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How to convert VHS to DVD?

markcres

markcres

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 30, 2006
323
316
UK
Hi folks,

Can anyone point me to an idiot-proof "straight out of the box" solution to convert some of my old VHS home videos to DVD???

I have Intel iMAC with iLife and Miglia TVmini (digital terrestrial).. I also have Toast 7 titanium.

Any advice from a suitably knowledgable gent or lady most appreciated.

Cheers
Mark
 
Do you have a digital camcorder or could you borrow one?

Many people do these transfers by connecting the VCR to video inputs on a camcorder, and then transferring the video to their Mac in a second pass.

Some camcorders even have a pass-through mode, so they can do the analog-to-digital conversion without actually recording, making it a one-pass operation: VCR to camcorder to computer.
 
Hi.. and thanks for the advice.

No... I don't have a camcorder (spent all my money on an iMac!!) just a VHS machine and the Intel Mac.

After snouting through the previous topics it would seem that if I can convert my VHS signal into digital (like camcorder out VD format) I can get it piped into the MAC via the firewire port.

I'm off to Maplin now to see what kit they have....

Thanks
Mark
 
1. An analog to digital video convertor. I use the Canopus ADVC-110.
2. A digital camcorder.
3. A standalone DVD recorder.
4. A TV Tuner with RCA/S-Video inputs
 
Miglia Director's Cut....only problem is, I think it cost me like $400 or some crazy amount, which you could get a $200 VCR+DVD-RW in one unit. The downside to that is that you don't have iMovie to edit the video the way you want.
 
markcres said:
Hi folks,

Can anyone point me to an idiot-proof "straight out of the box" solution to convert some of my old VHS home videos to DVD???

I have Intel iMAC with iLife and Miglia TVmini (digital terrestrial).. I also have Toast 7 titanium.

Any advice from a suitably knowledgable gent or lady most appreciated.

Cheers
Mark
Click to expand...
You might look at something like a JVC DR-MV1S DVD Recorder/VCR.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/discrecorders/704jvc/

A lot easier than importing, mastering and burning on a computer.

The down side is that you don't have the flexibility of the computer route.

For using your computer, you might want to look at something like the DAC-200:

http://www.datavideo.us/products/dac_200_main_page.htm

I find that if I only want to make a simple copy, the DR-MV1S works fine for me. When I want to edit the tape copy, put in chapter markers, etc. then the computer route with the DAC-200 is the better solution.

Cost wise, the biggest issue will be the resultant quality that you want. The better quality the more you will pay. For example, a DAC-10 will cost you around $700 where as a DAC-200 will cost around $200.

As I understand there is a significant difference in the converting quality of these two devices (DAC-10 and DAC-200). And the cost reflects it.

Another option would be to use a MiniDV camcorder to convert your footage. Personally, if I did not already have a camcorder, I would opt for the DAC-200 or DR-MV1S type solution.

BTW, there are a few converters on the market. Canopus (http://www.canopus.com/) makes some good ones as well.
 
I used my Eye TV 200 to do this a few times. Since you already have one, I doubt another TV tuner is what you'd need though...
 
markcres said:
Hi folks,

Can anyone point me to an idiot-proof "straight out of the box" solution to convert some of my old VHS home videos to DVD???

I have Intel iMAC with iLife and Miglia TVmini (digital terrestrial).. I also have Toast 7 titanium.

Any advice from a suitably knowledgable gent or lady most appreciated.

Cheers
Mark
Click to expand...

You might also just consider paying someone to have it done . . . assuming you don't want to edit.
 
markcres said:
Hi folks,

Can anyone point me to an idiot-proof "straight out of the box" solution to convert some of my old VHS home videos to DVD???

I have Intel iMAC with iLife and Miglia TVmini (digital terrestrial).. I also have Toast 7 titanium.

Any advice from a suitably knowledgable gent or lady most appreciated.

Cheers
Mark
Click to expand...
Oh if you're just going to go straight out of the box get a standalone DVD recorder. Just plug in a VCR to it and record in high quality mode. Some DVD Recorder/VCR Combo's do copying to DVD from VHS.
 
vhs to dvd conversion

or you can visit and try VHS to DVD and copy your home video tapes to dvd. You can get a pretty good conversion at a reasonable price from a lot of places. But what are most of these companies lacking? Care and attention to detail! Other ways you get totally amateurish product done with domestic equipment.
link: http://www.vhs-to-dvd.com/
 
Heck, I've done it and I don't understand half these answers :D

I bought an AV/DV converter, plugged the VCR into said converter, plugged said converter into the Firewire socket on my iMac, pressed play on the VCR and imported to iMovie. You can then edit, add chapter markers, or nothing at all, then send to iDVD for burning.
 
Converting VHS to DVD to computer

I have converted all my old VHS home videos on to DVD, using a combined VHS/DVD player which has a recording function. I now want to back these DVDs up on to my computer, but when I try to copy them via Toast, I am unable to. I don't think the format that they are in (Universal Disk Format) is recognised. How can I burn these DVDs?
 
vhs to dvd

go to the S--Y Store and buy a recorder device that is probably approx 220 dollars and can take vhs hookups,external dvd devices, as well as other electronic devices. you put in a blank recordable dvd and can select vhs-dvd and it will transfer your vhs to dvd at normal speed. the device is white and the size of a hard cover book. this does all the work for you-works awesome
Thomas
 
peanuthead said:
I purchased the Elgato Video Capture from Amazon for about $86. It works very well. Simple and painless.
Click to expand...

Hi, may I ask how the quality is? Is the movie and sound synchron after let's say 30 to 60 minutes? I bought such a capture device for windows a few years ago, but the sound and pictures where not synchron after 10 minutes!
 
If you have a Tivo, you can use that!

I'm not sure about newer Tivo's, but my Series 2 is great. Just hook the vcr into the inputs on the tivo, and tell the tivo to accept video from the inputs instead of RF. Once recorded, I then copy the file to my mac over the network using iTivo.
 
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