Need Family Vids VHS-to-DVD

[Interrupt]

Hey all,

Looking for a means for backing up all the old family videos (previously converted from film to VHS by a studio), and making DVDs from them. They're beginning to degrade in VHS form and I'd really love to preserve them.

Unfortunately this isn't my area of computer expertise.

I'm seeing two options: AV composite-to-high speed USB transfer wires and actual units that do all the leg work and spit out a DVD. To be honest this only really pays off if I can do this for under $200 or around that amount since I can just go get the same studio to, this time, transfer the VHS to DVD (though they do cost significantly more).

On: VHS to DVD Converters Review 2012 | Convert VHS to DVD | Easy Transfer of VHS Tapes to DVD - TopTenREVIEWS -- I'm seeing the cables. Like that Diamond Video one. I'm assuming you plug one end into the output on the VHS player and - with software - record the video to mpeg, avi or a similar format. Then create a DVD from that. Would this assessment be correct?

How does that method stand up to actual hardware that literally does the conversion and spit out a DVD?

I like the cable idea because I can keep backup computer versions prior to authoring to DVD, so if the DVD gets scratched I keep a digital copy. Plus, I know those things come with software but I do have DVD authoring software if that matters.

Anyone have any input on what I should purchase? That Diamond Video Capture seems to get a high review -- they may just be pushing it, which is why no matter what I'll also check around the stores and Amazon, etc. Just looking for opinions, methods and the finer points of doing this.

Thanks all

Edit -- Just noticed all the threads on the issue, sorry! But still if anyone is willing to help, I'd appreciate the advice.

[RobRich]

I'm assuming you plug one end into the output on the VHS player and - with software - record the video to mpeg, avi or a similar format. Then create a DVD from that. Would this assessment be correct?

Pretty much. The Diamond USB capture device should suffice. If you crack open a hundred cheap video capture cards/dongles, you will likely find like a half dozen or so actual manufacturers providing the chipsets.

Case in point, I still use an old WinTV PCI card with a Brooktree chipset for standard definition video captures. Think 1990s. Probably like $10-$20 on eBay these days.

[Interrupt]

Lol that's awesome, I would have thought it was going to be a heck of a lot more technical.

Should I even be looking at these more expensive things with software or just go get any old cable and find someones open source program? By the way thanks for the quick reply, my parents are going to be thrilled about this!

[paul9]

I used to use a TV card like that, too.
You could also grab a cheap DVD recorder with VHS built in from Ebay. That should be easy to use.

[RobRich]

As much as I like the open source route, go ahead and drop the few dollars more for an off-the-shelf solution with some point-and-click software IMO, like the Diamond card you linked.

That way you are not initially annoyed with setting up codecs, configuring a bunch of settings, etc. You can get to work, then learn as you go if you later want to delve into other video apps, techniques, etc.

[Interrupt]

I also found one of those Philips DVD-R & VHS players on Ebay for $66. I'm considering that with the wire now. Not sure. I don't really want someone else's setup only because I don't know how it'll fair but it does have a return policy (to be honest, I've had some bad experiences with eBay and their accounts being hacked repeatedly; closed my account but I may open one just for this). This particular one says DVD-to-VHS, but maybe it'll do the reverse, I'll check if I decide to go this route.

Still figuring out what would be best. RR, do you think I should get the cable or the DVD-R/VHS player? XD Is there any quality difference between the two? The pro on the side of an actual unit is that I won't be tying up a PC and can always rip the DVD later for a backup copy.

Edit - reason I'm considering the DVD-R/VHS player approach is that I'm seeing a lot of negative reviews of Diamond, saying how it will fail at syncing voices, etc. Then again for an external capture, this gets a better review too: Amazon.com: Ion Video 2 PC Digital Video Converter: Electronics so not sure.

[RobRich]

Several of the VHS/DVD hybrids can only playback DVDs, so check specs closely.

If you want to do the standalone solution, and you already have a decent VCR, then you can pickup a basic tunerless DVD recorder for like $50 used/refurb. You are not dealing with macrovision protection on VHS family videos, so there should be no problem.

Quality is subjective, but standard VHS is not a HQ format anyway. Unless you are into doing linear video filtering, I doubt you are going to notice a difference regardless of whatever basic route you choose.

Going the more difficult route with linear filtering, you could capture to lossless with VirtualDub and process for deinterlacing, chroma shifting, denoising, etc.; then encode, master, and burn. Watch out, video processing can quickly turn from hobby to obsession, as there are so many different ways to go about it. I walked away from most of it years ago.

[RobRich]

BTW, now you have me wanting to digitally linear process my older animes.

[Interrupt]

BTW, now you have me wanting to digitally linear process my older animes.

Dork

Thanks for all the info, RR, yeah I think you were right on that model I was looking at. It looked like it was DVD playable (it was actually saying it could play DVD-Rs but not write to them). I think my best bet from what you're saying is one of the many cables.

Thanks a bunch!

And yeah, you really sound like you know your stuff when it comes to video. Did you go to school for it or anything? Or just an enthusiast? Cool stuff.

[Taxmancometh]

And yeah, you really sound like you know your stuff when it comes to video. Did you go to school for it or anything? Or just an enthusiast? Cool stuff.

No, I think Rob is a jack of all trades of sorts...

[RobRich]

Did you go to school for it or anything? Or just an enthusiast? Cool stuff.

Enthusiast. I was interested in the technology aspects: compression formats, linear filtering algorithms, etc. I rarely open VirtualDub anymore, and I have probably forgotten most of even the basic AviSynth commands.

As to the artistic side of video, I never really got deep into non-linear video editing techniques. I might could quickly toss a few clips together with Windows Movie Maker, or whatever Microsoft calls it these days.

[Taxmancometh]

I've toyed around with Sony Vegas. Flight Simulator: A Day In The Life Of a Sim Pilot *Test* - YouTube

[Interrupt]

I used to do my own music and used to mess around in acid and a few of those music mixing problems (I have a Korg Electribe and a Roland MC307 grovebox), but never did anything for video. VirtualDub looks absolutely amazing but, yeah, I guess if you don't use that kind of stuff regularly you lose it because it can very technical right? Hats off to anyone that ever learned or use that kind of stuff. I've always been interested.

Tax, you made that video??? that's amazing..... music is great... :O

[RobRich]

I should have no problem still working with VirtualDub. It can look a little complex at first, but it is actually quite an intuitive interface once you learn the terminologies.

AviSynth is the one where I probably would have to do a quick skim of the docs to get back on track. It is a script-based approach to processing video.

AviSynth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Taxmancometh]

Tax, you made that video??? that's amazing..... music is great... :O

Yes! I'm an avid Flight Simulator fan. What you saw was my PMDG 737-700. PMDG Simulations