How am I going to be able to use my VHS recorders when digital is forced on us?

Roderick Stewart wrote:

In article , wrote:
I have looked at this and it seems ideal except for one thing. At
present with a VCR I can tape a programme and then pass the tape on to
a friend, or I can tape educational programmes and take the tape to
work. How is it possible to do this with the Topfield? Or is there
another solution?

Yes, burn a DVD. You can get a DVD recorder combined with the hard drive
recorder, or a separate unit, as you please. If you buy your DVD blanks
in hundreds on a spindle and a separate pack of plastic envelopes, each
recording will cost less than a pound. It's not even worth the bother of
formatting the reusable ones, and hoping your friends will return the
disks without scratches - just burn a copy. Everybody has a DVD player
these days. Most new laptop computers include a DVD drive, but how many
laptop computers can play VHS tapes?

Rod.

The problem with this is a surprising amount of DVD players can't read both
+ and - RW formats.

Bruce S.
--
Replace the by by blueyonder

Marky P wrote:



I don't have a TV console type DVD recorder as yet so this is a bit tounge
in cheek, but IMO they are not as flexible as tape because the tape can be
interrupted, wound back a bit and then 'lined up' for the subsequent
recording. e.g. if the start of an advert break is missed, the tape can be
rewound to the last bit of programme and then lined up ready for a restart
when the programme
material restarts producing an apparently seamless playback. Can a DVD
recorder do that?

I just record the whole programme & edit the ads out afterwards using
the A-B erase function.

Marky P.


You need to be using DVD-RW (not +RW) for that and formatted in VR Format.

Bruce S.
--
Replace the by by blueyonder

"Marky P" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 17:20:55 +0100, "Adrian" wrote:

Mark A wrote:
Roderick Stewart wrote:

it can only be a matter of time before equipment is available that
has everything in one box.

One of the Sony DVD recorders already has a Freeview tuner in it.

Regards

Mark

Unfortunately it doesn't have a hard disc.
I have that Sony unit. I had to make the decision between intergrated
DTT or a HD, & I opted for the former. Editing is still possible
using the A-B erase function, & timer recording is so easy it's
unbelievable! Just select a programme from the EPG & it's done!
Shame there's no PDC equivalent on DTT though :-(

Marky P.


critcher said

get a dual freeview tuner dvd and hard disk recorder which will allow you to
record two programmes, or record one and watch another.
they are rare now, but hang on for another six months and they will
suddenly appear as if by magic.The only freeview I know off now is the sony
but you can guarantee others will be along.

In article ,=20
says...

Stuff you want to keep, you burn onto a DVD. If your DVD recorder has
a hard disc as well as a burner, you can edit-out commercials, etc
first, before you burn. If it only has a burner, you can do the
editing on a computer, if you want to.
=20
Either way, you will end up with a much more compact storage system,
probably of higher quality, and probably more durable.
=20

DVD recorders are still not reliable, they are bloody slow to use, it=20
seems when ever you ask the things to do something they have to think=20
for about 30 seconds. Most PVR that have got a DVD recorder built in, do=20
not have freeview tuners. in fact I do not think any do. Then there is=20
prices.

You can still pick up a VCR for about =A360 and that is for a Nicam one,=20
the Cheapest DVd recorder alone will cost you over the =A3100 mark and=20
they all have their problems.

DVD disks, can be damaged a lot easier than tapes.=20

I agree that DVD recorders have some advantages, but the VHS system is=20
still better at the moment.
=20

In article ,
says...

I think the VHS will still be with us for a good long while yet, even if
Dixons do not think so, I see Currys are still selling them, which is
very strange.


Indeed. It's also noteworthy that the major AV companies are not only
selling VCRs. but are still introducing new models.

that is true, a mate of mine got himself a brand new Panasonic last
week, it have only been released a few weeks back.


For example, JVC currently manufacture and sell no less than 19 VCR
models, and have only just introduced two new-model VCRs (the HR-V615EK,
and HRS-697EK).

JVC invented the thing, it is just a shame that JVC own VCRs are a load
of poop.

I'd also suggest that none of the Dixon Group retailers are the best
people to get *any* sort of advice from.



That is true, but then none of the big stores are much cop for getting
good advice from.

In article ,
says...

DVD recorders are still dropping in price. Bye the time of analogue
switch off, recording to DVD will likely be cost efficient.


I hope they are more reliable then.

In article , owain47125
@stirlingcity.coo.uk says...

If Microsoft, Sky, record/film industry have their way, everything will
be Digital Rights Managed so you won't be able to do that.



HDTV will have that problem,but I doubt it will happen on normal T.V
It could be very expensive since I doubt all digital boxes can cope with
DRM

In article [email protected], "Adrian" MyFirstNameATTyahooDOTTCOMM
says...

I don't think that I am untypical of VCR users either.


No, you are not, There are a fair few people who do the same thing.


Until recently, I did all my recording on two VCRs. I hardly ever watch
pre-recorded tapes / DVDs and used VCRs almost exclusively for
time-shifting. The second VCR was more often used to allow me to watch the
first half of a film whilst the second half was being recorded. I now have a
PVR which covers that scenareo much better.

Adrian

In article ,
says...

May I add that although cassettes & vinyl are considered 'dead'
formats, both are still being produced.


Well done that man. Yep, you can still buy vinyl, ok, so you can not get
them at your local wollies or Tescos, but they are still around.

Audio Cassettes I must admit, I have not seen any pre-recorded for a
while, but you can still buy blank ones. not everyone have got a
computer to burn audio to DVD, or a stand alone CD recorder, or a MP3
player. I got myself a new Panasonic Midi system, and it had twin
cassette decks, which is good, because I got a lot of cassettes.

I like the sound of vinyl, it sounds real, with more feel to the sound.

In article ,
says...

You've probably got the samer as me, but I have no problems recording from an
external Freeview box, and neither need you. Nor will any such problem occur if
they do switch off the analogue broadcasts. They could switch them off tomorrow
and it wouldn't make any difference to me.

But it would to millions of other people.