using DVD recorders

mandisaw · Post by **mandisaw** » Sat Jul 26, 2003 3:11 am

So with DVD recorders falling in price, I'm wondering about if anyone's had any success or failure in using them for AMV-creation and/or hard-copy distrubution. Also, can DVD recorders be hot-wired to players to run off simple trailer reels or samplers?

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Sun Jul 27, 2003 12:51 pm

I assume this is about set-top recorders, not the PC writers.

I've used one of the Panasonic recorders (E60) to convert fansub tapes to DVDs. It's as easy as using a VCR - in this case, VCR to recorder - with a couple of extra steps to create a disc title and then finalize the disc. As long as the source is not Macrovision-encoded, there should be no problem recording home or studio-made material.

For distributing AMVs, I suppose the PC's TV-out could be plugged into the recorder directly. Also, some recorders have DV (Firewire, IEEE-1394) jacks so you can record directly from a camcorder.

Chapter stops are a problem to deal with due to the way these work. With the Panasonic units, you have to stop and start recording in order to force a chapter stop. (You can stop and start up to 99 times before finalizing the disc.) Otherwise, it will insert a chapter stop every 5 minutes during the recording. Since it is writing on-the-fly, there's no way to change the stops after they're written (DVD-R). For longer recordings this isn't much of an issue. For several short programs, like music videos, it may take some extra work.

One thing I have noticed - and a friend of mine who has another Panasonic recorder confirms - is that the picture quality on the recorded DVD is much better than the VHS source material. It won't work miracles with really trashed source, but those fansubs I recorded never looked this good before. I even tried recording some EP-formatted tapes and the difference is very noticeable.

madbunny · Post by **madbunny** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 2:01 am

www.dvdhelp.com

and www.vcdhelp.com

mandisaw · Post by **mandisaw** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 7:59 pm

I assume this is about set-top recorders, not the PC writers.

Yup. That was really helpful, thanks. Do you (or anybody else) know whether DVD-RW has the same hangups with making chapter stops? I'd like to revive the "old days" of distributing OP/ED trailer reels at club screenings.

is that the picture quality on the recorded DVD is much better than the VHS source material.

Good to know. Maybe there's hope for reclaiming some of the VHS-based videos out there without re-doing them from scratch.

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 1:32 pm

The only experience I have is with the Panasonic's, and they use DVD-RAM instead of DVD-RW. So you can only do playback on a Panasonic player (or some other brand) that supports their DVD-RAM format.

Even with a DVD-RAM the editing capabilities are simplistic. All you can do is (1) strip the ending off of a scene, and (2) divide a scene (there's a warning that the divide point might not be exact with possible loss of video). It also support playlists: you set the start/stop points of scenes and then set up a program to play them back in order.

And that's all it will do. Other brands of recorders may do more than this. But if you want to make a DVD with nice menus, chapter stops, etc., then a PC or Mac authoring program is probably the best way to go.

On a slightly different subject...
A DVD recorder might also be useful at the other end of making an AMV: recording footage from a TV program. I 'm not recommending this, but the video quality has got to be better than capturing through a VCR. I assume a recorded DVD would rip like any retail DVD, but I can't say for sure that it would (never tried it).

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 5:03 pm

Why do you exactly want a set-top box. The only thing I can think of is the ease of use aspect. But they are severely limited in what they can do and cost a considerable more than a internal DVD-burner.

I would just crap a TV capture card and a internal DVD-burner. Learn how to use them properly and go for that. You'll save money, have a more robust system and the footage would probably look better.

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 2:20 am

Why not have both ?

For me it's the classic time vs. money problem. I wouldn't have bought one at last year's prices, or even those of six months ago. Timewise, the recorder saved many hours of capturing & authoring work on 30-40 fansub tapes. Yeah, the menu's crude and I have to live with the chapter stops, but that's ok. At least they look better. Plus, I have something that I can record home movies with, not to mention the occasional TV show.

If you have the equipment and the skills, a PC writer works well enough. That's what a friend of mine does. He got a Hauppage TV receiver card that saves MPEG2 files. He just writes those out to a DVD when he wants to record a TV show.

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 3:33 am

Yeah, but time to save making the DVDs is going to be spent having to FFWD to a certain part(chapter), or lesser quality, no chance of customization =\

It's your money I guess

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 1:34 pm

klinky wrote: It's your money I guess

It used to be

.