Video capture decision

[ZeaLitY]

I've got a decision to make. I won't be buying a new PC any time soon, since I prefer to keep a PC 3-4 years and then go all out when building a new machine. I have two options for capturing TV right now.

-DVD Recording

This would be easy; simply click a remote and restock DVD-Rs every once and awhile. But I'm wondering how easy it is to rip, and whether the process is the same for retail DVD ripping as DVD-R. My only knowledge of DVD ripping at the moment comes from dvdripguides.com. If the methodology is the same for both types, it'll be a bit cumbersome to rip everything to my computer for archival.

-TV Tuner / ATI All-In-Wonder

I'm limited in this regard, as I only have a 4x AGP slot, 900 Mhz CPU, and 512 Mb of Ram. If that will cause my quality to take a hit, perhaps using a DVD recorder and just ripping would be more attractive.

Any computer buffs wish to assist?

[Burning Zeppelin]

Woah, you make a new thread every day!
I would go with DVD. With the way technology is going now...and plus, DVD Players with Hard Drives could help. But don't listen to me. I know nothing.

[ZeaLitY]

That's part of the problem. If I buy a DVD Recorder now, unless I shell out a few hundred extra dollars, I won't get HD DVD support.

[Burning Zeppelin]

Hmm, I guess, but Blank DVDs are frantically lowering in price. But sooner or later BluRau and "Holographic" DVD recorders will come. But I guess you can't exactly stick with VHS, now can you?

[GrayLensman]

That's part of the problem. If I buy a DVD Recorder now, unless I shell out a few hundred extra dollars, I won't get HD DVD support.

The question is:  what can HD DVD do that  regular DVD can't?.  DVDs are cheaper per MB and don't take up that much space if you put them in envelopes.  I don't plan on spending thousands of dollars on an HDTV, and the new formats are burdened by obstructive DRM.  If you want to play HD movies on your computer, you'd better wait and buy all the DRM compliant hardware, that means mother board, video card, monitor, cables, etc.

Frankly, I don't want HD DVD or Blu-ray anywhere near my computer.

[ZeaLitY]

Very well. Now it's down to getting a TV Tuner or ATI All-In-Wonder. I think I'll get the Hauppauge PVR 250, since it has an onboard encoder that handles most of the workload so one can continue computing without a difference in performance. I'd get the PVR 150, but it doesn't support Windows 98 SE.

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_pvr250.html

[Norstein Bekkler]

and the new formats are burdened by obstructive DRM

I agree with Gray in this subject. These new technologies are going to prevent you from copying recordings that you have the copyright. :/