Old VHS tapes to DVD?

El Conquistador · #1 10-17-2012, 02:44 PM

I've got a bunch of old VHS tapes with lots of memories. Has anybody had any success with transfering these over to a DVD format?

Steve

ZekeM · #2 10-17-2012, 02:48 PM

Never had to do it but there are products out there for it. I don't know of anyone that has used it personally. Here is a link to one
https://www.roxio.com/enu/products/e.../overview.html
Seems like if you got some irreplaceable footage on tape it would be worth the money.

Bingoccc · #3 10-17-2012, 03:09 PM

I recently took an old 8mm home movie from the 50's to a local photo shop. The put it on DVD and it came out great. I don't remember what they charged but it was a bit pricey.

71jasper · #4 10-17-2012, 03:15 PM

I've done it with software and I've also gone to pros. Going to pros is a lot easier.

dirkronk · #5 10-17-2012, 03:50 PM

Yeah. There are still places that specialize in exactly that: transfer of old technology data to whatever the newest is. Last I checked...though it was a few years back...one guy here in San Antonio that I've used professionally in the distant past could still do transfers from reel-to-reel, 8-track, cassette in the audio world or 1" & 2" pro video tape, VHS, even super 8 film in the video realm. Generally good quality. But yes, it'll cost you. If you only have a few items to transfer, though, it probably would be better and easier to go the pro route.

Dirk

flaggerphil · #6 10-17-2012, 04:21 PM

My father did it some years ago. First he'd transferred super 8mm to VHS about 20 years ago, then the VHS to DVD. Not sure how he did it...

jpd · #7 10-17-2012, 04:51 PM

You might be able to find a DVD, VHS recorder that does transfers. I picked one up for $50 2 years ago. you can transfer either way! J.D.

muscmp · #8 10-17-2012, 05:07 PM

i have an ongoing project with vhs to dvd. i bought a phillips dvd recorder and transfer thru it. if you have a lot of them, it may be worthwhile, but if not, the recorder cost about $300.
note that i also use it to record off the tv so it is multi-faceted.

play music!

Joe F · #9 10-17-2012, 05:17 PM

I had a ton of VHS movies covering the first 10 years or so of my kids growing up. I transferred them all to DVD with a DVD/VCR recorder combo. No muss no fuss. Stick the VHS Tape in, stick a DVD-R in, press "Dub" and walk away.

They can be had pretty cheap at 150.bucks or so too: http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-DVR620...dp_ob_title_ce

El Conquistador · #10 10-18-2012, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe F

I transferred them all to DVD with a DVD/VCR recorder combo. No muss no fuss. Stick the VHS Tape in, stick a DVD-R in, press "Dub" and walk away.

They can be had pretty cheap at 150.bucks or so too: http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-DVR620...dp_ob_title_ce

Thanks all! Joe, I had seen the Toshiba thing, but, have also heard that it does not work all that well. You, however, seem to have had no problems with it. Is it really that easy?

Steve

valleyguy · #11 10-19-2012, 02:14 PM

I bought this converter last year. Just hooked up my ancient tape player to my laptop, start the tape, and let it go on it's own. Takes some time since the tape must paly through, but it works fine. It produces a file that is then burned to a DVD.

Yes, taking it to someone to convert for you is easier, but gets pricey if you have any quantity involved.

cpmusic · #12 10-19-2012, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

I've got a bunch of old VHS tapes with lots of memories. Has anybody had any success with transfering these over to a DVD format?

Several years ago I bought a Panasonic DVD recorder with a built-in hard drive. Editing was a little on the rough side, but it has served its purpose very well, and it still works, though its NTSC-only tuner is useless anymore.

Computers are the way to go now, though. There are video capture units (both internal card and USB types) and a raft of programs that will record video and save/convert it to just about any video format you choose, or create DVDs complete with custom menus. The quality won't be at the professional level, but with old home videos it's not that big a deal. A fairly hot PC helps, but my old Dell with its Core 2 Duo processor running Vista handled it fairly well.

I have a Diamond USB video capture device that cost about $30, an inexpensive suite of media programs from AVS that gives me a lot of editing and conversion options (and includes audio and other programs), and a DVD-building program called DVD Lab which isn't dirt cheap but was still under $100, and it does a great job of authoring DVDs. And, of course, I still have a working VHS recorder, though it doesn't get much use anymore.