Re: Recording programmes and re recording videos etc ( totally not a technical person)

whiskeyomega wrote:
"Norman Wells" <no-one@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3l9tm.90478$uC1.64651@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
whiskeyomega wrote:

Ok so we have done digital where I am and my video recorder doesn't
work anymore.

So I need a new one.

You only need to plug a set-top box into it with a Scart cable, and
it will work perfectly again. So, for £20 or so, you could be back
in business.

No it wont its broken, I should have made that clear. It got broke
when I had a new TV installed. Besides I was told I would only be
able to record chanels I was watching or had it switched to at the
time even if I got it repaired.

That's sadly nature's way of telling you VCRs are dead, and that you need to move on.

I would also like to be able to re record my old
videos ( ones I have recorded off the TV in the past and kept) onto
a DVD. I know they had something that would do Video to DVD at work
when all the old equipment was updated but I don't know if I can
still get my old videos done now , so I would like to get my own
machine if possible.

While I think there are combi-recorders on the market that can play tapes as well as record onto DVD, either from the tapes or from the inbuilt tuner, you should seriously consider how important your tapes are to you. It would probably be better if you were to bite the bullet now and go completely digital. Certainly there are better HDD/DVD recorders out there. Moreover digital recording gives far better quality and in the right format for your sparkly new TV. Your tapes will always only be in the old 4:3 format, so not wide screen, and I wonder if you will therefore want to watch them for long.

Of course, if you have some gems on tape that you really don't want to lose, you will need a VCR that works so that you can play them and record from them. Otherwise, you'll have to get someone else to transfer them for you, either privately or commercially. So, the basic question is really how wedded are you to your tapes? What have you got on there that would really cause you sorrow if you lost them? And how much would it be worth to you to have copies made on DVDs?


Is there a machine that will do this?

What sort of machine/ machines do I need?

Any DVD recorder should do. You just take the signal from the VCR
when it's playing rather than from anywhere else, and record that
onto disc.

Is that different to one of those hard drive recorders?

Yes. A hard drive recorder (HDD) records programmes onto a hard drive like in your computer, and that is tremendously useful for time shifting purposes. So, you really need one of those. Preferably, you should also have a DVD drive for archiving purposes or for recording stuff you know you'll want to keep permanently. So, you really need a machine with both (as most do these days).


Also subsidiary to that, I have seen machines with built in digi
boxes, since I have a digi TV ( new one , got it a couple of weeks
ago) would a digi box on a recoder interfere with my TV? Sorry about
the daftness of the questions but I had only just managed to catch up
with how to use a video recorder when they came along with DVD's and
all the changes.

You'll find all HDD/DVD recorders have an inbuilt digital tuner. That allows you to record one programme while watching another.

Don't worry about complexity. They're actually a lot simpler than a VCR. You can see at a glance what you've got on the hard drive or a DVD, and setting things up to record is an absolute dream after VCR.


Not a great TV type person but I like to be able to use it at
Christmas and such like to record things.

Thanks

.

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