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.

[libstripper]

If you want to do it on a stand slone basis, the best way is to buy one of the new DVD recorders, like the ones made by Panasonic. Their most expensive (current list price of $799.00) records on a DVD and on an 80 gig hard drive. Their less expensive ones, which only record on DVDs, run as little as about $500. All you need to do is plug your analog output from a VCR or camcorder into any of these machines and make the desired recording. I've done it several times with my Panasonic.

[Biblical Calvinist]

Problem is that if ya want to put that Divx file onto a VCD or DVD, it HAS to be RE-ENCODED into an Mpeg-2 file ! Lotta work in either case...~ :>)

[Grit]

If you can play it in a VCR you can record it onto the Digital Sony.

[Grit]

Will your Camcorder record from VCR source material that has macrovision encoding? I heard from someone that it would not record anything like movie clips from rented or purchased movies.

That's a good question. I don't think that I have tried yet. I would not be surprised. My new Sony VCR wouldn't tape a few DVD's that I own that my old VCR had no problem with. That's a new 'feature' that I could do without.

[Grit]

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.

There may be a point to burning to DVD. DVD player compatibility. My Toshiba player is pretty picky about which formats it will play (right down to the brand of CD I use when making VCD's) As many have said www.vcdhelp.com (dvdrhelp.com) is an invaluable resource.

[Grig]

If you have a commercial VHS you want to transfer to DVD, just rent the DVD of the same movie (if you can) and use something like CladDVD to strip off macrovision and region coding before you burn a copy DVD. (I'm assuming that since you purchased a commerial copy of the movie on VHS that you can legally make a DVD backup this way)

[Biblical Calvinist]

I have one of those machines, called a TERAPIN VCD RECORDER, (the official website http://www.terapintech.com/index.php) This recorder will record only Mpeg-1 files, directly onto CD..it can record video up to 75 minutes on one cd. It's great for transfering home movies to VDC format..the website lists that it cost $499 ...BUT look around.. there are lots of dealers on the Net that sell this VCD Recorder for under $299..I know that I've seen it at MicroCenter for $300. I got mine at SAMS CLUB for $216 about a year ago.. but, I KNOW that they were NOT going to order any more units.

You can also find 'em for sale on Ebay.

These Mpeg-1 files CAN be transfered to a DVD using TmpgEnc DVD Author..and they look great on DVD..

The Terapin VCD Recorder works better and EASIER than many other methods..I just wish that it would record in Mpeg-2 format, or even directly into Divx AVI format. But that's just a minor quibble.. I really have no problem...this recorder DOES what it does in a neat way ~

At any rate, I can then play the finished VCDs on ANY stand alone DVD player. It's a great little machine ~!

[Paul C. Jesup]

Problem is that if ya want to put that Divx file onto a VCD or DVD, it HAS to be RE-ENCODED into an Mpeg-2 file ! Lotta work in either case...~ :>)

No you don't, if you just intend to play it on you computer you can just set your CD/DVD Writer to Data Disc Writing and you will not have a problem. :p

[InterceptPoint]

I can't offer you an inexpensive solution but I can give you one that is 99.99% sure to work. Here is the hardware and software that I use to push any VHS tape including VHS tapes copy protected with Macrovision to a DVD disk that will play in any standard set top DVD player:

Buy a Cannopus ADVC-100 A/D converter ~ $300. This connects between the videotape player and your computer via firewire and passes the analog signal on to your TV so that you can monitor video while you are capturing.

Download and buy ScenanalyzerLive for $33. This softare will take the digitized output of the ADVC-100 via your firewire input and write the videotape video to multiple .avi files that can viewed using Windows Media Player.

Buy Vegas 4.0 +DVD. That will cost you a bit but includes both Vegas 4.0 and DVD Architect. This package is priced at about $550. In Vegas just drag and drop the .avi files in order onto the timeline. Render this file to mpeg-2 with audio. You don't even need to save the Vegas Project file. Once you have the mpeg-2 that's all you need.

Open up DVD Architect. Select New file - make a single movie and select the Vegas generated mpeg-2 file. Push the make a DVD button and presto you have a your VHS tape on DVD.

This all takes about 3-5 hours for a typical 1 hour tape but once you get the hang of it you do all the work you need to do in about 15 minutes. The rest is just waiting on the computer to make the mpeg-2 file and then print the DVD.

OK, so I lied about the presto part. The rest is all true.

Good luck.

[Biblical Calvinist]

Yes, you're correct.. the AVI file can be burned in Data Format on an ordinary CD...but ya can't play it back anywhere BUT on a PC..on the other hand...if you re-encode the AVI file into the Mpeg-1 or Mpeg-2 format; using the TmpgEnc software, you can then burn it with the VCDEasy software, then play it back on any DVD Player that accepts the VCD format.

[discostu]

I think going through the computer is the wrong way to attack the problem. There's at least one company advertising a regular DVD unit that can do this. Don't use computers if you don't have to, they're a pain.

[Paul C. Jesup]

Why waste time watching a movie file on a lower resolution TV when you can watch it at a much higher resolution from your computer screen, LCD screen or HDTV (connected to your computer).

[Justin714]

Here's a link for those of you interested in Video/Audio editing on you PC...http://www.dvdrhelp.com/

[Paul C. Jesup]

Using every trick I know on Divx 5.0.3 , (including lowering the frame rate to 23.97 per second, having the average data rate be 888 kbps, cropping, lowering the resolution to 496-508 by 372 and using quarter pixeling in place of interlacing) I can put a decent looking 90 minute video (incluing 192 kbps MP3 audio) on a 700 (really 702) meg Data CD.

[Biblical Calvinist]

ok..that's fine..but many people also want to watch these videos on TV sets..so..it's good that we have a choice...watch it on a PC, or on a TV set...

By the way..some DVD Players that are becoming available this fall will have the capability of playing Divx cd's..check out www.dvdrhelp.com OR www.Divx.com for more information...so..you CAN watch those Divx files on a TV set after all~! :>)

[Pagey]

Put your old Super 8 movies on DVD Link BUMP

[Biblical Calvinist]

Sure.. I've done the same thing too..ain't Divx wonderful ? I've been able to get Casablanca, which is 1 hour, 42 minutes, into a great looking 565 meg file. Just did it just to see if I could do it..heh ~ but, I d'ruther watch my original DVD copy of Casablanca on the TV set..

[Gigantor]

I have a lowly no name Celeron 400 that I got for FREE when I signed up with E*Trade!

It's maxed out with 500mb of ram and I am burning DVDs like crazy - so I don't want to hear it!

Stay far away from the Adaptec external box type - OPEN YOUR COMPUTER for Pete's sake and install a video capture card.

Gee whiz, if you can't install a card then don't try and burnm DVDs.

Pinnacle Deluxe Studio 8 - works like a charm - BUT - please RTFM!

It also never hurts to learn about the different little video capture/editing tweaks that you can do to help.

If a 400 Celeron can do it, anyone can.

[discostu]

Because the price of 27 inch monitor is around the price of a 50 inch TV. Plus when you watch movies on the computer it's a little tough to also play games at the same time.

[Paul C. Jesup]

By the way..some DVD Players that are becoming available this fall will have the capability of playing Divx cd's..check out www.dvdrhelp.com OR www.Divx.com for more information...so..you CAN watch those Divx files on a TV set after all~! :>)

True but unfortunily those Players do not support more of the funner options that Divx has which is quarter pixeling and global motion compression (GMC). Both of which are great to use to give lower bit rate videos a higher quality.

Also, I found to prevent pixelation when using sharp bi-cubic, that using the using psychovisual enhansements in strong mode, pre-proceesing in extreme mode and preformance/quality in slowest mode.

Also to prevent memory leaks and jerking in fast scenes, set the key frame rate at 300 and Scene change threhold at 100%.

And using .log file and .bin when using multiple pass is good. I use a three pass batch bin approach (Virtualdub will support this in the 'Job Control' section), one Multi-First Pass and two Multi-Nth Passes.

Finally if you use Virtualdub for Divx files for multiple passes, remember to set Virtualdub to 'Fast Recompress', it's default is 'Full Recompress', which you don't want to use.