Old VHS Tapes

[Dai]

I have a lot of old VHS tapes and want to import them onto my computer and
burn them to DVD. As I am a complete novice how do I do it and what
hardware/software do I need ?

[Graham Hughes]

If you have a lot I'd go for one of the better qquality units such as those
from canopus - advc range or miglia. The cheaper ones can cause trouble in
not working correctly, needeing their own software, producing files which
hardly any editing apps can use except their own, loss of sync between audio
and video.
You could try a minidv cam which has analogue in, then you can use pass
thorugh.

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com


"Dai" > wrote in message
...
>I have a lot of old VHS tapes and want to import them onto my computer and
> burn them to DVD. As I am a complete novice how do I do it and what
> hardware/software do I need ?

[JD]

Dear Graham,

Just read your response. My mom has recently converted a number of VHS
video tapes (very old family movies) to DVDs. It was VERY expensive. I see
in your response that the average person can do this. But, I am not sure
what you meant by "You could try a minidv cam which has analogue in, then you
can use pass
thorugh." Do you mean minidvd cam that has VHS capability and this one
could put a VHS movie in and then copy to a DVD disk? If this is not what
you meant, could you explain for a beginner like me? Thanks

"Graham Hughes" wrote:

> If you have a lot I'd go for one of the better qquality units such as those
> from canopus - advc range or miglia. The cheaper ones can cause trouble in
> not working correctly, needeing their own software, producing files which
> hardly any editing apps can use except their own, loss of sync between audio
> and video.
> You could try a minidv cam which has analogue in, then you can use pass
> thorugh.
>
> --
> Graham Hughes
> MVP Digital Media
> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
> www.dvds2treasure.com
> www.simplydv.com
>
>
> "Dai" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I have a lot of old VHS tapes and want to import them onto my computer and
> > burn them to DVD. As I am a complete novice how do I do it and what
> > hardware/software do I need ?
>
>
>

[Graham Hughes]

JD,

Some minidv camcorders have a facility known as pass through, where you can
connect an analogue source, your VHS, to your camcorder, then connect you
cam to your pc via firewire in the normal manner. You can then play the vhs
tape, it passes through the cam and gets digitsed on the pc. Now it isn't
quite that easy, but nearly as most models of cams have some settings to
make in the menu, removal of tape from the cam etc in order for it to work.

If you don't want to do any editing and just want the vhs tape on a dvd to
watch then the easiest method of doing this is to buy a stand alone dvd
recorder and connect the vhs to this and just record away.

If this dosn't help, just get back and ask away.

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com


"JD" > wrote in message
...
> Dear Graham,
>
> Just read your response. My mom has recently converted a number of VHS
> video tapes (very old family movies) to DVDs. It was VERY expensive. I
> see
> in your response that the average person can do this. But, I am not sure
> what you meant by "You could try a minidv cam which has analogue in, then
> you
> can use pass
> thorugh." Do you mean minidvd cam that has VHS capability and this one
> could put a VHS movie in and then copy to a DVD disk? If this is not what
> you meant, could you explain for a beginner like me? Thanks
>
> "Graham Hughes" wrote:
>
>> If you have a lot I'd go for one of the better qquality units such as
>> those
>> from canopus - advc range or miglia. The cheaper ones can cause trouble
>> in
>> not working correctly, needeing their own software, producing files which
>> hardly any editing apps can use except their own, loss of sync between
>> audio
>> and video.
>> You could try a minidv cam which has analogue in, then you can use pass
>> thorugh.
>>
>> --
>> Graham Hughes
>> MVP Digital Media
>> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
>> www.dvds2treasure.com
>> www.simplydv.com
>>
>>
>> "Dai" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >I have a lot of old VHS tapes and want to import them onto my computer
>> >and
>> > burn them to DVD. As I am a complete novice how do I do it and what
>> > hardware/software do I need ?
>>
>>
>>

[Andrew E.]

Actually all one needs is a tv video card,or a pci display adapter card like
ati all-in-wonder.You need video-in jacks,either rca or s-video,usually about
50.00.Once this is set up,install only the drivers for the card,do not
install the
software.For software,download windows encoder 9 series + the utilitys,WMCAP
works great for viewing video or tv.Encoder setting is capture
audio/video.Also,
xp movie maker works also,but i never used it much...

"Dai" wrote:

> I have a lot of old VHS tapes and want to import them onto my computer and
> burn them to DVD. As I am a complete novice how do I do it and what
> hardware/software do I need ?

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/dme/dmehome.asp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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"Dai" wrote:

| I have a lot of old VHS tapes and want to import them onto my computer and
| burn them to DVD. As I am a complete novice how do I do it and what
| hardware/software do I need ?