Domestic DVD Recorders
 

I am looking to get rid of the heaps of VHS tapes lying around the house, and store them onto DVD. Can anyone tell me whether the domestic DVD recorders on the market (Panasonic, Sony, Phillips, etc) are able to edit the tapes, prior to burning onto a DVD disc?

Apart from abstracting a clip from the middle of a tape, is it possible to delete parts fom the middle of that project, as I can do with Pinnacle Stuio on the PC, with my camcorder digital tapes.

Don't know, Tosh, but the long-winded way I would do it would be to dub onto DVD disk via your recorder, then edit them in 'Shrink' or 'Womble' on the PC onto another final DVD disk. Your other option would be to record from VCR in short edited bits and then put together, but I think (1) is better? I think it would have to be a 'high-end' DVD machine to allow full edit.

I think there are programmes which would allow direct connection of VCR to PC also?

If you have an analogue TV card in your PC, (cheap - around 50 quid) it offers a coaxial input for your TV, but guess what else? Pinnacle then takes over and you can edit to your hearts content, before burning to DVD or SVCD.

I use the same technique nowadays to record programmes from satellite. ( I am Sky, but not Sky plus)

It is going to be a long, long job. A bit like recording old vinyl to CD.


Conan

Have recently bought a JVC machine which would appear to do what you want. Haven't tried it yet but it has a 160 Gb HD to download to and it appears that the menu options include chopping and changing the contents as required. Might take a while to get my little brain around the technicalities:(

Cornish - I have the 80gb version. It allows 'splitting' (divide) of footage but I have not yet found a way to 'join' without making the bits into a 'playlist'. It is a function which would be useful. If you do, pse let me know!

BOAC
All still a bit new at present but I envisaged doing the splitting in the playlist area and then burning the results to disc. Maybe some time before I get round to the 'pudding' for which we require the 'proof' !!;)
Will certainly let you know if successful.

Good luck, CJ! That is how I have done it, from JVC DVDR via DVD Disk and Computer to join/edit.