egafd.com

Thanks. Interesting about Pinnacle. When you say your VCR can play NTSC tapes, do you mean output a true NTSC signal?

I think this is the reason I'm looking at a stand-alone machine. I understand they copy in real time from VHS or other source in either PAL or NTSC. If the DVD recorder has a hard drive and you use this as an initial capture device from VHS, you can then cut the DVD at faster than real time after adding chapter points or any other editing.

Peter

Although I hardly understand a word: thanks for this thread. Now I know I shall never buy a DVD recorder. I wouldn't get it working in a hundred years.
Do you allow me to make an incredibly stupid remark? A user-friendly system would work if you push two buttons: the Play button on the one device and the Record button on the other. Why the manufacturers of video and DVD recorders cannot build a user-friendly system is beyond my comprehension.

philips dvdr70 is quite easy - RTFM
although not without it's problems it has a big red button which you can press to record


for further info

That's essentially what happens with the Panasonic E50 except that when recording is finished you put in a title and press 'Finalize' and that before you start you make sure the tape is less than 2 horus long. You don't have to get into other refinements and the complications of NTSC if you don't want to.