I recently bought Pinnacle's "Dazzle DVD Recorder". It's the USB 2 version, which will record straight to DVD, with reasonable quality. However, when I use it in conjunction with Pinnacle Studio (10.5) for editing, the image quality is REALLY bad, after writing to DVD.

I'm using an HP Pavilion dv8000 laptop. AMD Turion 64 (1.8GHz) with 1GB RAM. Graphics: ATI Radeon Express 200M

I'm trying to transfer an old hour long analogue (VHS) video of a school panto production. I've burnt several DVDs, using different approaches:

1) Recorded the video straight to the hard disk, using Dazzle's "DVD Recorder" software. I then burnt the disc using Nero. Quality was comparible to the VHS source.

2) Recorded the video straight to Pinnacle's "Studio 10.5" software, using AVI format. Some minor edits made, just to crop a few seconds from beginning and end, and to add chapters and menu. Burnt the disc using "Studio".
Quality was terrible. Not only was the video image very poor, but the video "jumped" every few seconds.

3) Recorded the video straight to the hard disk, using Dazzle's "DVD Recorder" software. I then converted the .VOB files to mpeg 2 (using MOVAVI). I imported this video into "Studio", and performed the same edits and menu creation as attempt 2 above. Finally I burnt the disc, again using "Studio".
Quality was still very poor. The "jumping" had gone, but the image was really bad, especially during clips with quick motion.

I just don't know whether to scrap my Dazzle and/or the "Studio" software, and start again. I will be purchasing a new desktop PC soon which will have a SATA hard drive and Intel Core2 Duo processor E4600 & 2 GB RAM.

Any advice would be welcome.

Steve,
Apparently the problem is not with the capture part, as the result is OK, when you burn the video with Nero.
1) What is happening when you capture straight and burn with DVD Recorder ? Do you get an acceptable quality ?
2) What is happening if you create your project with Studio, without burning, and then burn the DVD content with Nero?
3) When creating your project with Studio, which settings are you selecting to burn your project?

I would recommend you to update your version of Studio 10 with the Studio 10.8 patch available from Pinnacle Systems - Product Support - Studio version 10 - Download Area - Drivers - Updates.

If you installed on your system some CODEC pack as K-Lite, you shoudl try uninstalling these packs and check again if Studio encoding is giving a better quality.

Bertrand
Pinnacle

***Hello - Try clicking the VHS input box on the Dazzle DVD before you record.

I had a lot of trouble with Studio 10. I had to do a complete re-install of Dazzle DVD and Studio 10. I used the compact mode for re-installing Studio10.
Then I used the download patch for the full version and then the 10.8 upgrade.

But I still have to convert the VOB file to a MPG file in order for Studio to take the movie. I import via the DVD tab on MAKE MOVIE.

I hope you have better luck with Studio than I am having. I have made about 6 DVDs now. Some I just converted straight to DVD without editing. Now I am editing them.
Studio 10.8 is okay but they should include a converting program for users. Dazzle makes VOB files which Studio won't import (duh).
All the best luck.

The converter I am using now is called Prism. I downloaded it from

http://www.nchsoftware.com/prism/index.html