VHS tapes bring old memories alive. Sadly, VHS has lost its identity with advanced technology and devices and certainly came to extinction.
To restore the data or content of your VHS tapes, there are several ways;
Either you can seek professional help where retailers or service providers like YesVideo will convert your VHS content into reels photographs and help you save it on your PCs. But these services do not come free; you have to throw in some money and get the work done.
The second option is to use a little help and transfer files from the VHS recorder to DVD all by yourself. Either way, you must digitalize the old VHS content or accept to lose it forever.
Ways to convert VHS to DVD
If you want VHS tapes to stand forever, you must convert them soon. If you have a DVD player, you can transfer them onto the discs, and if you don’t, you can transfer them to your computer.
To ease your trouble, I want to give you a little insight into how you can convert a VHS to DVD;
Method 1: Use a standalone DVD recorder
This is a good way to digitize your data. Buy a new DVD recorder from the store or visit yournabe.com. This recorder makes a DVD copy for you in real-time. Though these recorders cost around $200, they do not give you much customization or setting options like buttons, menu, etc., but even then, it’s known as the easiest and fastest way to convert VHS tapes.
- Suppose you have a video player at home or a camcorder with a Firewire connection. In that case, you can buy a DVD recorder that’s compatible or has Firewire ports to transfer data in much better quality. These ports are similar to USB but are flattered from the end.
- Make sure your DVD recorder and the Video player should be compatible with S-video or RCA cable. Before buying any cable, just check the ports on the device only then buy a cable.
- If you own a camcorder, the trouble is reduced to half because the camcorder already comes with the cable needed for the DVD recorder to connect.
- Now connect the camcorder to your DVD recorder.
- Insert the VHS tape into the VCR or camcorder if you have. And, also insert a disc in the DVD recorder.
- Now press “RECORD” on the DVD recorder. But before that, make sure to keep the DVD recorder on to avoid any cut-off in the video.
- Then press “PLAY” on the VCR or camcorder immediately after pressing record. If you wish to cut any part from the video, you can press “PAUSE” and fast forward to the part you want to cut. Once you have reached the portion where the editing is almost done, you can restart the DVD recorder and play the tape.
- Press “STOP” once the recording has reached the end. If the video ends automatically, then the DVD recorder will stop automatically.
Method 2: Convert to an editable reel to save on your computer
For the method, you will need a working VCR, a digital video converter, a working PC with a DVD burner, empty DVD-R, editing software, DVD burning software. This method is not as easy as it looks; for 1 hour of video transfer, you will have to spend many hours or probably an entire day. However, this method gives you some flexibility over video editing, such as adding special effects, music, reels, etc.
- You will need an analog to digital video converter for this method to work successfully, which costs around $75 or more. Higher the converter’s cost is better for the editing; besides, you will get some extra editing software along with the converter.
- Now that you have the converter, connect the VCR to the computer and the analog-to-digital converter. It has a USB port and colored RCA cables on the other end. Connect the RCA cable to the respective color present at the back of your VCR and through the USB, get it connected to the computer.
- Open the editing software compatible with Mac and Windows and run it in your system.
- Now import the video; this would take more time depending upon your drive MPEG file.
- If the software you are using is Moviemaker, select File> Import from Digital Video Camera> Follow commands to import the video.
- Edit the video if you want to.
- Burn the DVD by selecting the menu icon in the Movie Maker> Select Save Movie>Burn DVD>Follow commands to burn the DVD.
- Make sure the PC is on at all times, or else the DVD process will be interrupted.
Conclusion
The best way to digitize your VHS content is to transfer it into DVD. Both methods are great and effective in getting your VHS clips or videos in the highest pixel quality. Hopefully, this quick guide was insightful. Thanks for scrolling through.