Except for its video inputs, including composite and S-Video, it looks like a fairly normal external DVD burner. And, connecting to your Windows PC via USB 2.0, it can be used that way, writing DVDs at 4X and CDs at 16X. When you plug a VCR or older analog camcorder into the input jacks and launch the included ArcSoft ShowBiz 2, however, you'll be able to capture all of that video to the hard drive, then edit it, add titles and build a very attractive looking DVD.

That's not all: the HP Video Transfer Wizard takes the video straight from VCR to DVD, and builds the disc menu without you needing to bother yourself about how it all works. What you get is a nice transfer without the hassle. Once the disc is burned, the Wizard even offers to make you a jewelbox insert, based on a snapshot from your movie and the text from the DVD title page. All you do is hit Print.

There are some issues. If your computer already has a DVD burner, this product isn't a smart buy. High-quality analog-to-digital converters (even ones that come with decent software) can be found anywhere from $120 to $200. Furthermore, as a DVD burner, the HP DC3000 is terrific — with an asterisk. It writes only to the DVD+R and DVD+RW formats. In a vacuum, this would be fine, since DVD+R discs play in nearly every store-bought DVD player out there. But since there are also DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM discs, critics say that this recorder isn't as versatile as, say, the Pioneer, Sony and Iomega drives.

Before you get all scared about the jumble of formats, here's what you really need to know: if you buy the DC3000, only buy DVD+R blank media, and you'll soon be sharing your home videos with the world, or at least your extended family, no problem.