DVD/VHS Video

[kita1]

I have alot of video tapes I wish to copy to DVD so I am considering buying a DVD/VHS combo. The cheapest one I have seen is 60 quid.

Alot of the details they give like DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R etc. I do not understand. Is there anywhere on the internet that explains what all these abreviations mean?

I am a total novice on these things so any advice would be welcome!!!

[Postdog]

The two types of DVD are -r and +r, and that's really all they are, two different types, but both common. Generally you can't mix the two, but there may be recorders out there which are both.

R just means recordable, and you can't erase, RW means re-writable (ie, use as you would an ordinary VHS tape.

Usually (i think) once you have finalised any recorded disc, whatever format, you can play it in any DVD player.

[jake-the-peg]

If these are pre-recorded tapes rather than things you've recorded yourself, you'll probably find your combo will refuse to record most of them due to copy protection.

It is possible to circumvent this but you'll mwant seperate units to get this to work

[Postdog]

No, actually, all you'll want is a bit of sellotape over the hole at the back. ANY prerecorded video - well ALL of mine anyway - can be copied if you do this. VHS tapes aren't exactly high tech.

[Garamond]

But surely if the VHS is the old version from which the copy is made, why the sellotape and holes controversy.

Be very careful when buying a combo as a lot of them only handle plus+R/plus+RW discs which limits the dvd players they can be used in. If I were you I'd get one which handles at least minus-R/minus-RW discs. If they handle more, so much the good.

If you already have a VHS player have you considered buying just the DVD recorder? Obviously this'll involve a few leads but once connected that's it; it'd be cheaper and if one goes wrong you still have the other.

[Postdog]

Just a comment on the last answer. I have a combo (as you've probably gathered) which is +R. I have no difficulty getting blank discs in either R or RW, and, as I said, they play perfectly well in any DVD providing it has been finalised (which is the final, optional part of recording DVD's)

The only exception may be if you used a RW disc, but then, chances are you will only use these discs for temporary recording anyway, and as such only in your recorder.

[katyratbag]

If you' re trying to copy pre-recorded videos it wont work with any of the disney or associated film companys, sends a signal out with it that disrupts the picture, you can disable a pin on the scart or buy a little black box (digital video stabliser) but i think that most of the duel ones will not record off the inserted video tape anyway you will need a seperate input from a vhs player. I have tried several recorders over the last few years but unless its something like a tape you made your self my advice is to buy the film again on dvd, you'll never get the quality

[Garamond]

I'm sorry katyratbag, I have to disagree. I use a DVD recorder connected to a VHS and believe it or not, the image I get from the recorded dvd is better than that from the VHS. And yes, there have been the odd ones where I can't record from it, but I'd say about 95% have been successful, very successful.

[Ethel]

I'm curious to know which hole at the back of the Video cassette needs to be covered with selotape - there are lots!

[Garamond]

It isn't really a 'hole' Ethel. As you look at the vid, on the top left-hand corner, on the top of the vid there's a small tongue which while in place the vid can be used again, but when removed makes the vid unrecordable, preserving its present contents.

[what..the?]

I have only basic knoweledge but for those who may have less knowledge than me this is what i know.

dvd's and cd's come in the same formats

For example DVDR and CDR = the R means you save data to them but it is then stuck on there, you cannot remove it so if you save the wrong stuff on your disk your 'stuffed' you have to leave it and use another disk.

DVDRW and CDRW = the RW means you can rewrite the data so it is like a recharable battery you can keep re-using it for differient things time after time. These are twice the price of R disks.

You have to also know whether you recorder uses (-)negative or (+)possitive disks it will tell you in your manual or basically it told me on the side of the box of discs, it showed which makes use (-) and which ones (+) format, but I do not know how reliable this is.

[Ethel]

Garamond - surely covering that up only allows the tape to be recorded over.

Does it really disable the copyright so that it can be copied?

[jake-the-peg]

Sorry didn't have much time to expand on this the other day.

Some film companies use copy protection system to try to stop people copying from pre-recorded tapes - As Katyratbag says Disney is a good example - they use Macrovision for video

Macrovision implants a signal that messes with the automatic gain control on the recorder and messes up the recording.

Not all film companies use copy protection on video, some feel that it's not worth paying the royalties to Macrovision and are more concerned with copy protection on DVD where perfect bit for bit copies could be made and protecting their newest theatre releases.

Anyway if you have seperate DVD and Video you can connect them with devices that strip out macrovision and allow you to record protected content

here's an example:
http://www.multi-region.co.uk/dvd_macrovision. php

The hole on the back of a video casette just tells a video recorder whether or not it can overwrite the contents of a tape and so is a bit of a red herring for what you want to do.

As for recording format - different DVD makers favor different formats but pretty much any recorder will play a DVD-R


Hope this helps

[Garamond]

Ethel - I thought that was what you were asking for. It's got nothing to do with copyright. I don't really understand your query.

[The Kettle]

Hello, I would recomend you buy a DVD recorder instead of a combi, which is both VHS and DVD Rec in one. Second, the more details that you have eg: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+ etc, the better the machine is. DVD disks have names according to what it can do. the R that comes after DVD means Writable. you can use it till the disk is full. DVD RW, means that you can use that disk as many times as possible. Minus (-) and (+) Plus are really just the same. Make sure the disk you will by match the ones required by the DVD Recorder. Hope that has helped you.
THE KETTLE