Don't Throw Out Those Videotapes - Converting VHS Tapes to CDs, DVDs Involves More Crash Than Burn

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Wednesday, July 30, 2003 | WALTER S. MOSSBERG

[TroutStalker]

Millions of people have committed their family memories to videotape -- either the small tapes used in camcorders or larger ones used in VCRs. But videotapes can start losing color and disintegrating after a few years. So there's huge interest in transferring these coveted memories to DVDs or CDs, which have a longer life span and are easier to navigate.

[Biblical Calvinist]

You need to visit www.dvdrhelp.com . This site provides the most comprehensive help in regard to making VCD,s Super VCD's and DVD's that I've ever seen..I've made great quality VCD's and DVD's, by following the instructions provided by the guys on this site. Go to the forums...post your questions regarding any problems you may be having..the help that you WILL recieve here is a hundred times better than any help you may have recieved from a script reading helpdesk located in India.

[TroutStalker]

Thanks for the links. I suppose my first mistake was not posting a vanity on FR asking for recommendations.

[STFrancis]

Well, I do not convert for money. Simply don't have the time to do that and there is starting to be a lot of competition to make it worth my while. However, I create biographies for people in which I INCLUDE this old footage.

For instance... I interview Grandpa about his childhood, videotape it with digital camcorder, then include old pictures, video footage (which is why I convert) and music.

It's just a fun thing I did for my family and am not starting to do for other people.

Anyone got a CHEAP but HIGH QUALITY idea about converting Super 8 to video..?

Oh, if you want to buy a device like the above use the Canopus ADVC-100. Perfect clips each and every time. Check the web for reviews etc.. Even though a little pricey at $299.

[TroutStalker]

That may be an option, but I want the system I paid for to work. If it means suing Dell for my money back and getting the Sony, so be it.

[STFrancis]

Totally 100% agree.... And to think it all started and exists because people wanted to burn their ahem illegaly downloaded newly released movies to CD (it used to be www.vcdhelp.com....

[TroutStalker]

That's exactly what I got, scripted help.

[TroutStalker]

I have to leave for a while, but will check in later.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

[lardog]

I have some old 8mm film of family taken in the 50's and 60's. I would like to put these on tape or DVD. Is this possible?

[steplock]

apple = harware good
management = a bunch of leftist extremists

;>)

[1Old Pro]

I use pinnacle 8 and tape the older VHS tapes onto my digital camera and then edit on the computer.

Pinnacle 8 is a good program, a bit unstable at times, but it works for me.

[STFrancis]

Yes it is. You have a couple of choices doing it:

A) Go to Walgreens and use their service to do it for you (it's a little pricey but worth it). Or another professional conversion service.

B) Set up a Super 8 projector, display it onto screen then tape it with a digital camcorder

C) Buy a Super 8 - Video converter and do it that way (about $1,000)

[Solson]

Perhaps. My Dad had the same question. I would think you would have to play them onto a TV, record to VCR and take the VCR to the DVD but I'm just guessing there. I've only taken VCR tapes to DVD and video camera...nothing prior.

[STFrancis]

Super 8 is actual film not tape. You need a projector for that.

[ImaGraftedBranch]

I've been doing this for over two years with my Dazzle that plugs in via USB. The author did not investigate well.

[Paul C. Jesup]

MPEG1 and MPEG2 are very poor formats for capturing video.

I suggest a free software you can get off the web which is called Virtualdub (there are many favors of this software, so if one does not work, try another one)

Also, I suggest you get Divx 5.0.3 or higher, it is a good format. But is costs $30.00 to use it without the spyware to create video files.

I have a 2200 XP CPU with 512 megs (DDR 333mhz) of ram and the 64mb 8500 DVD ATI All-in-Wonder video card.

When using Virtualdub to capture video I had a problem with frames dropping, I solved this problem by lowering the screen resolution to 800 by 600 pixels. Now I have no problems capturing video (and audio at 187 kbps) at the NTSC standard 29.97 frames per second at a resolution of 640 by 480 with a data rate of 7800 bits a second (100% quailty on a Divx '1 Pass Quailty Based' capture).

[The Electrician]

Trying to get the problems fixed showed me that the Dell reputation for service was equally untrue.

Isn't that the truth! After wasting hours on two different unresolved problems, dealing with Dell's "support" representatives in India, I have given up on them, and I now go out of my way to warn others about doing business with Dell.

[nutmeg]

read later bump

[Grig]

I can tell from several things in this article that the people writing it know very little about what they are talking about.

First of all, if you are converting VHS to digital format, there is no point burning it to DVD, you can not increase the quality of the picture by changing the format, so you might as well go with converting it to VCD or SVCD format and save a bit of money. The only exception I can think of is if you want to put more on a single disk than the VCD format will allow, THEN VHS->DVD can make sense, as long as your software allows you to encode the .vob files with a bitrate that isn't overkill for VHS.

Second, spending $200 for a thing to capture video is IMHO a waste. If you aren't into heavy duty 3D gaming on your PC, you can pick up an old used ATI All in Wonder video card very cheap, and they do a great job of captuing analog video, plus you can also watch Fox News while surfing Free Republic, and capture movies or stills directly from TV.

If changing your video card is not what you want to do, ATI has a external box (the TV Wonder) that plugs into your USB port giving you the TV in/out features needed to capture VHS to digital format. ATI has been producing these kinds of products much longer and does it better.

You will also need a LOT of disk space to do this, digial video files get very large, expecially if the capture device doesn't store the video in a compressed format.

If you have a lot of VHS tapes that you want to transfer, I've seen stand alone devices out there that record from VHS->VCD in real time, it's like a VCR with a burner built in, just pop in the tape and a blank CD, press record and let it run. They are not easy to find however, and are also very expensive (about $1000 last time I saw one)

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[Ditto]

Bump for later read.