Old VHS Tapes to New DVDs in a Snap!
Pros:
Easy setup & use! HDMI output! Multi-disc format compatibility!
Cons:
Bare minimum editing options.
The Bottom Line:
If you need to convert VHS tapes to DVDs and you want it easy and don't care about adding menus & chapters and such, I recommend this unit!
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I got this unit free, using points I had accumulated on a credit card I had. I had a whole library of live performances on VHS that I have wanted to transfer to DVD for quite some time now.
Originally, I had been using my MiniDV camcorder with the pass-through method (VCR//Camcorder//Computer), which had worked fine for some videos. However, 1 video, in particular, was quite out of shape and would skip during the pass-through, so I was out of luck. When I saw this unit, and I read the good and bad reviews, I decided to try my luck and went with it. Boy, am I glad I did!
PACKAGING & SIZE
The box is a bit bulky, but most of it is secure inner cardboard packaging. The unit itself isn't much bigger than my HD DVR Verizon FiOS box. It's slightly larger, so I put it underneath the Verizon one. It fits quite well underneath it, though. The unit is a solid black, with a bright white LED screen. There is a pull-down cover on the front that reveals RCA & S-Video inputs so you can connect a camcorder or other device to copy videos from there, as well!
SETUP
If you have an HDTV, your setup's probably going to be as easy as mine was! :) All you need is an HDMI cable (not included, of course) and you're set! Basically, there's just 1 output you need for basic use, and it can be either HDMI, Component (Red, Green, Blue w/ a Red & White cable), or your basic RCA cables (Red, White, Yellow). There is a Digital Optical Out for you audiophiles out there. My setup is simply and HDMI cable from the output of the Sony unit into the HDMI input of my Sharp Aquos HD LCD TV. The unit is powered by a standard, 2-prong plug, no bulky transformer box. Once you're all plugged in, the setup process is pretty cut-and-dry. Everything can be done via the included remote control (Model # RM-TD241A). Maybe 1 or 2 setup options on the screen are confusing if you're not familiar with certain terms or whatever, but nothing horrible.
USE
Here's my procedure when I'm ready to copy from a VHS to a DVD...
1) Turn power on.
2) Put blank DVD-R in DVD half.
3) Put VHS to be copied into VHS half.
4) Hit the dub button on the front of the unit!
And that's it! It will dub the video until either A) the video stops or B) the DVD fills up! Then, you just finalize the DVD and you're done!
Of course, that's the layman's terms of doing it, but it gets the job done! There are more detailed methods that give you more control over the dubbing, but you can read the manual for those.
You can also dub from a DVD to a VHS tape, if you desire to do so. In addition, all types of DVDs are compatible with this unit - DVD-R/W, DVD R/W, DVD-RAM, Dual-Layer DVDs, etc. I suggest using DVD-R discs and using in VIDEO mode rather than VR mode. VR mode is less compatible with your average non-Sony DVD player.
For me, this unit is exactly what I've been looking for. It puts the VHS videos I have onto watchable DVDs, all in 1 unit! It's fantastic! And my favorite feature is that, while the VHS is being copied, you can watch it! I'm copying the theatre productions I've been in and it's a blast watching them again, then having them on DVD for better viewing in the future!
This model has a built-in HDTV tuner that I don't use. If you're interested in that, this model is the choice for you. If you're into heavy editing capabilities and chapter marking and such, you might be disappointed. You can't manually enter Chapter markings and there really aren't many editing options included in this unit.
