Help with converting VHS to DVD

[astarling06]

I've searched high and low through this site as well as others on a definitive way to convert vhs to DVD. These are the tools I have used so far:
MacBook Pro CD, Canon Elura 70 dv camcorder, RCA vcr, iMovie, iDVD, Handbrake.

I got the vhs onto my MBP but when I burn to disc and try to play it in my dvd player (JVC Home Theater in Box model TH-M55), the dvd player says "no disc" , shows a zero time (0:00), or just ejects the disc after trying to read it. I've wasted multiple blank dvd-r discs only to find that it will not play on my dvd player. The discs will play on my portable dvd player that I put in my SUV for my kids on long road trips but not on the JVC. The user manual for the JVC says that it plays DVD, VCD, SVCD, Audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and finalized DVD-Rs recorded in the DVD Video format. Given the tools I have listed above, is there any help/advice that someone can give me concerning this problem. The formats I've used when burning the data onto disc are avi, movie mp4, and DVD (UDF). Also, is there a way to use iMovie to create a DVD without using one of their themes. I just want to make a copy of my VHS tapes to DVD not create a project with themes, transitions, pictures, and all the other things iMovie tries to get you to use. I'd rather not have to purchase a new program to complete this task when I've spent enough in my opinion on this computer, software, and other accessories.

Thank you to anyone that can offer some good advice and helpful hints.

 

[osxnewbe]

This might be a silly answer but have you tried using a different brand of blank DVD and maybe a different format (such as DVD+R/RW)?

From my experience, I sometimes have trouble getting some brands of blank DVD's such as the CompUSA house brand to work where other brands such as Sony have been more consistent...

From your post, it sounds as though you are getting the video captured and burned properly since it will play on the computer so that is making me think its an issue with either the media or disc format....

 

[astarling06]

I've only used DVD-R since that is the only one that the manual for the dvd player specifically says it supports. I'm using imation dvd-r discs I bought from Walmart. As far as the disc format goes, what should I be using? Avi, movie mp4, dvd(udf), or some other format??

 

[TheBobcat]

Well, your disc format is technically MPEG2, but you have to make it a DVD in an authoring program like iDVD. Sure you can use iMovie and iDVD without themes, just import the video and don't add any menus or anything and export it to DVD.

About the discs playing, players can be really temperamental with -R DVD's, I heard people seem to have more success with +R.

 

[netdog]

A lot of people, myself included, have reported difficulties using Imation discs. I know they work great for some, and they are cheap, but they fail for many. Try another brand, preferably a premium one to start.

 

[astarling06]

Thank you for all your comments! so basically I'm doing the right thing as far as converting the vhs to DVD, but my choice of blank dvds suck. I'll by a couple of dvd+r discs and a couple of better quality dvd-r discs and see what happens. I just couldn't understand why my little crappy portable dvd player would play any and all dvds i burned but my expensive dvd player couldn't read them. Any more comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[disconap]

I use memorex quite a bit. They are great for data, but if running more than two hours, they tend to erode over time for dvd-video. Which I know makes no sense, but it happens, trust me.

There's a kind that I don't know the name of that I bought a while back that were specifically designed for video; the tops had an on-disc print that looked like a 35mm film reel. None of those have ever failed on me, I can definitely recommend them. I just can't remember who makes them...

 

[astarling06]

I went and bought some Memorex DVD-R discs and it worked like a charm!! Thanks for the help!!