Best way to convert VHS to DVD?

[psycocommy]

So basically, I want to take a bunch of tapes (mostly home movies) and convert them all to DVDs, mostly for the sake fo space and preservation. I guess my options are either buying a DVD recorder to hook up to my TV and VHS, which seems easier, or getting a DVD writer and a tuner card and going that route. While this option seems to give a lot more value (as the tuner card and DVD write can both be put to other use AND I can edit the movies on my computer), it just seems a lot more time consuming. Any ideas straght-forward or complicated the process might be using a tuner/DVD-write combo?

 

[UnTech]

I've been wanting to convert VHS to DVD for quite a while, but I never had enough time to research the best way to do it. And invest all the time to figure it out so I bought a Sylvania VHS/DVD combo recorder from Amazon.com. I got it yesterday and within 30 minutes from opening the box I had it connected and copying my first VHS. As my name implies I am not too technical, but it is very easy to copy VHS to DVD with this combo unit.

 

[cKGunslinger]

It would probably be both cheaper and more functional to get a Capture/Tuner card and a DVD burner. I bought the Leadtek Winfast TV2000 XP from Newegg for $40, and you can get an 8X DVD burner for about $90, as well. So for less than $150 (with media), you can rip all your VHS tape to your PC. Edit them if you wish. Then burn them all to DVD. And you also get a TV tuner so you can watch and record TV on your PC and a DVD burner for backing up your harddrive or whatever.

That would be the route *I* would go, unless you don't want to spend the relatively small amount of time learning the whole capture/record/edit/burn process. Once you get it, it seems pretty straightforward, and there is a *lot* of help on the web. With the 2000 XP card, you just install the drivers and software. Plug in your VCR to the inputs of the card (video and audio.) Start the playing/recoding software. Choose whatever format you want to record in. Hit play on your VCR and Record on the application. Afterward, use the software that came with card (or download your own) to convert the captured movie to DVD format. Then burn. The 2000 XP actually comes with the option to record straight to DVD, but it may cause problems depending on how fast your PC is and such. Probably safer to do it it 2 steps, so as not to waste a DVD-R. Plus you may want to edit the video or add menus, etc.

Good luck.