Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

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BobH
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Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by BobH »

Running searches on VHS and VCR returned no hits (I have NO search fu!). Scanning topics in this board revealed nothing I recognized as addressing this issue.

Does anyone have experience with converting their VHS format analog images to a digital format? More specifically, did you do this mechanically using a dedicated VHS to DVD appliance, or did you use a PC and software to do so? Finally, what software do you recommend for this?

I have a need to preserve some VHS tapes. I've started this project and stopped it several times because I couldn't seem to get my arms around the variables. Today, I got a push ad from Amazon for a product called "VHS to DVD 5.0 Deluxe" by Honestech. It is priced at ~$30 which seems reasonable and it includes a cable interface making USB to PC attachment possible. S-Video cables are plugged into the interface device. I can find nothing more than sales descriptions of the product. I've not seen it in reviews.

Anyone?
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Sundog
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by Sundog »

Bob, I'd be interested in accomplishing this as well, so I will follow this thread with interest.
Sundog

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StuartR
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by StuartR »

I cabled up the output of a VCR to the input of my PVR/DVD recorder. It gave acceptable quailty, but only recorded at single speed and needed quite a bit of manual intervention.
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BobH
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

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StuartR wrote:I cabled up the output of a VCR to the input of my PVR/DVD recorder. It gave acceptable quailty, but only recorded at single speed and needed quite a bit of manual intervention.
That about sums up my frustrations with conversions, Stuart. I doubt that software will make the process much more user friendly, but it might be that they have a new twist on it. I have found other devices that convert the analog signals to a USB interface but never one that was supported by software on the PC.

I'm hanging around to see if anyone else chimes in. I think I'm gonna pop for the Amazon deal.
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Sundog
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by Sundog »

BobH wrote:I think I'm gonna pop for the Amazon deal.
(for a product called "VHS to DVD 5.0 Deluxe" by Honestech)

Did you pop? If so, any results worth sharing?
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stuck
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by stuck »

I'm one step behind Stuart in that IF I ever get as far as transferring VHS to video I will connect my VHS recorder to my PVR, which includes a DVD recorder. I know the transfer will happen in real time, not at high speed.

Ken

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BobH
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by BobH »

Yes! I did pop for the Honestech device but I have not yet used it. I was going to use it on my wife's desktop machine and bought a 1TB HDD for the video storage but the machine is so old that it didn't have enough SATA ports to handled the drive. I bought an SATA card that turned out to be only for RAID (or at least that was all I could make it do). So . . . I decided to shift everything to my desktop and before I made that happen my old desktop mobo fried. Since then I have built a new system on Windows 7 HP but have not connected the Honestech unit. I will need to relocate a VHS player to the proximity of my desktop and that will require redoing everything on and in my computer desk.

A round tuit will appear some day, maybe.
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by MalcolmWalker »

This thread is of interest to me as I have a Medion 8386 XL computer that came with an ATI Radeon X740 graphics card that has a SCART socket as well as S-video and Cinch sockets. So I can display the output of a TV connected by a SCART cable. I assume I could also connect a VHS recorder or PVR in the same way and capture the output in real time saving it to disk?

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stuck
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by stuck »

MalcolmWalker wrote:...I have a ... graphics card that has a SCART socket... I assume I could also connect a VHS recorder or PVR in the same way and capture the output in real time saving it to disk?
It's a theory but you might find that the SCART socket is only an output. You should be able to find something about this socket somewhere in the Radeon help file, or via Google.

Ken

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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by MalcolmWalker »

stuck wrote:It's a theory but you might find that the SCART socket is only an output. You should be able to find something about this socket somewhere in the Radeon help file, or via Google. Ken
Ken, Thank you for your response. You are correct as the PC manual states "you can transfer the image from your PC to the television set". However, there is a highlighted note at the end of the relevant section of the manual that (emphasis as printed) reads:
"The Video Output connectors at the back of the PC are only for playback. For video recording please use the Video Input (composite or S-Video) connectors at the front of your PC."

As there are three connector sockets coloured white, red and yellow and a composite connector in the front panel perhaps I wouldn't need the Honestech kit already having the facility built-in?

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stuck
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by stuck »

MalcolmWalker wrote:...use the Video Input (composite or S-Video) connectors at the front of your PC."

As there are three connector sockets coloured white, red and yellow and a composite connector in the front panel...
Sounds like all you need is a cable to connect the VHS recorder to your PC. Whether or not you've got any software to manage the copy though I don't know but as the hardware is part of the PC there's a good chance there will be such a utility somewhere on you hard drive. Unless of course you removed it along with "all that junk that I'm never going to need" that comes with a new PC :grin:

Even if you can't find anything suitable on your PC I bet it wouldn't be too hard to find some freeware via Google.

Ken

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MalcolmWalker
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by MalcolmWalker »

Ken, I am much encouraged by our exchange of messages. I have the hardware including cables and I am sure suitable software on the applications and support disc - all I now need is the commitment to put it all together!

Thank you for your interest and advice,

Malcolm

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stuck
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Re: Converting VHS to Digital (DVD/BluRay)

Post by stuck »

MalcolmWalker wrote:all I now need is the commitment to put it all together!
Which I read as, "Now all I need is some free time, with no interruptions!" :grin:

Good luck!

Ken