Converting VHS to DVD - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

BGY11 · 2010-03-14, 10:03 PM

Just curious what you guys would recommend for converting VHS tapes onto DVD media (and maybe adding things like custom titles and such). I have about 6-7 tapes to encode. I'd need a decent capture card and software (though I'm guessing something like Adobe Premiere Elements could do the job).

(mod note: I did try searching beforehand as I thought there was already a recent similar topic, but I didn't find anything - feel free to move this if needed)

james99 · 2010-03-14, 10:07 PM

try this: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=120970 similiar thread

Paolo · 2010-03-14, 10:32 PM

alotta ppl think they have no need for a dvd recorder, i thought so too, but i found that i made good use of one, plus i won it at a party so it didnt cost me much, and they gone down in price any way.

DSgamby · 2010-03-14, 10:37 PM

I agree, the DVD recorder is great thing to have

My dad won the DVD recorder at a Golfing Tournament and gave it to me.

blueroomelectro · 2010-03-14, 11:15 PM

They make a USB VCR, I saw one at The Source awhile back.
You can then edit it and add titles with software like Pinnacle Studio.
http://gizmodo.com/382669/ion-audios...-bell-episodes

DSgamby · 2010-03-14, 11:27 PM

Love the title on that article

Quote:

Ion Audio's VCR2PC USB VHS Ripper Digitizes Your Old Saved By the Bell Episodes

lol

sleemo · 2010-03-15, 07:56 AM

Here's an older thread about the same subject.

Wayne · 2010-03-18, 09:55 AM

I would recommend pretty much any PC tuner card that has video inputs. You can likely find a card like the Hauppauge PVR-150 very cheaply (<$50) as it has been discontinued. This will capture the video as an MPEG-2 file which is probably the most popular type of video file which can be used in almost any video related software and MPEG-2 doesn't have to be re-encoded to be converted to DVD format (VOB files) since they are essentially MPEG-2 files.

You can then use lots of different software to edit, add titles, still photos, background music, etc. and then author to DVD. Adobe Premiere Elements will work as will Windows Movie Maker and I believe similar software comes with Macs. You might need a separate program to do the DVD authoring but I believe you can find free programs to do that.

Personally I think you are far better off capturing to a PC rather than using a DVD recorder, but even if you do capture to a DVD recorder you could then rip the DVD file to your PC's hard drive.

And then you will have a TV tuner card that you can use for other purposes, such as using your PC as a PVR.

BGY11 · 2010-03-22, 12:37 AM

Thanks for the info.

I actually forgot I had an old WinTV PVR-USB2 box kicking around. Although it doesn't work with Windows 7, my father's computer is using XP and that's where the capturing would be done.

I appreciate the comments regarding a DVD recorder, but considering I want to edit the videos after, I think the capture card would indeed be the better solution. VHS tape is already poor quality to begin with (not to mention some of the videos are old), and I'd rather convert video as little as possible.

2010-03-14, 10:03 PM	#1
BGY11 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 3,168	Converting VHS to DVD Just curious what you guys would recommend for converting VHS tapes onto DVD media (and maybe adding things like custom titles and such). I have about 6-7 tapes to encode. I'd need a decent capture card and software (though I'm guessing something like Adobe Premiere Elements could do the job). (mod note: I did try searching beforehand as I thought there was already a recent similar topic, but I didn't find anything - feel free to move this if needed)

2010-03-14, 11:15 PM	#5
blueroomelectro Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 672	They make a USB VCR, I saw one at The Source awhile back. You can then edit it and add titles with software like Pinnacle Studio. http://gizmodo.com/382669/ion-audios...-bell-episodes __________________ Bill My blog

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2010-03-14, 10:07 PM	#2
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	try this: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=120970 similiar thread

2010-03-14, 10:32 PM	#3
Paolo Veteran Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Regional Municipality of Durham Posts: 2,695	alotta ppl think they have no need for a dvd recorder, i thought so too, but i found that i made good use of one, plus i won it at a party so it didnt cost me much, and they gone down in price any way.

2010-03-14, 10:37 PM	#4
DSgamby Veteran Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario Posts: 3,896	I agree, the DVD recorder is great thing to have My dad won the DVD recorder at a Golfing Tournament and gave it to me.

2010-03-15, 07:56 AM	#7
sleemo Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The Scarb Posts: 2,781	Here's an older thread about the same subject.

2010-03-18, 09:55 AM	#8
Wayne Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Scarboro Posts: 5,568	I would recommend pretty much any PC tuner card that has video inputs. You can likely find a card like the Hauppauge PVR-150 very cheaply (<$50) as it has been discontinued. This will capture the video as an MPEG-2 file which is probably the most popular type of video file which can be used in almost any video related software and MPEG-2 doesn't have to be re-encoded to be converted to DVD format (VOB files) since they are essentially MPEG-2 files. You can then use lots of different software to edit, add titles, still photos, background music, etc. and then author to DVD. Adobe Premiere Elements will work as will Windows Movie Maker and I believe similar software comes with Macs. You might need a separate program to do the DVD authoring but I believe you can find free programs to do that. Personally I think you are far better off capturing to a PC rather than using a DVD recorder, but even if you do capture to a DVD recorder you could then rip the DVD file to your PC's hard drive. And then you will have a TV tuner card that you can use for other purposes, such as using your PC as a PVR.

2010-03-22, 12:37 AM	#9
BGY11 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 3,168	Thanks for the info. I actually forgot I had an old WinTV PVR-USB2 box kicking around. Although it doesn't work with Windows 7, my father's computer is using XP and that's where the capturing would be done. I appreciate the comments regarding a DVD recorder, but considering I want to edit the videos after, I think the capture card would indeed be the better solution. VHS tape is already poor quality to begin with (not to mention some of the videos are old), and I'd rather convert video as little as possible.