Feed
< Previous | 1 | 2 | Next >

transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar David Fleetwood
Probably rather late in the day but having discovered a box of our old VHS tapes in a clear out and a VHS player to boot, I am wondering what members experience is of having tried to convert VHS tapes to a DVD themselves? We still have a mid 2011 iMac with CD/DVD writer but what other kit would I need, what format is it best to use and is there much deterioration in the quality? Any thoughts appreciated.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Trevor Hewson
We have a VHS recorder you could borrow if you are short of something to play your tapes on. As far as I recall though, it only has analogue output so you would need some sort of a/d dongle to get it into your Mac.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Lionel Ogden
Some time ago I converted a VHS video to a DVD and I think that I just connected the VHS player to a DVD recorder and it just did the conversion. You can have problems with commercial DVDs because of the anti-copying software they contain but otherwise it seemed to just work.

Sadly I do not have a DVD recorder any more so I cannot do a trial to se if I can remember how I did it. I know it was a simple process not requiring an A to D converter or even connection to my Mac.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Eleanor Spenceley
I used an Eye TV 250 plus with S-Video/Composite connections similar to this. to record my videos directly from a video player. There is no loss of quality, but video quality isn't that good to start with.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar David Fleetwood
Thanks for your comments everyone. I think I'm getting a bit baffled here (easily done)! The bit of kit I've found is a VCR and it has a SCART socket which seems to be the only output interface other than the RF signal to the TV. I had hoped i could connect the VCR to the iMac and download videos and burn them to a DVD. The kit that you mention Martin is about $220 and I didn't want to spend this sort of money on something I probably wouldn't use again. We also don't at the moment have a DVD recorder so I can't try Lionel's suggestion. Thanks for the offer of borrowing a VHS recorder Trevor but I think this is what I already have but if there are any ideas as to whether i can connect it to the iMac and how, I could try this possibility.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Douglas Cheney
Has the VCR got any phono or Din sockets on it, they are usually output sockets as well

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Tony Still
David,

You need a "toolkit" to get from your SCART socket to a digital input for your Mac. Three items:
1. Something to connect to SCART. Probably a simple physical converter like this from Amazon. For UKP2.59 you get audio and composite video outputs. You will then need cables like these from Amazon for UKP2.29.
2. A video digitiser
3. Mac software capable of capturing the video in a format you can load into iMovie or whatever

To keep it simple, the second two are probably best bought as something like this from Amazon (this may be a cheaper version of what Chris suggested). It is UKP71.82, there are much cheaper pieces of hardware out there but the issue is the Mac software; someone else may know of a cheaper solution (and check out the reference to a Maplin product in one of the comments).

You could also consider this cheaper product from a no-name supplier, it's UKP30 and allegedly will do the same job as the Elgato.

DISCLAIMER: I haven't tried any of these items.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar David Fleetwood
Thanks Tony and Doug, the VCR unfortunately doesn't have phono or Din sockets but I think I have a SCART to phono adapter somewhere. I think you are right about the Elgato product Tony which I had seen recommended elsewhere. The cheaper product only has 1 mediocre review on Amazon so if I want to do the job properly the Elgato one looks like the best option. I think I will also get an external drive to store all the videos on rather than trying to burn them onto discs as people still seem to have problems playing back discs burnt on a computer through DVD players.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Douglas Cheney
I have used Toast to burn DVDs and have had no trouble with the discs playing on DVD players

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Eric Jervis
I've been watching this post for some time, wondering where I put the little gadget I bought many years ago for doing this very job. I've now found it, covered in dust, so the hardware problem is solved, but I can't remember what the software was called. I seem to remember I bought it from a bloke in Plymouth because I rang him up to see if he knew why the lip sync was out. He didn't know but I realised later that it was probably because I am tight fisted and recorded all my films on the half speed setting. Nor can I remember what computer I was using at the time. Possibly the G5, or even the old G4, so it may not work with a modern machine. You are welcome to it David,if you email your address to [undisclosed email], as I probably won't get round to using it again. It seems to consist of a scart to phono to usb adapter, and I had no trouble playing the discs I burnt with Toast.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Eric Jervis
I found the app on an external drive, and could therefore email it to you (probably) via WeTransfer, its called VideoGlide Capture.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar David Fleetwood
Well thanks so much Eric, I really appreciate your efforts in locating the bit of kit - sounds like several hours was spent searching the loft or somewhere similar! For the benefit of other WAMUG-ers, I'll put a post on in due course to say how I got on. In the meantime I'll email you with my details.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar David Fleetwood
The saga continues in that although with the device that Eric kindly sent me (a digitiser I believe), I was not able to record from the VCR, i was able to from mini cassettes played on our old Sony camcorder which has an s video output. Great I thought we've achieved something! - spoke too soon as I have not been able to open the .mov file that the software created, with QuickTime player. I think older versions of QT might have been able to but not the version I have (10.4). The support people for the software I'm using (VideoGlide) have said to try running my iMac in 32 bit mode by holding down the 3 and 2 keys as i start up. I'm just a little nervous of this as I've not heard of doing this before. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Trevor Hewson
Have you tried importing the .mov file into iMovie?

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Douglas Cheney
There is a program on the App store which you might find will help it is called Free MP4 Converter app. I have used it and found it worked alright

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar David Fleetwood
Following Trevor's comment I tried iMovie (10.1.2) but it came up with an error message saying it couldn't open QuickTime movies,which seems strange.

I'll look into Doug's suggestion next!

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Eric Jervis
I wonder if Apple in their wisdom have improved all the usefullness out of iMovie? I use version version 6.0.3 (iMovie HD) which I love for its simplicity.
I've got a .mov file that I'm now burning to disc with Toast Titanium. The finder says its a QuickTime movie and also an MPEG 4, which seems strange as it clearly identifies itself as a .mov. I'll let you know how I get on. Intriguing, isn't it?

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Eric Jervis
The .mov file in question is the only film I definitely remember converting from VHS to digital using 'the gadget'. I imported it into iMovie which worked perfectly, and Toast also appeared to work perfectly and burned a DVD. However, when I try to play the disc I can't get beyond the initial title, it won't play, fast forward or rewind. The same thing happens with a little snippet I downloaded from Youtube.
I've just Handbraked it and it clearly identifies itself on the desktop as an .mp4 file; I'm now waiting for iMovie to import it so I can chop a bit off the end as its a few megabites too big for a disc. (time remaining 300 minutes).

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Tony Still
Another app that might open the file is Quicktime Player 7. This is the current Quicktime Player's older, uglier and much more powerful brother. It was a standard install so hopefully you still have it hanging around.

Re: transferring VHS to DVD

Avatar Eric Jervis
After whiling away all those hours iMovie gave me the Spinning Beachball of Death, and after 5 minutes of that I forced it to quit.
Tony, QT7 does indeed open it, but the problem is getting the infernal thing onto a DVD, perhaps a more recent verson of Toast?
< Previous | 1 | 2 | Next >
Feed