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   XPost: misc.consumers   
   From: rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com   
      
   RGrannus wrote:   
      
   > Thanks for the information.  Now all I have to do is pick a DVD recorder,   
   > which seem to range from $60 to several hundred dollars on Amazon.   
      
   I dont bother with DVDs anymore, keep stuff on 2TB hard drives used in a   
   docking station now. Much cheaper than DVDs. 2TB is the best $/GB currently.   
      
      
   > gordonb.d2...@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) wrote   
      
   >>> I have an Optimum DVR and Sony VHS/DVD player. The DVR is nearly   
   >>> full. I know you can get another DVR to extend capacity, but only once, and   
   >>   
   >> You can get another DVR indefinitely, although eventually you might   
   >> have to get another warehouse to store all of them and some kind of   
   >> giant switch to connect to the right one.   
   >>   
   >>> if you move you have to take a new DVR from Optimum.(It's happened   
   >>> to me) I've been transfering to the VHS without problem.   
   >>   
   >> The basic idea here is:   
   >> connect output of the source device (DVR, live TV, or VCR) to the   
   >> input of the destination device (DVD recorder). Press PLAY on the   
   >> source device and RECORD on the destination device. STOP both when   
   >> the show is over. I'm sure you've done this plenty of times with   
   >> the VCR.   
   >>   
   >> It is possible you will run afoul of copy protection restrictions.   
   >> Chances are what devices you use won't matter much here.   
   >>   
   >> The connection you use will determine the quality. In decreasing   
   >> quality:   
   >>   
   >> - HDMI/DVI (not sure if this is possible, mostly due   
   >> to copy protection paranoia) (digital)   
   >> Does any DVD Recorder have a HDMI *input*?   
   >> - Component video (red/green/blue video jacks, red/white sound)   
   >> (analog)   
   >> - S/Video cable (analog)   
   >> - RCA cable (red/white/yellow jacks) (analog)   
   >> - RF modulator (ick!)   
   >>   
   >>> I'd like to transfer from DVR to DVD and VHS to DVD. Is this   
   >>> possible with an ordinary DVD recorder, or do I need to get a   
   >>> particular type (know of a good model)?   
   >>   
   >> Figure out what *outputs* you have, then get a DVD recorder with   
   >> the same type of *inputs*, and a corresponding cable.   
   >> If your TV is analog, you want your DVD recorder to have analog   
   >> outputs (possibly along with digital ones).   
   >>   
   >> Some DVD recorders also have a hard disk. This feature comes at a   
   >> price but it makes it a lot easier to arrange stuff before you   
   >> record it on the DVD. I use an old DVR/DVD recorder. It's analog,   
   >> so the tuner and time-and-channel recording no longer works. It   
   >> allows editing and has a fairly large hard disk, so I can transfer,   
   >> for example, all the episodes of a series, trim off junk at the   
   >> beginning, end, and commercial breaks, and put them in order, then   
   >> transfer them to individual disks.   
   >>   
   >>> Do you just buy more disks for the recorder   
   >>> as you fill them up, like a VHS? Any type of disk?   
   >>   
   >> You probably want DVD-R or DVD+R disks (record *once). I don't   
   >> think the extra cost of DVD-RW disks gets you much benefit in   
   >> re-using them, assuming you are planning to archive shows essentially   
   >> forever. You record on them once, possibly in several parts, but   
   >> once you fill it, you're stuck with what's on it.   
   >>   
   >> Which of DVD-R or DVD+R do you want? Ones which your recorder can   
   >> record and (*all*) your players can play (the answer is decidedly   
   >> *NOT* always "both" for any old equipment you might have around. Some   
   >> might do both but one at a lower speed). It's not a matter of which   
   >> is "better", it's a matter of which square peg fits in a pentagonal   
   >> hole. Also investigate which type of disks cost more - lately they   
   >> seem to be the same. With really new equipment, it may not matter.   
   >> Read the manuals for your equipment.   
   >>   
   >> Panasonic DVD/DVR recorders have the alternative of DVD-RAM disks,   
   >> which can be thought of as mini-hard disks. Record, delete,   
   >> re-record, edit, etc. repeatedly. Sure, they eventually will wear   
   >> out if you re-record often (so do VHS tapes, for both recording and   
   >> playing). Also, their capacity is limited to that of a DVD. They   
   >> also cost a lot more than regular DVD+/-R blanks.   
   >>   
   >> If you're doing digital-to-digital DVD recording, there may be no   
   >> quality settings. With analog, there usually are. After you get   
   >> your DVD recorder, try out the different qualities and see which   
   >> setting you like, trading off quality vs. the recording time per   
   >> disk. I get decent quality (non-HD digital TV converted locally   
   >> to analog with a converter box) with 4 hours/disk. 6 hours/disk   
   >> was a bit much. 1 hour/disk chews up a lot of disks with little   
   >> gain in quality over the 4-hour setting. If you record a lot of   
   >> action sports and don't want the ball disappearing, you may need   
   >> more quality. Try it yourself.   
   >>   
   >>> I have a   
   >>> relatively new system but it's not Hi-Def and not set to digital. I   
   >>> assume the Optimum technician set it that way because of the VHS. So   
   >>> I'd set it Cable input to DVR to VHS/DVD player to DVD recorder to   
   >>> TV.   
   >>   
   >> If some of your devices have more than one input or output (my   
   >> analog TV has 3 inputs, plus the RF input which is no longer useful)   
   >> selectable via the remote control I'd recommend slightly different   
   >> wiring:   
   >>   
   >> /------------------------------------\   
   >> cable box -> DVR ------------------> DVD Recorder -> TV   
   >> \-> VHS/DVD Player--/ /   
   >> \-----------------/   
   >>   
   >> Using a setup like the above, you can do things like:   
   >>   
   >> Transfer a VHS tape to the DVD recorder *AND* simultaneously watch   
   >> live TV or from the DVR.   
   >>   
   >> Transfer a recording from the DVR to the DVD recorder *AND*   
   >> simultaneously watch a DVD or VHS tape from the player.   
   >>   
   >> If you are willing to move the DVD Recorder input cable around   
   >> depending on whether you want to transfer from VHS or the DVR, you   
   >> can get almost as much flexibility.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.- Hide quoted text -   
   >>   
   >> - Show quoted text -   
      
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