How to Convert VHS Tapes to Digital

Convert your Video Tapes to DVD, Flash Video, iTunes, iPod, iPhone etc etc... In other words, in this video I show you how to capture your legendary VHS tapes into a file on your computer that you can do whatever you want with!
This is my own method of choice. By all means use this as a rough guide and apply your own knowledge to the situation, or follow the tutorial exactly. Either way, I hope this is helpful to you in some way.
Here's the link to the piece of kit I use in the video:
http://www.lindy.co.uk/scart-splitter-4-way-switched-rgb-support/35597.html
Looks a bit different but it's a newer version.

This video is aimed at people who own ANY capture card! So just go out there and buy one that supports your OS and you'll be able to follow my steps :)

Thanks very much for watching and I hope you all enjoy!

http://www.twitter.com/tom_j_smith

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Convert VHS to DVD
• How to Convert VHS to Digital
• How to add VHS to Computer
• Video to DVD
• DVD
• Video
• VHS
• VCR
• Scart
• Betamax
• Video2000
• V2000
• Philips
• Skateboarding

[tex4568]

my question is about how much space does an individual video take up, let's say for instance a 2 hour movie?

[ItsMyNaturalColour]

@tex4568 Good question... It depends on the recording quality and video format that you chose to record in. This is done in the software that comes with your capture cards. Simpler "DVD Kit" styled capture card software tends to leave you with not much flexibility, but the software that comes with your normal capture card should allow you to change pretty much anything. A 2 hour film on average settings could be anywhere from 650MB to over a GB. Larger with better quality...

[tex4568]

@ItsMyNaturalColour Thanks for the quick feedback! That sounds great. I have alot of videos I want to convert but about 700 GB of freespace so doubt I'll fill all that up.

[ItsMyNaturalColour]

@tex4568 No problem! :) Should be totally fine. Even if you do chose options which give you a slightly higher than desired file size, you could always use another program to further compress the video. The fun of this stuff is experimentation, and it's awesome to watch the fins as you record them in too! :)

[NaviLight]

Possible to do it the other way? Computer to VHS?

[ItsMyNaturalColour]

@NaviLight It's extremely possible. The best thing I found was to burn a DVD first, and then plug the DVD player into the AV inputs on a VHS player (higher end models), and record onto a blank tape just as you would off the TV a few years ago. That's quite a bit of hassle, so I guess you could get a VGA to composite adaptor and output directly from the computer, but I doubt that'll work properly. DVD's are good for one thing, and that's making new VHS tapes!! :D

[MaggieGem04]

Great tutorial, certainly the easiest to follow that I found.

[sbdem1986]

What if I just buy a VHS to DVD 2 in 1 recorder and just dub from the VHS tape to a blank DVD on the same device, would I get a better quality?

[1ITalbot]

do you have to use the splitter

[MrYGOmaster1]

Thanks. nice tutorial

[mulattokid]

Thank you young man. I still have about 200 VHS that have to be converted. I have given up on buying VHS - DVD recorders after the third one has just died.

[azshaw123]

Digital is fucking garbage..You must agree...Pixalated crap that you can't watch

[azshaw123]

Come on...??????????? Jimi Hendrix..rs232 interface..Lower case of course

[azshaw123]

Same for betamax...Or are you what you look like?..You must Know what i mean at this point..Thank you.

[stankgaz]

OMG u rabbit on too much just get on with it