urlee I usually suggest dvd shrink and handbrake check here at gizmo's site you will find them listed as well as a few other good options for doing what you want. Best Free DVD Ripper

zep516...you are right, calling Apple is a good place to start. Thanks. owbist....Not sure I am following you. Is the DVD-R the one that records things permanently and the DVD+R the one that can be repeatedly recorded over? When you say you didn't perservere with the DVD+R, was there something more difficult about using it? Were you recommending to buy the DVD-R because they are cheaper? urlee....first of all, thank you so much for that link. I did not have a good website to go to with audio/visual questions and that looks like a good one. Not sure how you managed to copy/paste the 'visual' directions for where I needed to go, but it is sure impressive! No, I don't need directions on how to do it, because I am probably never going to do that myself, but amazed that someone can...lol. I did a google search on Pioneer 640 and found references to 'not available' any more as you state. That is too bad. Do you know if there is another comparable Recorder on the market? Right now I am renting a Box from Comcast that records TV programs and I have just loved it since I have gotten it. It is so easy to use and fairly reliable. The problem is that you are not 'saving' anything permanently and you can't take anything on the box off and transfer to dvd. Obviously I can't use it to transfer home movies to dvd either. That is a long thread on the Pioneer 640, if I read the whole thing will it answer the question about whether I can actually buy one or will it point me in the direction of a substitute for it? I am just not a person who understands Audio/Visual very well. I can manage most of the time to connect and learn to operate a new piece of equipment by just following along with a manual, but connecting all the equipment and getting it all to do what you want it to do together...well, it is just very intimidating. It is like learning a whole new language and I just don't have the interest, time or energy to do it. If I knew someone who was proficient in it, I would be asking them to come and just set it all up for me and cooking them dinner...lol. But alas, I don't. I could very easily and quickly get to the point where I will throw up my hands and just take the vcr home movies to Ritz camera and spend $30 per vcr tape to have them do the transfer for me. So what I am looking for is easy and simple. That is why I love my comcast box, it was easy to rent it, they installed it and all I have to know is how to work the remote and set up the recording schedule etc. That I can handle. Maybe I should find an Audio/Visual school to send one of my kids to? [g]

I'm sorry I can't help you on most of that, but I can tell you that you should record onto DVD-Rs, not DVD-RWs. RWs are rewriteable, and the technology that makes them alterable also makes them less able to maintain good data. If you made a DVD-R and DVD-RW of the same tape (assuming the same quality of DVD blanks), the DVD-R would last considerably longer. Same for CDs, too, if anyone is wondering.

I thought it was a very good movie. You might go to hallmark.com and see, when it is on again. I didn't even fall asleep during it. :) Just looked, it looks like Friday the 24th and Thursday the 20th is the next option to see it. Moni Here is a link that might be useful: Ladies of the House schedule