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VHS tapes: how best to transfer them to DVD?


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Old 31-12-2007, 01:19
Itchy Niagras
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My old DVD player/VCR combi has given up the ghost and I'm looking to get a new hard drive recorder/ DVD recorder combi in its place.

My concern however, is transferring my old VHS tapes on to DVD. Somebody on here a while back alluded to a device which allowed you to upload tapes to your laptop/desktop, then transfer them to DVD. Anyone know much about this sort of thing?

I don't want to lose my most treasured tapes, so any advice will be gratefully received.
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Old 31-12-2007, 03:53
DK71
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Video cature device
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Old 31-12-2007, 10:44
camels
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or via transfer to a digitsl camcorder if you get one which has analogue inputs (and then transfer to PCvia firewire)

Lots & lots of really good info here: http://www.videohelp.com/

in particular capture info here: http://www.videohelp.com/capture

Alternatively of course you could get a DVD recorder and copy them straight to DVD as if you were going tape to tape.

Also be aware that some commercial tapes will have macrovision copy protection on them which may well (depending on the capture device you use) prevent you copying them.
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Old 31-12-2007, 10:59
Chris Simon
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My old DVD player/VCR combi has given up the ghost and I'm looking to get a new hard drive recorder/ DVD recorder combi in its place.

My concern however, is transferring my old VHS tapes on to DVD. Somebody on here a while back alluded to a device which allowed you to upload tapes to your laptop/desktop, then transfer them to DVD. Anyone know much about this sort of thing?
You can do it either of these ways.

1. Do it via a PC, using a video capture device as talked about above.

2. Do it via a DVD/HDD recorder, that's how I've done mine. Plug your VCR intor the DVD/HDD recorder and record onto hard disk, then you can edit and shuffle your recordings then burn them to DVD easily. I would say this is a slightly easier route than via a PC with capture, editing and burning software.
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Old 31-12-2007, 11:06
JBlink
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2. Do it via a DVD/HDD recorder, that's how I've done mine. Plug your VCR intor the DVD/HDD recorder and record onto hard disk, then you can edit and shuffle your recordings then burn them to DVD easily. I would say this is a slightly easier route than via a PC with capture, editing and burning software.
Since the OP indicates he (I assume "he", since he seems to be suffering an embarassing complaint!) is looking to get a DVD/HDD then this is the route for him. This is how I am ploughing through my VHS collection and it is very straightforward.
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Old 31-12-2007, 11:23
DK71
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Note - If some of your video tapes are a bit worn and the quality
is not very good, alot of video capture devices may fail to work
correctly, one good device is the canopus ADVC300 as it has
a time base corrector, its great for PC capture.

You will probably find a HDD/DVD recorder will do the job fine,
if you want to edit & mess around with the footage, once you
have it on DVD, edit the DVD files on the computer.
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Old 01-01-2008, 21:20
Itchy Niagras
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Since the OP indicates he (I assume "he", since he seems to be suffering an embarassing complaint!) is looking to get a DVD/HDD then this is the route for him. This is how I am ploughing through my VHS collection and it is very straightforward.
How does one connect up the VHS recorder to the HDD/DVD? Is it via a SCART lead, or some other cable connection?
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Old 01-01-2008, 21:49
Chris Simon
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SCART for best operation.
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Old 11-01-2008, 14:50
Bob Yarwood
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I do it with my Panasonic DVD recorder which has VHS, DVD and hard disk (HDD) drives. It's very easy, just copy straight across.
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Old 11-01-2008, 14:59
cordunkni
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1. Do it via a PC
2. Do it via a DVD/HDD recorder.
Another vote for (2). I tried both options, and 2 was easier and gave a better picture.
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Old 11-01-2008, 15:11
TV DUNIYA
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Or an alternative is a VCR/Dvd/Hdd Recorder,such as this Toshiba XV-47
Its a great price,compared to the rest on the market,and it is a doddle to use.
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Old 11-01-2008, 15:42
cordunkni
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Its a great price,compared to the rest on the market...
Possibly because it does not have Freeview. I'd be reluctant to
recommend anything non-digital now.
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Old 11-01-2008, 15:53
Jay23Sx
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And before long we're due a VHS machine with USB output (if you believe recent news articles) for copying tapes onto a PC. You could always wait a while and see if they ever turn up.
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Old 12-01-2008, 14:43
TV DUNIYA
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Possibly because it does not have Freeview. I'd be reluctant to
recommend anything non-digital now.
True,but it is great as an additional or dedicated recorder,particularly for those wanting to transfer large vhs collections.
Also,a freeview stb/satellite stb/cable stb etc can always be connected to this recorder for recording.
As it has a satellite link,which could be used for a DTT stb/cable stb,as well for recording.
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Old 12-01-2008, 14:55
Jumbo_Holden
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I properly do it a completely different way to everyone else. I have a VCR plugged into a DVD recorder via scart. I very roughly record the rough VHS footage onto a DVD+RW disk, Then rip that onto my PC hard drive. Then 'mess around' edit, etc with software. Then reburn the finished project back onto a DVD-R disk.

But I'm like the only person in the world who seems to do it that way. (You need a DVD recorder on your TV and a PC DVD Burner this way though)
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Old 13-01-2008, 11:56
Bob Yarwood
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The Panasonic DMR-EX95VB has 250Gb hard drive, DVD, VHS. and SD cards (which are a way of seeing your photos on TV), and it has Freeview. The drawbacks are, it's expensive (£550) and you can only access one digital channel at a time. However it's ideal for converting VHS tapes to DVDs. It has over 200 hours storage for recording TV programmes and films on HDD if you use LP mode. It also has a rather complicated instruction book.
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