Looking for some ideas about transferring VHS tapes (various TV appearances by different bands…) to DVD discs. I have about 200 tapes that I want to get rid of (I need the space). I was thinking of buying a combo VCR/DVD player/recorder and dumping each VHS tape to a DVD disc. Latter I may want to do some editing and compilations… I’m aware that for this I would need a computer program, but at least everything would have been digitalised. Now I’m wondering does this makes sense? My old VCR is dead, so I was thinking of buying a Toshiba VHS/DVD combo, that would set me back about 200 Canadian $. Any suggestions from folks who have knowledge about this would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Hi Stephane
The combos work but there are issues. The first issue is that depending on the VHS tape, it may not work and you will get a message that this is an illegal activity and the transfer stops. I tried to transfer some hockey tapes for Stephen on here and couldn't do it.
The older the VHS/DVD combo the better it is. Newer ones seem to have the licensing issue.
I have the Toshiba that you are talking about and only one in ten transferred no problem. My buddy has an older Toshiba model and did not have that issue.
The other issue is the time. Takes forever. But I could live with that.
I am pretty sure that you will have problems with the first issue as I did. It doesn't matter if the VHS is a company tape or home made. It is what is being transferred.
This would be more costly for you since you don't have a working VCR and then need to buy 2 pieces of equipment, but what I have done for many years now is I have a VCR with S video connection to a standalone DVD recorder with an internal hard drive. Mine is an older Sony model with 160 GB hard drive that has discontinued, but it has served me extremely well. DVD Recorders with hard drives are not widespread but I see there are still some out there. I can't tell you how many house of family home movies I have done for people. With the hard drive you can take just portions of a VHS tape and start and stop recording to create all of your individual clips off of one VHS. You can stage everything to the hard drive and then name the individual clips and arrange them into any order you want before burning to DVD.
While it still works quite well for my needs, I'm behind the times actually though. I would bet that somebody is going to post about a VCR to computer with USB connection.
Thanks James, most of those tapes I taped of the TV, so I don’t foresee problems… and if there are there’s always the good old hassle free Canadian Tire return policy. 😛
I thought the same thing Stephane as many of my tapes were recorded the same way. But after recording for ten seconds, it would stop and give the message. I even got that message when transferring home movies.
You may want to look at the other options.
Again I set my buddy's up for him and we had no issue. Then I bought mine which was a newer model and had the trouble.
if you go with the combo unit I think you will need a different type of blank dvd.
I don't think they use the same type as a computer burner and run more money also are not that easy to locate. ***still all worth what you are looking to do with your 200 vhs tapes.
I have one of these:
http://www.avermedia-usa.com//AVerTV/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=482
Since it has inputs for HD to S-video, it allows you to capture all kinds of video sources. I have used it to capture webcasts by using a laptop as input to a desktop. The software is a bit quirky, but you won't have the licensing issues.
As with the combos, since it works in real time, you will have to play the entire video to capture it.
Let me know what you work out Stephane. I have about the same amount of tapes that you can transfer for me. Music and sports - mostly hockey - classic Habs. You must have a few hundred spare hours. 😉
No problems James send them my way I have plenty of time to spare …. Is it just me or is this world going faster and faster? Where is all that leisure time we were promised as kids? Seriously thanks for all your inputs guys.
