a single DVD+RW disk so you can practise without wasting disks

I'd like to get the External one, even though it's an extra $80, but it plugs in with a USB 2.0, and I don't know how to tell if I have a USB 2.0 or not. Heh, there isn't an adpater for "USB 1.0, (or 1.1., whatever) to USB 2.", is there? I wanted to get an external so I could use it also with my laptop I plan on getting fairly soon. external is always more expensive, but they are more convenient, another downside is they CAN be a little more complicated.
if your PC is less than a year old you may have USB 2.0, if not you don't need an adapter, but USB 1.1 is ridiculously slow for something like that, and you'd be way better off with an internal one...

Anyway, the deal was, I wasn't sure I had the right cords available on the back of my VCR OR TV. The Card needed a Co-axial (Is that how you spell it?) And an S-Video, and I don't think my TV or VCR has that. So, I don't know what to do now.

Looking on the back of my TV, it has:

12 Volt DC input jack.
Two Audio (The "AV" type) jacks.
A Video (Again, "AV" kind) jack.
It does have a Coaxial. It's orange, right?
A VHF/UHF RF "jack".
And it says "Output" above all these. (Except the DC.)

The front has:

The Red, Yellow, White AV jacks and a Headphone jack.

My VCR has:

AV Input and output.
RF Input and output.

That's all. ok you should be able to use the coax input to the Vid card, and, i believe that you can get an adapter that will switch the AV (usually called RCA) connectors to S-video to plug into the Vid card....

Ah, thanks. I'll keep looking around for the Burner and get DVD+R's. (I was leaning towards those anyway) And, the All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro had tons of software included.

Okay, so, I plug the All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro into my comp, plug the Coax from my TV into the card, plug an S-Video adapter to the OUTPUT AV, and plug IT into the card, correct? Now, I can play the TV on my comp.!

So, how do I then get my VCR to play? Could I get just some double-sided AV cords and go VCR<->TV with 'em? And play VHS tapes on my comp. that way?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Ah, thanks. I'll keep looking around for the Burner and get DVD+R's. (I was leaning towards those anyway) And, the All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro had tons of software included.

Okay, so, I plug the All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro into my comp, plug the Coax from my TV into the card, plug an S-Video adapter to the OUTPUT AV, and plug IT into the card, correct? Now, I can play the TV on my comp.!

So, how do I then get my VCR to play? Could I get just some double-sided AV cords and go VCR<->TV with 'em? And play VHS tapes on my comp. that way? you only need one or the other - i would just put a splitter in from the output of yer VCR - one side to TV, the other to AIW input,
(you'd get better results with S-Video, but if you are just using an adapter from the VCR, whats the point?)
there are a few different ways to hook it up - especially if you have extra things like cable or sattelite box, or ar going through a DVD player as well (the DSS encryption wont let anything go to a recordable device)
another point is that you may need to get the audio cables as well, i know that i needed them for some reason... i just dont remember what it was...

Do you have to use XP with this card?

NM, I found out you can use '98.

I think after looking at some manuals on ATI's website, I've got it almost all figured out. Sadly, neither the TV nor VCR I plan on using have S-Video, but next time I go to BestBuy, I'm gonna see if I can find the cheapest piece-o-junk VCR WITH S-Video and see how much it costs.

Lemme ask something; if I connect my TV's RF/Cable (SCREW THING, whatever!) to my VCR's, then JUST use my TV's Output Video and Two Audio plugs (The Red, White, and Yellow ones) to the card's INPUT of these, play a tape on the VCR, (of course turn the TV on to channel 3) and tell the card's software to detect Channel 3, would the tape be playing on my comp. then? And, I could do all the saving (Converting File Formats if needed) and burning then?

Hey, a friend of mine's father let us borrow a "Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150 Hi-Speed" 'cuz it didn't work for them. I'm gonna try and use it, have you ever heard of it? Or heard any opinions about it?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Hey, a friend of mine's father let us borrow a "Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150 Hi-Speed" 'cuz it didn't work for them. I'm gonna try and use it, have you ever heard of it? Or heard any opinions about it? Dazzle makes great stuff - and it sure couldnt hurt to try out if it aint costin you anything!!!

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
NM, I found out you can use '98.

I think after looking at some manuals on ATI's website, I've got it almost all figured out. Sadly, neither the TV nor VCR I plan on using have S-Video, but next time I go to BestBuy, I'm gonna see if I can find the cheapest piece-o-junk VCR WITH S-Video and see how much it costs.

Lemme ask something; if I connect my TV's RF/Cable (SCREW THING, whatever!) to my VCR's, then JUST use my TV's Output Video and Two Audio plugs (The Red, White, and Yellow ones) to the card's INPUT of these, play a tape on the VCR, (of course turn the TV on to channel 3) and tell the card's software to detect Channel 3, would the tape be playing on my comp. then? And, I could do all the saving (Converting File Formats if needed) and burning then? it should - i cant see any reason why it wouldn't, but i've been fooled before

when i initially set my AIW up, i ended up spending almost $50 on cables and adapters, I dont feel like any of it was a waste, even if i didnt use it all, cuz it does give me a few diff't options how to hook it up....

you may have to play around with it and see what works best...

Uh, that Dazzle* junk messed up my comp.! It looks great, and has everything I wanted, but error after error showed itself. My McAfee got screwed up, nothing couldn't access the Internet, Moviestar 5--one of the software programs that came with it-- didn't work at all. After I got the Dazzle* stuff, I needed a USB blank cord, and I didn't have one, so I went to BestBuy and picked one up, and while I was there, I decided to get a USB 2.0 thing with 4 ports and use it on my comp. (Cool stuff.)

But, the Dazzle* stuff DID have a test window, and I connected through the Red, Yellow, and White cables, and did catch my TV picture, but it was slow. I'm gonna REALLY look into the ATI All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro Card, and buy a cheap DVD/VCR combo that has an S-Video port.

If I get the ATI All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro, do I replace my CURRENT Video Card with that, or put it in with it? I know it's probably replace, but I just wanna confirm.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Uh, that Dazzle* junk messed up my comp.! It looks great, and has everything I wanted, but error after error showed itself. My McAfee got screwed up, nothing couldn't access the Internet, Moviestar 5--one of the software programs that came with it-- didn't work at all. After I got the Dazzle* stuff, I needed a USB blank cord, and I didn't have one, so I went to BestBuy and picked one up, and while I was there, I decided to get a USB 2.0 thing with 4 ports and use it on my comp. (Cool stuff.)

But, the Dazzle* stuff DID have a test window, and I connected through the Red, Yellow, and White cables, and did catch my TV picture, but it was slow. I'm gonna REALLY look into the ATI All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro Card, and buy a cheap DVD/VCR combo that has an S-Video port.

If I get the ATI All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro, do I replace my CURRENT Video Card with that, or put it in with it? I know it's probably replace, but I just wanna confirm.
sorry about the Dazzle fiasco - sometimes tryin out stuff is fun, sometimes its just a nightmare :(

If you are considering the AIW, I would suggest you plan on replacing your current vid card - PC's typically have ONE AGP (Accellerated Graphics Port) slot, you could get a PCI version of the card and add it as a secondary, BUT that can cause some problems.... BIG problems.... (insome cases you may not be able to watch the TV display on a secondary vid card - which sorta makes the whole thing pointless unless you remove the AGP card)
The AGP is a much faster connection, specifically designed for video, and its on a separate "channel" from the PCI bus - in other words if you add a 2nd vid card to the PCI bus, all the traffic for the video card slows down EVERYTHING else on the PCI bus - which means yer sound card, modem, netwerk card, etc. - its just not worth it....

Make sure you back up all yer data first... follow the instructions for installing the card extremely carefully - video cards are notorious for being "cranky" if there is stuff left over from old vid cards... you may need to set the display adapter to a standard VGA adapter FIRST, and remove any existing software...

Thanks. Hey, could ya stay online for a while for questions I may have? I don't think I'm gonna have many, though.

But, is THIS what I want? I went to allinwonder.com , searched for "All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro", and this was one of the things it found:

http://www.ati.com/support/connectors/aiw9000pro/cableaiw9000propurpleinput.html

Like, if I bought the "AIT Wll-in-Wonder 9000 Pro" box I saw at BestBuy, would this thing be included in it?

http://mirror.ati.com/products/radeon9000/aiw9000pro/specs.html

Okay, how would I go about checking exactly how many Mhz I have?

Anyway, on that page above, I'm mostly worried about:

The part it says about Windows 98SE

The TV Tuner/Signal stuff. I mean, I'm in America, I get cable channels, and I think I have an NTSC TV, I bought it here in America in a retail store, is that okay?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Thanks. Hey, could ya stay online for a while for questions I may have? I don't think I'm gonna have many, though.

But, is THIS what I want? I went to allinwonder.com , searched for "All-in-Wonder 9000 Pro", and this was one of the things it found:

http://www.ati.com/support/connectors/aiw9000pro/cableaiw9000propurpleinput.html

Like, if I bought the "AIT Wll-in-Wonder 9000 Pro" box I saw at BestBuy, would this thing be included in it? It should say on the outside of the box, and should actually have pics on the back of the box of the cables included :

http://www.ati.com/support/infobase/3048.html

"NOT ALL ATI products are packaged in the same way. Some may NOT include the adapter or cable you require.

"Retail package" products include a colourful ATI box, which shows a list of what's inside. If you received a box like this, check the contents list. If the items listed are NOT in the box, consider returning it to the retailer for replacement."
They usually come with some sort of cable - normally with a couple of different connection options, just make sure you know what you need before you buy....

Does the AIW 9000 Pro output ONLY MPEG-2? And, a guy at BestBuy told me that blank DVD's can hold 4 hours of MPEG-2, is that true?

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
http://mirror.ati.com/products/radeon9000/aiw9000pro/specs.html

Okay, how would I go about checking exactly how many Mhz I have?

Anyway, on that page above, I'm mostly worried about:

The part it says about Windows 98SE

The TV Tuner/Signal stuff. I mean, I'm in America, I get cable channels, and I think I have an NTSC TV, I bought it here in America in a retail store, is that okay?

OK, I would be concerned about the memory and processor speed requirements, to find the processor speed, right click on My Computer and select "properties"... it should list your processor, speed and amount of RAM, although in Win98 i'm not sure how helpfull that is .... i'll see if i can find a good generic utility (they have specifiic ones for Intel and AMD, but you need to know which)

I wouldnt worry too much about the Win98 support, all it says is that it uses a WinME driver, but there are very few differences, and I'd be surprised if it caused a problem...

the NTSC signal - yer fine unless you plan on moving to Europe in the near future ...

Yeah, I see my SDRAM and stuff, but I don't see Mhz anywhere. Also, see my MPEG-2 questios above.

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Does the AIW 9000 Pro output ONLY MPEG-2? And, a guy at BestBuy told me that blank DVD's can hold 4 hours of MPEG-2, is that true? I'm not sure what output options it has - MPEG-2 is a compression format - i would think that you have some option there, but I dont know (other than say screen caps)

DVD-R 's can only be written to ONE layer so its definately less than commercial movie DVD's, but I think that the time depends on the amount of compression used.... I dont have a dvd-burner yet, so I can't say how much good-quality video you can fit on there

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
http://mirror.ati.com/products/radeon9000/aiw9000pro/specs.html

Okay, how would I go about checking exactly how many Mhz I have?

Anyway, on that page above, I'm mostly worried about:

The part it says about Windows 98SE

The TV Tuner/Signal stuff. I mean, I'm in America, I get cable channels, and I think I have an NTSC TV, I bought it here in America in a retail store, is that okay? you should be fine with Win98, yes NTSC is what you have, PAL is a Europe thing

Does the system info say if it is an Intel or AMD?

OK - go to http://www.pcpitstop.com and take the CPU benchmark test - you have to register, but you can test everything on your system there,

amd has a processor identification utility (i know Intel does too, but its even harder to find)

there is also Roadkill's free CPU ID utility: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~roadkil/

I have to go for a bit but I'll be on later :wave:

I used that Roadkill CPU ID Program, and it said my Clock Speed is 450 Mhz. Heh. What's 50 here or there...*gulp*

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
I used that Roadkill CPU ID Program, and it said my Clock Speed is 450 Mhz. Heh. What's 50 here or there...*gulp* hmmm did it identify it as AMD or Intel ? you might be able to get away with it, but it might be a big hassle too, like locking up, taking a reeally long time to accomplish anything.... or who knows what, I'd hate to see you spend all that cash on stuff and it ends up your system can't handle it. :(

How much memory do you have? thats only going to take it so far, but if you are at the low end of those minimum requirements, its gonna make it even worse.

I think the bottom line is that if the minimum requirements say 500mhz, you might not be happy with the results.... this might be a time to re-evaluate how much you have to spend and see what the best option is to accomplish what you wanna do that is in your budget....

do you wanna spend the extra dough on upgrading your system with processor(likely a motherboard as well) , video card, dvd-burner, and accessories, or

- can you find a good deal on a system that already HAS all of that built-in and setup - more expensive, but may be cheaper and less frustrating than upgrading it all, or

- would you be better off with the stand-alone DVD recorder?

Well, this Dazzle* stuff looks better than the AIW 9000 Pro method, so I'm trying to decide whether to get a new machine built at a local Computer Shop and put Dazzle on IT, or just trying again on this comp. Maybe I should carefully try it on this comp. one more time, and if it messes it up, throw this comp. away and get a new custom-built one and put Dazzle* on IT.

Hey, I've got a question again. Dazzle* comes with some hardware and software. If I was to use just the Dazzle* Hardware, (The thing that looks a little like a cable modem that connects the TV to the Comp.) can I use another type of software bundle? I found a $50 thing at Best Buy with some programs that look pretty cool. The reason I want to do this is, the main Dazzle* program, "MovieStar 5" didn't open at all; it gave me the "Illegal Operation" error.

Arg. *bump*

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Hey, I've got a question again. Dazzle* comes with some hardware and software. If I was to use just the Dazzle* Hardware, (The thing that looks a little like a cable modem that connects the TV to the Comp.) can I use another type of software bundle? I found a $50 thing at Best Buy with some programs that look pretty cool. The reason I want to do this is, the main Dazzle* program, "MovieStar 5" didn't open at all; it gave me the "Illegal Operation" error.

Hey robyrob, I really need an answer here, man.

And, I've seen the ATI All-in-Wonder 9700 Pro available at a local store. Would you mind comparing/contrasting it with the 9000 Pro?

*bump*

About that $50 Software Bundle.
Compare/Contrast AIW 9000 with 9700.

(Both above)

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Hey, I've got a question again. Dazzle* comes with some hardware and software. If I was to use just the Dazzle* Hardware, (The thing that looks a little like a cable modem that connects the TV to the Comp.) can I use another type of software bundle? I found a $50 thing at Best Buy with some programs that look pretty cool. The reason I want to do this is, the main Dazzle* program, "MovieStar 5" didn't open at all; it gave me the "Illegal Operation" error. -sorry i didnt reply there for awhile - i moved halfway across the country, and didn't really keep up for a few weeks :)

for the software bundle/dazzle error, i dont know what i'd suggest, other than to look to the software-maker's website and see if they have a list of compatible hardware; if the Dazzle isn't listed, i'd assume that it might not be a smooth setup.

as for the Dazzle application error, I'd suggest you get the technical details together for the error, search the MS knowledgebase, Dazzle's site, and just a general Google search to see if you can find any answers

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
*bump*

About that $50 Software Bundle.
Compare/Contrast AIW 9000 with 9700.

(Both above) hard question to answer - i'd want to spend as much as you could possibly afford, but the problem is the newest stuff always drops in price when the next model rolls out.

All i can really say is that they both look like good packages, the 9700 has more features (at least the Pro version does) you're really gonna have to look at which features you can or can't afford to have (I would pay extra to have the remote control in the 9700Pro, but I dont know if you would)

the pages for the models are here:

AIW 9000 Pro (http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9000/aiw9000pro/index.html)
AIW 9700 (http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9700/aiw9700/index.html)
AIW 9700 Pro (http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9700/aiw9700pro/index.html)

Originally posted by ConservativeBaller
Hey robyrob, I really need an answer here, man.

And, I've seen the ATI All-in-Wonder 9700 Pro available at a local store. Would you mind comparing/contrasting it with the 9000 Pro?
you may want to just do a search on google for "review all-in-wonder 9700" and read up on what others have to say about it; i found an in-depth review at http://www.hytekcomputer.com/Reviews/ati/aiw9700pro/1.shtml

Are you still using the same 450Mhz machine? It may cause you some grief if the hardware requirements are too high.....

I am planning on building a new machine, based on one of the Shuttle mini-pcs (as soon as christmas bills are paid off :( ) i'm going to start with a basic vid card, and upgrade it to an AiW later on.....

I'm still using the 450 Mhz machine, but I might be getting a newer one soon, I'm not sure. Thank you for this input, and all the other help in this topic.

Another question:

robyrob (Or anyone else who knows), you have an idea by now as to what kind of machine I'd need for video editing, don't you? Like, speed-wise and everything. I found a place today that sort of custom-makes laptops; and they said I need to bring a list of what I want in regards to SDRAM, Ghz, Drives, Audio Card, Video Card, etc. They don't deal with Apples/Macs at all, so I want to know what you recommend for a (Non-Mac/Apple)-Laptop just SDRAM and Gigahertz, 'cuz I know for Video Card I want the newest "ATI All-in-Wonder" card, and I'm checking right now to see if those can be put in laptops. For Drives I'm gonna get an internal DVD +/- R/RW Drive (That pretty much covers it all, lol). Audio, I don't care much about, and I'll just ask for two USB 2.0 ports. I'm just not sure what "Fast" SDRAM and Ghz for video editing is on a laptop, because I want to be sure to get good video qualiy, but I don't care about gaming or anything. Again, all this is for a laptop/notebook, not a desktop. Thanks.

I have this:

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage_n.asp?Product_ID=1426&Langue_ID=7&division_id=

And it says it works with Laptops, so maybe I should just forget about the ATI All-in-Wonder card??? This Dazzle* Product looks like it'd be much simpler than a VidCard, that's for sure.

Now begs the question, "does the 'ATI All-in-Wonder 9800 Pro' work in a laptop/notebook?" Well, I have e-mailed ATI and asked them, but in the meantime I went to ATI's "Mobile" section and their newest one is this:

http://www.ati.com/products/mobilityradeon9700/features.html

And, I can't tell if it does what I want. I don't see anything about connecting TV/VCR to the Laptop with it as I did with the 9800 Pro. But, I'm not sure the 9800 Pro works on Laptops.

Update: All-in-Wonder 9800 Pro does NOT go in laptops, and I still can't figure out if the newest Mobile Videeo Chip at ATI does what I wanted in regards to hooking up my TV/VCR to my comp. and saving/editing video files.

All right, I took my DVD/VCR combo, an All in the Family Season 2 DVD, and a VHS tape I had something on to another person's computer who was MUCH faster and nicer and newer than mine. I hooked up the Dazzle* to the comp. and the DVD/VCR to the Dazzle* box. I used S-Video for the DVD part and Composite Video for the VCR. BOTH THE DVD AND VCR OUTPUT TO THE COMP. WORKED PERFECTLY! I captured video on the comp. with the software that came with Dazzle* and made a DVD, FINALLY! I'm just gonna get a laptop made that's fast enough to handle Dazzle* and an External DVD±R/±RW Burner. Now I can get a snapshot of anything I want if it's on a DVD or VHS tape I own. I always wanted a picture of Sophia from "The Golden Girls" barging in the kitchen with that knife and screaming, haha..

Hey, the editing system on Dazzle* is CRAP. You can't just directly cut out scenes, you have to like only cut either from the beginning or end of the video you rip. SO, if I was gonna rip some video off of a VHS tape, I'd have to stop and start recording as a commerical break comes. I can't just capture the whole tape, then go back and cut out commercials. So my quesetion is, do you know of any video editing software that WILL let me cut out video whenever I want from a video file? Like can I do this:

1. Get VHS tape filled with 6 hours shows and commericals.

2. Capture EVERYTHING from tape with Dazzle*.

3. Use ANOTHER type/company's Software to go back and edit out only commericals of stuff I've captured with Dazzle*?

Also, right when I capture video from Dazzle*, it's like a " .mzl " format, I think. So, the program would have to be able to edit that, or could I just turn it into mpeg (mpeg-2) and then edit it?

if you want to do real video editing, you may need to spend some real money on it, i'm not sure what software comes with the Dazzle you are using, but if it wont let you cut scenes, you may want to check out other software like Pinnacle's Studio or something similar (it is about $100)

if you are using XP, you could also try Windows Movie Maker (i haven't used it yet, but it is free) you can download it for XP from Windows Update

"Pinnacle's Studio" lets you CUT video out of the captured movie? Plus, is it able to edit this " .mzl " extension Dazzle*'s "MovieStar 5" makes? Or, do I turn it into and mpeg, or avi, or whatever and then edit?

Yo disregard that last question. I just have these two:

1. Everywhere I read, it says "Blank DVD's hold 2 hours of video unless the quality is lowered, then it holds more." So, how exactly do I tell the quality to lower? Do I just make the entire MPEG-II file ready to be burned with all the time I want, and will it ask me if I want to lower the quality to fit it onto the blank DVD when I go to burn it?

2. What's a Video Editing program that lets you

a) Open an MPEG-II/MPG/MPEG or .AVI file.
b) Directly CUT out video exactly where you want.
c) Save changes without the video cut.

? Because as I said earlier, this stupid "MovieStar5" with "Dazzle*" doesn't let you cut in ad out wherever you want, just at the beginning and end of the desired clip can you cut stuff.

(Incidentally, if anyone else knows any answers to the questions I'm asking, please feel free to answer, I'm just phrasing these towards robyrob more because he has some idea as to what Im trying to do. But, yeah, respond if you have any answers that won't waste my time.)

Originally posted by ConservativeBalla
1. Everywhere I read, it says "Blank DVD's hold 2 hours of video unless the quality is lowered, then it holds more." So, how exactly do I tell the quality to lower? Do I just make the entire MPEG-II file ready to be burned with all the time I want, and will it ask me if I want to lower the quality to fit it onto the blank DVD when I go to burn it? it depends on the program you are using, but MOST video-editing programs should have some way of changing the compression rate when you are encoding/saving the files - its comparable to the way different graphics-editing programs will let you change the compression ratio when saving .jpeg files

2. What's a Video Editing program that lets you

a) Open an MPEG-II/MPG/MPEG or .AVI file.
b) Directly CUT out video exactly where you want.
c) Save changes without the video cut. i make no claim to expertise in this area, i only offer unbiased help, i would suggest you do some research and check out a few different programs (with free trials, of course)
i do NOT have first-hand experience with ALL of these programs, and there may be others that are better for you out there, but here a few to check out:

muvee autoProducer 3 (http://www.muvee.com/mpeg-editor.htm)
Ulead DVD Workshop (http://www.ulead.com/dws/runme.htm)
Ulead VideoStudio (http://www.ulead.com/products/video_editing.htm)
Pinnacle Video Studio 9 (http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage_n.asp?Product_ID=1501&Langue_ID=7)
... and here's a more comprehensive list:
http://www.manifest-tech.com/links/pcvidsw.htm#Consumer-DVD

and another excellent resource:

http://www.dvdr-digest.com/software/

Well, I figured out a way to get out commercials with the MovieStar5 without directly cuting, so that problem's solved. You just tell it to split the desired clip at certain parts, then edit the first and last of it. The only problem now is finding out just how much I CAN fit onto a DVD with this stuff. I guess I'll just use a little trial and error, eh? Thanks for hepling me wit all this junk, robyrob.

Hey, on the software I use, whenever I tell it to use "MPEG-II DVD NTSC" for "Format", and "MPEG-II Video" for "Codec", the only compression I am allowed to use is "Audio Layer II". I CAN change the "Sample Rate" on this mode, if I do that, would I be able to make the file a little smaller? If I change the format to .AVI, I get TONS of different choices for Codec and Compression.

Originally posted by ConservativeBalla
Hey, on the software I use, whenever I tell it to use "MPEG-II DVD NTSC" for "Format", and "MPEG-II Video" for "Codec", the only compression I am allowed to use is "Audio Layer II". I CAN change the "Sample Rate" on this mode, if I do that, would I be able to make the file a little smaller? If I change the format to .AVI, I get TONS of different choices for Codec and Compression. sounds right to me, but you really have to see what the documentation for the software says,

MPEG-II is a very specific format so that it can be read by all (well the majority of anyways) dvd players, and not all software is capable of taking advantage of the features of every codec , so you may not be able to compress it buy much....

i think that is one of the reasons why the Divx format is becoming so popular...

Well, I had to leave in a hurry where I was trying this out yesterday, so, I'll fool around with it and the .AVI format more next time.

If one was going to build a computer, what would be more important for better video-handling, Ghz or Memory? More Specifically, my choices are:

For Gigahertz:
2.8 Ghz or 3.2 Ghz

For Memory:
256MB DDR 400 Mhz 2 DIMMs, 512 MB 400 MHz 2DIMM, 1 GB DDR 400Mhz 2 DIMMS, or 2 GB DDR 400Mhz 2 DIMMS

All right, I've got my "Dazzle*" hardware and software; a good, new, fast laptop to get the video on; and I'm getting the burner pretty soon. So, I'm all good now. Except one thing:

On this software in which you capture video with, "MovieStar5", once one captures the video, it is saved as a 1 KB file with an ".MZL" extension/file-type. Then, inside MovieStar5, you select the .MZL file and tell it to "Render" to an .MPEG, or .AVI, or whatever, to make it an .MPEG or .AVI file. Here's the thing; I captured some video off a VHS tape. Now, the .MZL file is perfect, good video, good, matching audio all the way through. Whenever I convert it to an .MPEG or an .AVI, the audio gradually stops matching up with the Video, and it's really bad. Since the .MZL works okay, it makes me think it wasn't the actualy capturing process that's bad, it's something happening during the conversion to .AVI or .MPEG. Do you have any idea what it could be? I can upload a screenshot of the "Render" menu in MovieStar5 and all its possible choices with conversion if you'd like. I'd really like for you to have a look, robyrob. Or anyone else that may know/have any ideas.

Originally posted by ConservativeBalla
If one was going to build a computer, what would be more important for better video-handling, Ghz or Memory? More Specifically, my choices are:

For Gigahertz:
2.8 Ghz or 3.2 Ghz

For Memory:
256MB DDR 400 Mhz 2 DIMMs, 512 MB 400 MHz 2DIMM, 1 GB DDR 400Mhz 2 DIMMS, or 2 GB DDR 400Mhz 2 DIMMS

Both are pretty important. Speed for the video to play(without interruption), Memory to store it.

I'm messing around these boards trying to figure out what's wrong:

http://wbsearch.pinnaclesys.com/searchResults.asp?lng=1&qu=audio+sync+problem+AND+@WebboardID+%3D+W1+AND+@PageID+%3D+Message&Keyword=audio+sync+problem&WebboardID=1&SectionID=-1&Days=-1&username=

Apparently there's a lot of people with the problem of audio sync.

Originally posted by ConservativeBalla
I'm messing around these boards trying to figure out what's wrong:

http://wbsearch.pinnaclesys.com/searchResults.asp?lng=1&qu=audio+sync+problem+AND+@WebboardID+%3D+W1+AND+@PageID+%3D+Message&Keyword=audio+sync+problem&WebboardID=1&SectionID=-1&Days=-1&username=

Apparently there's a lot of people with the problem of audio sync. thats probably gonna be your best source of answers, be ready when they ask if all your drivers are up-to-date :)

Lol, I went crazy day before yesterday. Downloading latest Directx, Windows Updates, Latest Drives for DVC 150, and update for "MovieStar 5", the program I use for video editing. But now for some reason, whenever I tell the movie to render, it locks up and closes. But, I'll figure that out some other time. What I want to know is, what's a good .MPEG editing program? I've got "Windows Movie Maker 2"and Sonic's "MyDVD" both of which do what I want to do with an .MPEG. Only problem is, I can't figure out how to save the .MPEG with the changes with it after I'm through editing. Have you ever used either of these? I tried saving once on WMM 2, and it saved as a project file. Maybe I have to burn inside them, dunno.