HD-DVR - Is "Copy to VCR same as Copy to DVD?

I don't have a DVD recorder yet but I'll buy one tonight if the Copy
to VCR feature of my Scientific Atlanta 8240HDC will write to a DVD
recorder.

I called my cable company (TWC) and was told that you have to go to a
VCR first and then to a DVD. I know that phone reps are not always the
most knowledgable (or not allowed to go off-script) so I'm checking
here for the real answer.

Does a DVD recorder use the same input signal as a VCR?

I'm assumig I'll get better quality if I copy a HD recording from the
DVR to DVD vs. a VHS tape - true?

 

My DVD recorder has inputs for both composite and Svideo so assuming
your STB has one of the outputs you should be OK..

Your assumption about the quality is correct. After you copy them to
your DVD recorder you can then archive to DVD media.

 

STB? What does that stand for?

Why is this a two step process? Writing to a VCR is a single step.
Does a DVD recorder work differently?

Thanks again.

 

Recording to VCR means the resulting quality is really badly degraded way
down to VHS standard - recording direct to DVD assuming the recorder has a
hard disk built in keeps the quality much closer to the original. I would
suggest you post your question at www.videhelp.com as the folk who inhabit
this forum are quite helpful and knowledgeable. Once you have the DVD if you
want to do some fancy editing on your PC all is necessary is to copy the VOB
files (actually MPEG) to your PC and then using a MPEG editor you can cut
out or add effects etc. It's a pity you don't have a PVR (Personal Video
Recorder) with a cable input such as the Beyonwiz unit
http://www.beyonwiz.com.au/DP_P2_overview.asp so far only available in
Australia but I'm sure there must be US equivalents although we don't have
encoded transmissions, except for Pay-Tv, so recording digital TV is no
problem recording digital signals directly. STB stands for Set top Box

 

"Record to VHS" is a generic term. I am sure your SA 8240 is the same
as a TiVo i.e. the only thing special about "Record to VHS" feature is
it
prevent any automatic messages (like the DVR need to change channels)
from popping up and ruining the recording. On a TiVo, it also disables
most of the buttons on the remote in case you absentmindedly press one.
Your DVD probably does also.

-Bill

 

Thanks. I'll check out the videohelp forums!

 

I have a Scientific Atlantic 8300HD DVR and I use the "copy to vcr" function
to copy either to VHS tape or DVD+r/w's, works exactly the same for both.
There is absolutely no reason to copy to vhs tape first.

 

Some STB (Set Top Box - sits on top of the tv) will "protect" the show
by preventing it from being copied. A VCR (VHS recording) will record
the show and NOT protect it... A DVD from an STB "protects" the record
so that it will not burn.

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what your trying to say but an STB has no way of
knowing if your recording to a VHS tape or a DVD disk.

 

True. I should have said some STB "try" to protect media rights, but a
VHS will not record that part of the signal. So I speculate that
recording to a VHS THEN to a DVD might bypass the copy protection. But
then the VHS degrades quality.