DVD Recorders review/advice...anybody have a Go Video brand dvd recorder???

[nannyfan]

I'm finally about to catch up with modern technology and buy a dvd recorder and I'm trying to figure out which dvd recorder to buy. The features I'm most interested in are transferring retail vhs tapes & homemade tapes to dvd and burning copies of dvds. As I understand it, a video stabilizer will allow me to overcome any copyright issues with transferring copyrighted tapes to dvd - is this correct?

I'm also interested in hearing from anybody who owns a go-video brand dvd recorder. I've seen lots of posts on Panasonics and Phillips dvd recorders and I would like find out about go-video brand. I'm also interested in hearing from Pioneer dvd recorder owners.

I also want a recorder that will produce picture menus as opposed to text menus.

Any dvd recorder owners out there willing to give me some advice - I'd certainly appreciate it!!

Thanks everybody!

Sharon
jordanandemy@hotmail.com

[lazygrae]

You are correct about the video stabilizer, it will overcome copyprotection on vhs tapes.

If you want picture menus, then so far as I know you are limited to choosing a +R/RW recorder. Aside from the (expensive, top of the line) Panasonic E100, I don't think any -R/RW recorders allow you to have picture menus. Could be wrong about that though, maybe someone else can confirm or deny.

BUT, since you said you want to copy dvds, then I assume you have a burner in your computer as well. If that's the case, picture menus in the recorder becomes a non-issue as you can always rip any disc made on the recorder to your hard drive, create a way cooler menu than any recorder will give you and burn a final copy from there.

[nannyfan]

Hello & thanks for the info! My computer has a cdrw/dvd drive..so, I'm assuming I can only burn cds???

Is it possible to hook a dvd player up to a dvd recorder and make a copy of a dvd?

Thanks!!

[vashti1999]

Originally posted by nannyfan
Hello & thanks for the info! My computer has a cdrw/dvd drive..so, I'm assuming I can only burn cds???

Is it possible to hook a dvd player up to a dvd recorder and make a copy of a dvd?

Thanks!!

You're right, if your computer dvd drive doesn't mention anything about dvd+/- burning, it wont burn dvds. I'm not familiar with video stabilizers so I'm not sure if that would work the same with dvds as with vhs, but you can hook a dvd player to a dvd recorder and make a copy if the original disc isn't copy protected. I tried to do it with a couple of discs and the recorder sort of refused to operate when I tried. With a non-copy protected disc or vhs tape: I was able to copy with no problems.

[cp32]

the older model stabilizers only work for vhs. However, You can do this. I ve done this with the phillips already. Instead of goin Retail dvds.

Rent the vhs version. Tape it with any video stabilizer. Then record to dvd on a dvd recorder . It works and results are good. I know its the long route. It beats having to buy a newer stabilizer which usually cost any where from 40- 58.00 Which are good for dvd - vs dvd -dvd.

[vashti1999]

Originally posted by cp32
It beats having to buy a newer stabilizer which usually cost any where from 40- 58.00 Which are good for dvd - vs dvd -dvd.

Are you saying there are video stabilzers from $40-$58 that will allow you to dub a copy-protected dvd?

[nannyfan]

Thanks all for the info!! I've been looking at video stabilizers on Ebay and other places on the internet and from what I've read - some of the stabilizers don't actually work. Where is a good place to buy one?

Thanks again!

[cp32]

for standalone units vcrs dvdrecorders
http://220giftcenter.com/DVD-RV32-2.htm

There are also macrovision off dvd players now. Check out the link above.

for computers I think you need DVD X GOLD .

[nannyfan]

Wow! That dvd player with the macrovision off capability looks pretty cool!! Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to get a dvd player along with a new recorder - and all 3 of our dvd players are relatively new. I will need to be able to transfer retail tapes to dvd more than anything else just starting off. Once I get some of my stuff transferred, I want to be able to burn copies of the dvds that I made myself. So, I need to find out what gadget I need to turn off macrovision between a vcr and the dvd recorder. Then, I'm guessing that I can connect a dvd player to the dvd recorder and copy dvds (home-made ones??) -

Is it possible to put a video stabilizer between the dvd player & dvd recorder to eliminate copy protection stuff?

Thanks cp32!! By the way....are you going to transfer your animated Swamp Thing to dvd any time soon?;o)

[lazygrae]

I believe video stabilizers will only work to remove macrovision from vhs tapes. DVDs use an entirely different method for copy-protection, an encryption algorithm called CGMS. To remove CGMS (aside from the link provided by cp32) you need to use your computer and freeware such as DVD Decryptor or Smart Ripper or DVD Shrink (or pay for software like XCopy if you prefer, but you can do it all with freeware).

You probably want to have a burner in your computer too. They're cheap (under US$100). Playing dvds in one player and recording in another results in a generation loss, just like copying vhs tapes. Motion artifacts and pixelation will increase quite a bit in any copies made that way. Especially so if your dvd recorder does not have Component INPUTS (forcing you to use SVHS or composite), and none of the cheaper recorders have this feature.

I suggest buying a cheap recorder, don't worry about any features other than reliability and picture quality, and using it to simply to put your vhs onto rewriteable disc. Then rip the disc to your hard drive, do all your editing and menu creation and burn a final copy onto a cheaper write-once disc. Then you can re-use the rewriteable for your next vhs transfer. Longer learning curve, yes. But once you've got it figured out it will all go lickety-split. With a 4X burner it takes about 15' to burn a disc so the time-saving in the long run is enourmous. And you, and your trading partners, will be much happier with the end result.

Rent the vhs version. Tape it with any video stabilizer. Then record to dvd on a dvd recorder . It works and results are good. I know its the long route. It beats having to buy a newer stabilizer which usually cost any where from 40- 58.00

It only beats saving $40-58 if you don't care about quality. The clarity of a ripped dvd is many, many, many times better than what you'd get following this advice. But if you go this route, save yourself a step and a generation and don't tape it with the video stabilizer, record onto dvd directly with the video stabilizer.

[Shanghai Pierce]

I have a GoVideo dual VCR which I bought almost 10 years ago and it is awesome. I can't say anything bad about the GoVideo product since I have gone through 3 other VCRs in the same time period as I have owned the GoVideo VCR.

Its a little pricier but very much worth it.

[funky-rat]

Originally posted by Shanghai Pierce
I have a GoVideo dual VCR which I bought almost 10 years ago and it is awesome. I can't say anything bad about the GoVideo product since I have gone through 3 other VCRs in the same time period as I have owned the GoVideo VCR.

Its a little pricier but very much worth it.

That's pretty much what I was going to say - I can't speak for dvd burners, but I have a GoVideo Sonic Blue DVD/VCR combo, and it's great - I also can't say enough nice things about it. The picture quality is fabulous - and they're affiliated with Rio Audio. I have a tape that I use to tape shows when I can't watch them, and I've taped over it so many times, and the picture and sound are still good.