I understand that you'd want to use your new equipment to do the converting, and this answer won't help with that, but...
I've got a
Canopus ADVC 110 connected between a VCR and a computer.
Using Adobe Premiere Elements, I'm able to run the tape in the VCR and capture both audio and video into Elements and then, using Elements, am able to convert the captured .AVI file into a playable DVD.
Randy