My father would like a single unit to transfer his old home video tapes to DVD. He isn't looking for something to do heavy editing, just something simple that will result in a good quality transfer for about $200. A HDD would be a plus if it fits in the budget.
Which one would you reccomend?

I highly recommend the Philips DVDR3576H/37, with 160GB HDD which will make his tape copy project so much easier. I believe he'll really like the 3576. $248 at Sams Clubs.

Click my signature for lots more organized info, sellers, etc.

I see the philips has a good following here, but he currently doesn't have a working VCR, so I need something with a VCR built into it.

Been looking myself for that exact thing myself. Don't like a whole lot of what I see but Tosh and Sammy have units out there that have both in the $165-170 range.
Reviews on both are mixed. The unintiated seem to love them, the educated seem to hate.
There are things about both I don't like but for the money.......
Sam DVD-VR375
Tosh D-VR610

Warning don't believe either has a tuner. May not matter but it does to me....

I see the philips has a good following here, but he currently doesn't have a working VCR, so I need something with a VCR built into it.
I would still recommend the Philips DVDR3576H/37, with 160GB HDD. Pick up a used VCR someplace for less than $30. Part of Dad's father's day present and he is all set.

Thanks falcon. It seems those are the only two choices in my price range. Which one would you go for? My father currently has a satelite box, so as long as it can change the channels on their it should be fine.

EnterTheSwamp & Falcon3045,

The pros and cons of "internal" recording with a VHS/DVD combo machine vs. "external" recording with a separate VCR connected to a DVD recorder or Hard Drive/DVD recorder have been discussed by many in recent and earlier threads.

Tracking older VHS tapes, especially those recorded at slower speeds, is best done with the VCR that originally recorded the tapes. Without that (or those) VCRs one must find a VCR that has good flexibility in its tracking features. An important VCR feature is the ability to switch the VCR audio output between HiFi and linear audio tracks in the event that one encounters difficulty reconciling video and audio tracking.

On a VHS/DVD combo recorder it is important to have a manual tracking adjustment that overrides automatic tracking and maintains the manual tracking setting in the event that the automatic tracking adjustment on the combo recorder proves unsatisfactory.

If the combo recorder may not manually override the automatic tracking and maintain the manual tracking adjustment while the combo recorder is copying, one is better off to use a VCR connected to a DVD recorder or DVD/Hard Drive recorder.

I've been there, done that:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13955310#post13955310

Thanks Diga.
Well almost all of his movies are home videos recorded by a video camera so the original vcr is not an option here.

Do you know if either the Sam DVD-VR375 or Tosh D-VR610 have the manual tracking option?

Thanks Diga.
Well almost all of his movies are home videos recorded by a video camera so the original vcr is not an option here.

Do you know if either the Sam DVD-VR375 or Tosh D-VR610 have this option?

Most camcorders record at the SP speed that's usually tracked satisfactorily by VCRs and combo recorders. Tracking difficulties usually arise with original material recorded at the slower speeds. I don't know what features/options those Samsung and Toshiba models may have.

Thanks Diga.
Well almost all of his movies are home videos recorded by a video camera so the original vcr is not an option here.

Do you know if either the Sam DVD-VR375 or Tosh D-VR610 have the manual tracking option?

Thanks Diga, Swamp, was leaning toward the Sammy. Seems to be less negative reviews. No other real reason.

Diga, any affrodable models out there with a tuner. Forgive if detailed elsewhere, too lazy to look right now....
Seems almost pointless to have a recorder if you have to watch what you are taping.

Seems almost pointless to have a recorder if you have to watch what you are taping.

That's just one of the reasons the older (analog tuner) Panasonic combo recorders, the several 2006 models (DMR-ES35V, DMR-ES45V, DMR-ES46V) and one 2005 model (DMR-ES30V) were so great. With customized settings of my own I could leave Panasonic combo recorders to do their work by themselves with little or no supervision. I usually had between four and seven of my 2006 and 2005 Panasonic combo recorders running at the same time. Now and then I would monitor the recordings for quality control purposes. I had set up elaborate switching capabilities utilizing one TV as the project bagan; later incorporating a second TV into this "dubbing center." Another room with one TV was set up as the "recording center" (most of the time for timeshifting from TCM) but sometimes dubbing was carried on with the Panasonics in that room as well. Now and then I would utilize another Panasonic combo recorder elsewhere in the house.

I also own two 2007 analog/digital tuner Panasonic DMR-EZ17 DVD recorders that are in very limited current use. These machines are bug laden and have design flaws that Panasonic earlier engineered into in one 2005 model (DMR-ES40V). These bugs and design flaws were not found on the 2005 DMR-ES30V combo recorder or in the several 2006 models. Skipping over those outstanding models somehow Panasonic managed to reintroduce many of the bugs and design flaws into the 2007 models. Due to occasional failures to implement scheduled recordings and random freeze-ups I deem my 2007 models to be unreliable. Others will have to give you advice concerning 2008 models.

That's just one of the reasons the older (analog tuner) Panasonic combo recorders, the several 2006 models (DMR-ES35V, DMR-ES45V, DMR-ES46V) and one 2005 model (DMR-ES30V) were so great. With customized settings of my own I could leave Panasonic combo recorders to do their work by themselves with little or no supervision. I usually had between four and seven of my 2006 and 2005 Panasonic combo recorders running at the same time. Now and then I would monitor the recordings for quality control purposes. I had set up elaborate switching capabilities utilizing one TV as the project bagan; later incorporating a second TV into this "dubbing center." Another room with one TV was set up as the "recording center" (most of the time for timeshifting from TCM) but sometimes dubbing was carried on with the Panasonics in that room as well. Now and then I would utilize another Panasonic combo recorder elsewhere in the house.

I also own two 2007 analog/digital tuner Panasonic DMR-EZ17 DVD recorders that are in very limited current use. These machines are bug laden and have design flaws that Panasonic earlier engineered into in one 2005 model (DMR-ES40V). These bugs and design flaws were not found on the 2005 DMR-ES30V combo recorder or in the several 2006 models. Skipping over those outstanding models somehow Panasonic managed to reintroduce many of the bugs and design flaws into the 2007 models. Due to occasional failures to implement scheduled recordings and random freeze-ups I deem my 2007 models to be unreliable. Others will have to give you advice concerning 2008 models.
Thanks Diga. Not sure what I am going to do now. Most dedicated VCRs ru two to three times what the tunerless combos run. Guess I have to spend a boatload of money or just record only what I am watching????

I highly recommend the Philips DVDR3576H/37, with 160GB HDD which will make his tape copy project so much easier. I believe he'll really like the 3576. $248 at Sams Clubs.

Click my signature for lots more organized info, sellers, etc.

Falcon3045,

Due to the versatility of these Philips models with analog/digital tuners, hard drive and DVD drive recording, I agree with Wajo's advice. After being a Panasonic person I recently purchased the Philips DVDR3575H/37B. There is extensive information and discussion of these models in these threads:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=830253

Most dedicated VCRs ru two to three times what the tunerless combos run. Guess I have to spend a boatload of money or just record only what I am watching????
Standalone VCRs are getting rather hard to find new but can be occasionally found. Future Shop in Canada did carry one new VCR only, I can't remember the model and price but think it was between $50 and $75 and was a name brand like Sony or JVC. Just can't remember now since I really didn't study it close, only was surprised to see a VCR:D
Another option would be a cheap combo player. I think those can still be found for around the same price, maybe cheaper in the US.
Another thought would be a garage sale or pawn shop. I see many VCRs for ~$10 and look to be in decent shape. Try and find out if you can test it first or bring it back if it doesn't work.
I agree with Digado and Wajo on the separate VCR/DVDR route but of course Panasonic and JVC and others do make combos that record they are just not as flexable as the separates route.

edit:reading more of this thread he might just want to look at the Panasonic EZ-38. It omits the digital tuner(saves some money) and includes the VCR. It should make nice quality recordings from its line input or VCR and I believe should have a manual tracking control. The EZ-48 has a digital tuner and is available discounted at Sams and Costco for ~$250. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1035601

My father would like a single unit to transfer his old home video tapes to DVD. He isn't looking for something to do heavy editing, just something simple that will result in a good quality transfer for about $200. A HDD would be a plus if it fits in the budget.
Which one would you reccomend?

For my VHS (family tapes) to DVD project, I went with the Magnavox
MWR20V6 bought in store at WalMart for under $150. Bought mine about a year ago, but still see them in the store. The unit has dubbed quite a few tapes for me and works well. It does have a manual tracking option in case it is needed, although I have found that its auto tracking works quite well. The unit does not have a tuner, and I did not want one; dubbing tapes is the sole reason I bought it.

Standalone VCRs are getting rather hard to find new but can be occasionally found. Future Shop in Canada did carry one new VCR only, I can't remember the model and price but think it was between $50 and $75 and was a name brand like Sony or JVC. Just can't remember now since I really didn't study it close, only was surprised to see a VCR:D
Another option would be a cheap combo player. I think those can still be found for around the same price, maybe cheaper in the US.
Another thought would be a garage sale or pawn shop. I see many VCRs for ~$10 and look to be in decent shape. Try and find out if you can test it first or bring it back if it doesn't work.
I agree with Digado and Wajo on the separate VCR/DVDR route but of course Panasonic and JVC and others do make combos that record they are just not as flexable as the separates route.

edit:reading more of this thread he might just want to look at the Panasonic EZ-38. It omits the digital tuner(saves some money) and includes the VCR. It should make nice quality recordings from its line input or VCR and I believe should have a manual tracking control. The EZ-48 has a digital tuner and is available discounted at Sams and Costco for ~$250. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1035601
Thanks for the tips folks. I have decided to see if the old unit can be repaired. Took major power surges and fried everything. Replaced a lot of it but still have a long way to go.
Going to get at least an estimate. Possible there are some internal breakers. fuses or reset switches I don't know about..... Probably not but...something gotta go right sometime. In the meantime I'll keep slogging away.