Liteon DVD recorder- £79.99 - superb

Norman-B

Many thanks for all the posts on this subject. I have been unsure which way to go for months now!
I don't watch TV a great deal and record very little, if any, from TV. My need is to transfer my numerous DV tapes to DVD for storeage and easy viewing. Knowing nothing about how to install DVD writers and Firewire cards into a PC, would it just be simpler for me to buy a standalone DVD recorder? If I'm right, I would loose the ability to edit my tapes before transfering to DVD via the non PC method.

George_Bray

Norman

>My need is to transfer my numerous DV tapes to DVD
Easier on a standalone DVD recorder than on a computer

>Knowing nothing about how to install DVD writers
>and Firewire cards into a PC
Very easy 'if you know how' or know someone who does. It's little more than plug them in.

>would it just be simpler for me to buy a standalone DVD recorder?
Probably

> (Would I) loose the ability to edit my tapes before transfering
>to DVD via the non PC method.
Yes, here's the downside. The PC will offer much greater editing potential if you have good software. The DVD recorder will 'control' the DV camcorder to a certain extent but I would much sooner use a PC for detailed editing, rather than just the occasional pause and re-start.

Hope this helps
Regards
George

Norman-B

Thanks for the reply George. It looks as if I will have to go the PC route. Will I get instructions on how to install the DVD writer and Firewire card? Will I need a cable from my digicam to the PC or is that included with the firewire card?

silps

Norman-B wrote:

Thanks for the reply George. It looks as if I will have to go the PC route. Will I get instructions on how to install the DVD writer and Firewire card? Will I need a cable from my digicam to the PC or is that included with the firewire card?

If you want straight out of the box and easy editing then you could also consider an Apple Mac if you don't already have a PC.

If you just want to cut bits out of the home movies then a DVD recorder is probably going to be the easiest and simplest route. If you want to add special effects etc then you need a computer.

George_Bray

Norman-B wrote:

Thanks for the reply George. It looks as if I will have to go the PC route. Will I get instructions on how to install the DVD writer and Firewire card? Will I need a cable from my digicam to the PC or is that included with the firewire card?

Norman

It will be cheapest to get a DVD writer (e.g. Pioneer) from somewhere like dabs.com. I'd budget about £35-£40. They often come very simply packaged without instructions but guides can be downloaded from, e.g. the Pioneer site. If you get a 'retail box' version it comes with instructions but is otherwise poor value for the same product. Especially with Win XP, you just plug in a DVD writer and Firewire card, and the system should recognise them. Instructions are hardly needed. It's almost as simple with Win 98. Make sure the firewire card comes with the correct cable (4 or 6 pins) for your camcorder. To purchase a cable alone, is often more expensive than the card+cable bundle.

Apple Macs are highly regarded for graphics, video, etc by many folks but I can't get on with them! It's like they speak a different language which would take too long to learn.

Regards
George

Suggs

I bought one, thanks. But when I connected it to the Sky+ box, with a scart cable and turned it on the sky picture was Red with no sound.

Now I realise I must be doing something wrong, but googling for this information brings up some very strange results and all of them are not clear in what is been attained.

In short......HELP!!

I only want to offload from sky+ to the DVD recorder. I also have a DVD player.

Can anyone assist?

Thanks

Jeff121

Hi
Could someone give me some advice on "firewire cards".
Having read some of the threads regarding recording via a DVD RW I don't think that my PC has a firewire card, I know that I have not installed one, maybe DEL has, how can I find out?
I'm hopefully about to transfer some footage to DVD for family overseas. I installed an NEC DVD RW a couple of months ago but have only used it for recording music cd's so am wondering if I will have to install a firewire card to transfer video footage from my Sony mini dv camcorder onto my PC?
Thanks

IanatSeaton

Just received an email from Argos - and they have their Alba RDVD1002 DVD recorder on sale. It was £89.99 and it is now just £79.99 on code 5334867
The link to it is http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Browse/catalogId/3801/identifier/7160114.htm
Don't know how good it is but the price seems good.

Marigold123

Bubba_Shaboo wrote:

George,

A fine post for people wanting to buy a bargain DVD recorder.

I agree that the quality of these recorders is superior to VHS, I myself have a Mico one and am delighted with it.

Because of this fact I have no need to buy one, so your post was informative and the thread was a good read, like most of the threads on here and I read pretty much all of them.

But yes, it wasn't useful in my circumstances so I feel no compunction to press the 'Thanks' button or I would feel obliged to do so for all of them which pretty much devalues it's use.

So no need for an apology from you and hope this will act as positive feedback.

Cheers,

Bubba©

I agree with Bubba about the OP's excellent spot, but I also agree that it's a bit naff to ask people to say thank you.

I know positive feedback is an actual asset on e-Bay, where there is a lot of pressure to leave positive comments (as opposed to none at all) out of the fear of being left negative feedback yourself, but I think we should try not to go down that route here. It's always nice to feel appreciated, but in the end we ought to remember that we're posting to share information, and to help each other out, not to accumulate brownie points.

(Not meant as a major criticism, just to draw attention to something I've noticed in different people's posts from time to time, and which I felt needed to be said. )

Having said all that, this thread has really tempted me to take the plunge and actually get myself a DVD recorder. (I have thanked the OP! )

EileenH

Suggs wrote:

I bought one, thanks. But when I connected it to the Sky+ box, with a scart cable and turned it on the sky picture was Red with no sound.

Now I realise I must be doing something wrong, but googling for this information brings up some very strange results and all of them are not clear in what is been attained.

In short......HELP!!

I only want to offload from sky+ to the DVD recorder. I also have a DVD player.

Can anyone assist?

Thanks

Have you checked that both ends of your scart lead are pushed in correctly, it may only be a bad connection. If that doesn't help then you could try http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/, some of the regulars on that forum really know their stuff and are usually only too eager to help. Another good site is SatCure and their technical help link is http://www.!!!!!!.uk/tech/index.html