Bozo
0
I have a lot of VHS tapes that I would like to convert to DVD. Besides a VHS player, what else do I need?
Thanks
(I think I posted this in the wrong forum...duh)
Thanks
(I think I posted this in the wrong forum...duh)
VHS to DVD
- Thread starter Bozo
- Start date
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
OK, it's worth it to hunt down an SVHS VCR that supports S-video output. Those are going to be the Rolls Royces of VCRs in the first place, but between far better tape heads and just generally better output from S-Video, you'll get a much cleaner transfer.
You'll need a Video Capture device. You can get USB devices that do it for as little as $10. Some of the cheapie ones won't record 640x480 @ 30fps, but others are just fine. Check specs. The nicer units handle hardware encoding, and I prefer to deal with USB audio input rather than whatever sub-par setup will be on-board inside your computer.
Everybody's audio setup is different, which is another reason to think about USB capture.
You need some kind of recording and editing software. If you're on Windows 7, you can record with Windows Movie Maker and then author your DVD with Windows Live DVD Maker. I'm not a huge fan of that workflow, but it's free and that's a good thing.
I prefer to use Corel Moviefactory for simple authoring tasks and S*ny Vegas for anything serious. You might also be able to get away with something as bare bones as a combination of Virtualdub and DVDFlicks.
However, nothing will help your output more than capturing from S-video instead of crummy composite out.
Now you can also get a set top box that records VHS tapes on to DVD. Unfortunately, those things don't actually make DVDs. They make a format called DVD-VR, which has very low compatibility on devices other than set top DVD recorders and is the cause of a lot of heartache in my experience.
You'll need a Video Capture device. You can get USB devices that do it for as little as $10. Some of the cheapie ones won't record 640x480 @ 30fps, but others are just fine. Check specs. The nicer units handle hardware encoding, and I prefer to deal with USB audio input rather than whatever sub-par setup will be on-board inside your computer.
Everybody's audio setup is different, which is another reason to think about USB capture.
You need some kind of recording and editing software. If you're on Windows 7, you can record with Windows Movie Maker and then author your DVD with Windows Live DVD Maker. I'm not a huge fan of that workflow, but it's free and that's a good thing.
I prefer to use Corel Moviefactory for simple authoring tasks and S*ny Vegas for anything serious. You might also be able to get away with something as bare bones as a combination of Virtualdub and DVDFlicks.
However, nothing will help your output more than capturing from S-video instead of crummy composite out.
Now you can also get a set top box that records VHS tapes on to DVD. Unfortunately, those things don't actually make DVDs. They make a format called DVD-VR, which has very low compatibility on devices other than set top DVD recorders and is the cause of a lot of heartache in my experience.
Stereodude
Not really a
1) Get a Magnavox ZV427MG9
2) Save yourself a lot of hassle
2) Save yourself a lot of hassle
Stereodude
Not really a
You want one that does DVD+VR, not DVD-VR. DVD+VR discs are supposed to be compatible with any DVD player once you finalize them.
timwhit
0
Howell
0
Sell it when you are finished.
Stereodude
Not really a
Is that a pro or a con?
timwhit
0
Depends on what Bozo was planning on spending. It didn't seem too bad to me.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
If it makes compatible discs, it's absolutely worth it.