Video Asylum

Posted by John C. - Aussie (B) on March 19, 2003 at 14:02:07

Some time ago I purchased a JVC recorder with a combined S-VHS & hard disc recording facility. For some time I ignored the hard disc capabilities because it involved studying the manual and that is something we all try to avoid :-) From time to time I'd put something on the hard disc and then delete after viewing or abandoning.

But then I actually sat down and started to realise its other cababilities for editing. It is possible to cut out bits of the recorded hard disc program and save what you want from the hard disc on to tape. Theoretically you could cut out all the ads in a movie, but then who would want to bother?

So now, I record any programs of interest on hard drive that I might want to archive. I can then select the bits I want, without any preview junk or ads, and transfer it to s-VHS tape. This is a much more efficient use of tape as it ensures there are not gobs of unwanted stuff or blanks.

Ultimately I feel the answer is to record the archived stuff on DVD but I'm waiting to see if the market settles down to an agreed standard. I'd be interested to read of any other inmate experience in recording on DVD.

Incidentally I find that material from hard disc to s-VHS is as good as the original (from very high quality digital satellite) and is better than from S-VHS to s-VHS transfer, although the deterioration in the latter is not gross.

All this discussion of s-VHS is of old technology as s-VHS recorders are no longer being made by anyone as far as I can tell. I prefer tape as a medium to look at compared to hard disc because it is easier to access any section you want by time cue but DVD would be even better.

Anyone out there using DVD recording?

John

Peace at AA