Converting VHS to DVD

[Graz]

Hi
I am looking at ways (least painful) that I can turn a stack of home vidios on VHS tapes into DVD.

The tapes have various good bits I want to keep though they are surrounded by a lot of rubbish that needs to be editored out.
I note the thread on MAC computers to turn tape into DVD however my laptop is Microsoft.

I checked at JB HiFi and they had a six head VHS player and hard drive combination. I was advised that I could edit the content of that drive when I tranfered it to my laptop.

Appreciate any suggestions

Thanks

[Quiggers]

There are a number of ways you can do this.

VHS machine outputs directly to your computer - you may need a dedicated video card in your computer.

Get a decent edit package (which will have a video/audio capture function) and an external hardrive of about 500gigs, they're pretty cheap these days.

You'll need to setup the system prior to capturing.

Most edit systems default to USA tv standards check and set before capturing.

Set for Australia: PAL - D 625/50
Screen size: 768 x 576
Frame rate: 25 frames per second

You can chuck all the data onto the external drive and edit away to your hearts content.

Unless you have very fast computer, go easy on the graphics and special effects.

If the VHS tapes haven't had a run for a while it's a good idea to run them (fast forward/rewind) thru the machine a few times.

I like the idea of having a VHS machine where you can dump data from VHS to the inboard hard drive, but you'll need to ensure this device can talk (easily) to your computer (as PAL - D 625/50 at 25fps) for later editing purposes, and ultimate playback on your telly from DVD...

I'm assuming your VHS tapes are older and pre the change to HD/widescreen.

One other thing, VHS is a rather unstable system, however you go about capturing from the tapes,
ensure that the capturing device is capable of handling VHS's rather wobbly playback... or you'll get very frustated capturing. Some systems I've seen stop capturing every time there is a break in VHS control track or synch.

If you buy the VHS/HDD, get the seller to actually go thru the capturing procedure from one of your tapes.

Should work fine, but.......

Good luck, and keep us posted.

GQ

[Grizzly_Adams]

or do what I did, get yourself a DVD recorder with inbuilt HDD.

Play your VHS and record it directly onto the HDD of DVD recorder.

From there it's easy enough to edit out the bits and pieces as required and then burn it to DVD.

No laptop required :)

[waynep]

or do what I did, get yourself a DVD recorder with inbuilt HDD.

Play your VHS and record it directly onto the HDD of DVD recorder.

From there it's easy enough to edit out the bits and pieces as required and then burn it to DVD.

No laptop required :)

those DVD recorders with inbuit HDD are really cheap now too ....

e.g.
http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/conia-250gb-hdd-dvd-recorder-dual-format/

[alanbettison]

jaycar used to have a device to convert analogue to digital approx $115

[sclarke]

Or Buy a DVD Recorder/ Settop box that has a Tuner and S vid and RCA in....

Ohh i happen to have one for sale.....
PM me if your interested...

[awabbit6]

If you don't need to edit the video and just want to go straight to DVD, JB HiFi sell a small DVD recorder that has AV inputs. It is designed specifically to convert VHS to DVD.
We've just bought one for work, but I haven't had a chance to borrow it yet to do my videos. Once I have used it, I'll post some more details.

[incisor]

jaycar used to have a device to convert analogue to digital approx $115

was good except it never latched the audio to the video and it got out of sync a bit at times.

canopus make a box that does latch them but is marginally dearer.