Topic: Technical Question (Read 1500 times)

Dracho · « **on:** September 20, 2006, 04:06:53 pm »

I have some old VHS home movies that I'd like to burn to DVD. How does one do that? Can I hook the VCR into my PC and use software to do it?

I can take it down to the video store, but that's kind of expensive.

Sirgod · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2006, 04:35:55 pm »

Yep, or if you want, I have an Old Dazzle unit that runs off a printer port. It will allow you to copy directly to your hard drive and VHS films.

The easiest way though, is to get something like a TV card. That way you can just Copy the film, and then burn it.

Stephen

Dracho · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2006, 04:40:19 pm »

Well, I have video inputs on my video cards (X1900 in Crossfire mode), so I was wondering if I just pluge the video in there and then the sound into the sound card and use some software. Hrm, only one sound input though, and a stereo vcr.

Sirgod · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2006, 05:00:44 pm »

Yeah, I ran into that a few years ago, when I was trying to run Cable TV through an old pC. That windows TV thingie really was difficult to set up.

For the sound, You can probably go to Radio shack and get an adapter for two RGA lines to one Mic jack.

Stephen

Just plain old Punisher · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2006, 06:30:14 pm »

Quote from: Dracho on September 20, 2006, 04:40:19 pm

Well, I have video inputs on my video cards (X1900 in Crossfire mode), so I was wondering if I just pluge the video in there and then the sound into the sound card and use some software. Hrm, only one sound input though, and a stereo vcr.

The video inputs on your video cards are probably S-Video.

What I would do is go out and purchase one of those do it yourself kits that take in RCA/Coax input and than convert it to DVD format.

It takes a pretty powerfull computer to do that tho.

NJAntman · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2006, 06:59:46 pm »

I've done camcorder VHS-C tapes to DVD by using a TV capture card (ie.,WinFast TV2000 XP). Audio and video out (either composite or S-video depending on the camcorder/VCR) to the capture cards inputs, plays the image through the card and into the computer. Cards acompanying software (ie., ULEAD Video Studio 7) records the image to a mpg file. That file(s) can then be edited (ie.,ULEAD DVD Movie Factory) which also syncs up with the CD/DVD writer to burn it as VCD or DVD.

I got my TV2000 XP card fairly cheap ($50), but the trade-off is the need of a good processor. For instance I'm only running a 1GHz Athlon with 768 Ram, so my recordings made it to the DVD with "visual artifacts" such as a blue sky having a patern of uniform blue lines interspaced through it as the ULEAD programs tried to compensate by "averaging out" the large sky. Also the burn to DVD can take several hours for each hour of real-time footage.

Regular VCR should be the same pricipal, as long you've got long enough cables to reach.

Commander Maxillius · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2006, 12:07:19 pm »

It's gonna take forever though. If you've ever converted vinyl to MP3 you'll know that you have to do it real-time.

Also, you really only need a way to record video into your PC. The simmpplest way would be to filter your tapes through a digital camcorder if you've got one. The camcorder will record the incoming video as digital automatically, but it'll still be slow as your VCR only plays at one speed.

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