Consumer Grade VHS Transfer Solution

Jim Brennan

Jim Brennan

VHS Member Old Skool
I have a friend who has a bunch of VHS tapes he wants to get on DVD. I offered to do it for him, but he wants a solution that he can use long term, and not have to depend on me.

Any suggestions for a hardware/software solution that pretty simple and inexpensive? He's a PC guy.

Thanks.
 
A large number of digital camcorders have the capability to do real-time analog to digital pass through. Just hook a VCR to the camera and firewire to the computer. Of course, you need some sort of capture utility. Windows Movie Maker might even be able to do it.
 
There are several VHS/DVD Recorders that allow you to copy VHS tapes to DVD.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony...sem/rpsm/oid/210989/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

DVD-Recorder and VCR combo: With the Sony RDR-VX560, you can archive those VHS home movies to DVD, as well as copy DVD to VHS, with the touch of a button. Thanks to the USB port, you can even transfer video and images from compatible digital cameras and camcorders, burning your final results onto a recordable DVD.
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Cost = $240.

Other models are likely to be cheaper.


Bob Diaz
 
Unless editing is needed I will also recommend either a VHS/DVD recorder combo or a stand alone DVD recorder and skip the computer all together.
 
For $40, I picked up VHS To DVD at Sam's Club or B.J.s. It goes from the VCR to an converter box, to the USB port. It has software to make capture and burning simple for even a layperson. However, the combo VHS/DVD Player and Recorder would be easier, just a bit pricier.
 
In considering the transfer using either a combo DVD/VHS or using a VCR and a separate DVD recorder, remember that older VHS tapes, especially ones that have been played many times, often have damage to their control tracks. This can mess with the information in the blanking.

Your friend might find that he needs to send the signal through a time base corrector to stabilize the video. I've done a few VHS transfers, and have found myself using a TBC more often than not.
 
I just bought a cheap-o $50 Wal-Mart special standalone DVD burner, and hooked it up to the output of my VCR. Works well for most stuff, and is easy enough for pretty much anyone to use.

Of course if editing is required, I would probably go with a PC solution -- although there are some standalone burners with hard drives still avaiable that can do basic editing. I think Wal-Mart has one for around $250.
 
I would serioulsy suggest using a Super VHS with four heads (ones that have full frame TBC) the reason being VHS tapes Timing signals at the bottom are the first things to degrade due to structure of tape and gravity + mould.

Using a full frame TBC.

Secondly be very weary of digital breakout boxes, certainly many budget digital capture cards do not captul at full D1 resolution, the argument being interlaced source only shows half the resolution; however from my own test of full resolution capture vs half resolution capture I have found full resolution to look much better.

I would capture with the mildest compression then use VHS filters in VirtualDUB such as chroma filtering and noise removal to clean up the signal further, I would then use NLE to do full CC on it before using a two pass encode.

Anhar
 
I would capture with the mildest compression then use VHS filters in VirtualDUB such as chroma filtering and noise removal to clean up the signal further, I would then use NLE to do full CC on it before using a two pass encode.
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shouldn't you at least take her for dinner first.
 
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