Upgrade DVD recorder for transferring VHS tapes?
 

I have like 100 VHS tapes I want to transfer to digitize. I currently have a JVC-HR9800U VCR and a Panasonic DMR-EH55 DVD recorder. Would I notice an improvement in my recordings if I got something like a Magnavox which has been praised around here although Lordy said in a post when doing my research that it's the best for recording live recordings and I have no plans to record live recordings.

I am recording everything in XP mode. I like the Panasonic because it records to Double Layer discs but now I've noticed that other DVD recorders might be able to get me a better recording.

Also I've already digitized like 20 of my tapes, is it worth it to redo them with the better DVD recorder?

You have a good VCR, but lack external TBC. The EH55 does not have minimalist TBC(ish) passthrough. You will run into problems with lack of frame TBC.

For VHS, the only quality DVD recorders are LSI Logic based units, which corrects for grain and chroma noise inherent to the format -- and it's worse on any homemade tapes (VCR or camera).

Latter 2007-EOL/present Magnavox are usually just rebadged Philips (3575 based), and are excellent for off-air recordings, but not for VHS tapes. In fact, the Philips tends to be more touchy, as it respects all anti-copy, or even perceived possible anti-copy, making TBC all the more required. It has zero TBC(ish) aspects, zero clean-up aspects. If fed a good signal, it makes a good disc. But analog tapes are not "good" sources.

You don't want DL discs. DL media is recorded very non-standard in DVD recorders, plus it has all the other problems with layer change and longevity. DL is only decent media if you manually set layers breaks in ImgBurn, and it's authored correctly for DL.

XP mode is fine. But 352x480 @ 3-hour bitrate allocation tends to be equally excellent, especially on LSI recorders like LSI JVCs. Those have excellent FR180 mode.

The downside of any DVD recorder is MPEG compression, plus some issues with IRE/luma/constrast. And you won't have the issue with lossless. I do both DVD and lossless, and each has tradeoffs.

Have you tested passthrough on the EH55 (not to be confused by the older E55)? It's basically the HDD version of the ES15 so it's not unthinkable that it would have similar capabilities. I have an EH57 (which is from the lineup after it I think), and it acts very similarly to my ES10. Granted that's PAL and as it's a DVD-Recorder it may end up outputting a macrovision signal on copy-protected material.