How to convert VHS to DVD with a DVD Recorder

When transferring your home videos, the advantages of DVDs outweigh those of VHS tapes. VHS film can degrade over time and the cassette casings are vulnerable to damage as well as well make the tape useless. Storage is easier with DVDs since they take up less space than videos. In addition the definition of the film and sound is higher on DVDs.

So how does one convert video tapes to DVDs to salvage them for the future? There are several options.  For starters, you could use a VHS to DVD conversion service that will do the transfer for you.  We are one of those companies.  Visit our conversion page today at http://www.vintagevhs.net/vintagevhs_services.html

But if you are computer savvy you can do it yourself, and even though we are in the converting organization , we also like to help out where we can and share the knowledge we know, so you know.

The computer savvy will use  their comp  to transfer their family videos  to DVD. It requires copying  the video to a digital file on the laptop using an analog converter. The file gets reduced to MPEG-2 format before being burned onto a DVD. This task takes some time, but it allows you to make adjustments  to the footage , like special effects or music , before you burn it to the DVD . Depending on the burning software that you use, you could add a menu or other special features. The process can be very slow because you have to transfer the file twice: first from the video to the computer and then again from the comp to the DVD.

To spare some time and effort, you can duplicate the video  to a DVD without the use of a comp. There are two options to do this:

The first involves getting a DVD recorder that allows input from another source. Just attach your VCR player by cables to the DVD recorder and while the video plays, it records.

You could also purchase a combination DVD/VCR recorder. It does the same thing as the previous option without needing to connect any cords.

If you do the conversion yourself, be sure that you have cleaned the heads of the VHS tapes between replicating videos. Your old tapes could  carry a lot of dust or other particles that could block up the VCR. And because you are copying directly from the film  to the DVD, any picture quality difficulties  you have with the video will show up  on the finalized DVD. Knowing that if you have videos which are recorded at S.L.P. you will not get the exact quality  of recording onto a DVD as if the video was recorded at S.P. If you find the quality  is not acceptable for you, consider changing your method of converting.

For more information visit our blog at Video Editing Blog http://www.vintagevhs.net/Video_Editing_blog.html

Converting home videos from VHS tapes present only minor problems. VCRs and VHS or Hi-8 recorders are with R.C.A. modulation movie  and sound outputs that can be easily connected to a DVR or a DVD Recorder as well as to a computer port such as U.S.B. using an adapter and video program.

Unlike VHS and Hi-8 cassettes viewed on VCRs and camcorders, older film reels of family movies  present a different obstacle to convert them to a digital formats. The older 8mm  projectors do not have film video output jacks. The older film projectors never converted the movies to any analog signal, what they did was just to mainly pass the images  on footage in front of the projector light. There's not really an easy way to directly replicate this content to a digital format.

Consider using lVintage VHS conversion services to transfer the videos; only $10 a reel this month.

Based on how many 8mm reels you have and your budget, getting a professional to do it may be the best choice . Family members might usually are more than happy to chip in for the conversion if they end up with copies themselves. Getting a group of contributors could make this option even more affordable.