VHS to AVI/DVD?

cormie

Hi,
My mam has a few VHS videos she's like to convert to files playable on computer/tablet and maybe a DVD too. It's a few old recordings that she's like to hold on to but wants to clear out all the old VHS she has at the same time.

Can anyone recommend a place to get this done or is anyone here close to Bray who might be able to do it? I know it's a simple but slow process but I guess doesn't require too much per video, just set up, let it run and record and come back an hour or two later and it's done.

Any info appreciated!

Kristopherus

You can do it yourself. The question has been asked a few times on boards. To make a dvd you have to have a vcr/dvd combi recorder or else 2 seperate recorders. play the tapes on the vcr to the tv and record on the dvd recorder whats playing on the tv. Very basic but hope it helps.

cormie

Thanks for the tip, I forgot about the DVD recorder through TV option alright, but to be honest, I think I'd prefer them to be on media files for use on the computer, so avi/mpeg4/mkv or what have you.

Does anyone have a set up where they can record directly to their laptop and would be able to do it that way?

Kristopherus

Only suggestion I can give is to save the files on the dvd to a folder for each dvd on your computer. Its an awful lot of work for what should be a relatively simple procedure.

towger

I did this a few years ago when I had a DVD recorder. I still had the VHS-C tapes and the camcorder so was able to input the camcorder into the DVD . Then copied the DVD files onto the laptop, and converted to mpeg . I've subsequently copied them over to an Iomega media player.

Complete pain the the ass the whole process taking endless hours. If you can get it done somewhere for a few quid it is money well spent in my opinion to be honest.

cormie

Fancy a few quid towger?

wil

I've used a Hauppauge WinTv usb dongle which gives pretty decent capture to mpeg2 on laptop.
Quality was about as good as the original.

You might find cheaper on ebay etc, though they are not as common as they were. Some of the cheap Chinese ones are not great.

Aldi were selling a TV capture dongle for €20 recently, dont know how good it is.

If you use DVD recorder, you could use Freemake or other converter to convert the DVD to avi.

Edit - Meant to add, it is a pita as little blips in the tape can cause the capture macrovision to kick in and interupt the record, so original needs to be decent.

towger

You couldn't afford me :rolleyes:.

But seriously, I don't have the necessary gear any more . If you can get somebody with a DVD Recorder you will be more or less sorted..

the_syco

Buy an EasyCAP. It'll cost maybe 10 or 20 on ebay, but don't pay more than €25. Plugs into the USB port of your PC.

Get one of these;
for €4 in PowerCity. HAS TO BE the one with an in/out switch.

You get recording software with the EasyCAP. Hook the VCR via scart to the above converter, through the EasyCAP device, and your PC records it. Very simple once setup. Simply press play on the VCR, press record on the software, and come back when it's finished and you have the AVI file. Most DVD programs will allow you to turn the AVI file into a DVD movie.

Here's a few people selling the EasyCAP device and the video editing CD for a tenner; http://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/q_easycap/

=-=

As per the location, I'm based in Leixlip if you want me to record them for you.

cormie

Hmm, I actually have a hauppage thing from years ago. DOn't have a VHS though. Just need to find a young nerd who spends a lot of time on boards and the internet and could leave it recording in the background for a fiver a tape or something

towger

I also used one of those USB dongle things and the quality was crap. Frames per second was terrible. But it was a cheap one so you probably get what you pay for. But USB will always have its limits . FireWire is an option but not compatible with a lot of stuff so never worked for me.

wil

the_syco wrote: »

Buy an EasyCAP. .

My experience with them was not great, very finnicky, software poor and capture quality below par, mind you probably to be expected as paid not much more than a tenner for them from HK.

The Hauppauge was so much better.

cormie

I think I remember using the hauppage one to watch tv and it came through pretty well bar the reception at the time. Never tried a VCR hooked up to it though.

the_syco

wil wrote: »

My experience with them was not great, very finnicky, software poor and capture quality below par, mind you probably to be expected as paid not much more than a tenner for them from HK.

The Hauppauge was so much better.

For what I paid, I wasn't expecting class. It also depends on the video player, and the video itself. A lot of the videos I've been given would have been recorded 10-25 years ago, and thus the quality would have degraded a bit.

The fact that they don't make VHS players anymore makes it a bit harder to get a decent VHS player.

The EasyCAP recorded the videos at 720*576, and I actually used other software as I found the one that came with it not the best at times. The other problem with the EasyCAP was that it only works with 32 bit machines, but luckily I have a spare machine here. Have never used a Hauppauge card before, as they'd be too costly, when I'd only be using it very seldom.

wil

the_syco wrote: »

For what I paid, I wasn't expecting class. It also depends on the video player, and the video itself. A lot of the videos I've been given would have been recorded 10-25 years ago, and thus the quality would have degraded a bit.

The fact that they don't make VHS players anymore makes it a bit harder to get a decent VHS player.

The EasyCAP recorded the videos at 720*576, and I actually used other software as I found the one that came with it not the best at times. The other problem with the EasyCAP was that it only works with 32 bit machines, but luckily I have a spare machine here. Have never used a Hauppauge card before, as they'd be too costly, when I'd only be using it very seldom.

Absolutely agree, degradation and mould are the curse of VHS and video heads. For a while everyone was getting rid of videos so picked up one for nothing for someday when I need. And then my very nice Sanyo with PIP and digital freezeframe died so I was glad of a spare.
They make handy UHF modulators for sending DTT and satellite FTA to other rooms.

I had set up a HTPC with an EasyCap for various capture purposes but gave up on it as the software was rubbish and couldnt get it to work properly with my WinDVR sw.
The Hauppauge I picked up off adverts was so much handier as it has remote as well and DTT built in. It just seemed to work well. I've seen EasyCaps in shops for a lot more, but I dont know if there are cheap or fake versions or if they are all the same.

cormie

Hi, thanks for the reply and PM. I'm afraid €20 is over my budget for this and there's a few websites offering the same for around the same money too. What kind of price would you give say on 10 videos of unknown length?

AndrewJRenko

Hope it's OK to bump this - has anyone any recommendations for someone who can do this VHS to digital conversion for me? Just a couple of hours of family stuff - but irreplaceable in it's own way, so I want someone reliable. Dublin city or south Dublin would be great.

Johnboy1951

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Hope it's OK to bump this - has anyone any recommendations for someone who can do this VHS to digital conversion for me? Just a couple of hours of family stuff - but irreplaceable in it's own way, so I want someone reliable. Dublin city or south Dublin would be great.

Frowned upon to resurrect old threads

This company might do what you need
http://www.specialistav.ie/

cormie

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Hope it's OK to bump this - has anyone any recommendations for someone who can do this VHS to digital conversion for me? Just a couple of hours of family stuff - but irreplaceable in it's own way, so I want someone reliable. Dublin city or south Dublin would be great.

If you're on facebook, there's a guy who does it in the "Bray Open Forum" group. I think he gave me a quote before and it was reasonable, but he's gotten more expensive recently.

aoh

The FujiFilm shop in Blackrock Shopping Centre id one for me a few years back. Can't remember how much it cost but they did a good job. I then just copied the files onto the PC and I can right-click the folder and play.