Tree Branch Short Circuit

Branch falls across power lines, steams and whistles a bit (loudly) then
bursts into short-lived flame:

http://technology.todaysbigthing.com/2010/03/02

Home Video Transfer

There's a movie I really like which was never released on tape and has yet to be released on DVD, but which *was* released on Laserdisc. I recently acquired a Mint condition copy of the Laserdisc. I want to copy this to DVD so I can show it to folks who don't have a Laserdisc player.

Unfortunately, it looks like the best quality DVD transfer from Laserdisc I can get with my current setup is S-Video with stereo RCA audio.

The limitation is the input jacks on my three DVD recorders. All of them have Component output, two have HDMI out, and two have digital sound out. None have better than S-Video and RCA stereo for input. (Well, one has digital sound input, but the Laserdisc player won't output sound for that format to that jack.)

Argh...

Is this pretty much a universal situation? I really don't want to buy any more machines just now, but when one goes out eventually I'd definitely consider a machine with better quality input format jacks. Does anyone know if this is here, or coming? My newest machine is less than two years old and doesn't have this.

Is this lack due to pre-recorded DVD sellers not wanting people to copy them at full resolution?