I have a Computer Question.... How can I Transfer my VCR tapes to DVD?

self ^ | 1-9-2002 | self

[Harrison Bergeron]

I've been researching this for quite some time. DVD-RW is too expensive, but VCDs can be made on a regular CD-RW and played on the newer high end DVD players. The better systems like Pinnacle include a video capture card with editing software and use the MPEG-2 codec. The long pole in the tent for the novice home video studio is disk speed and storage space for compiling the video. SCSI is recommended to avoid loss of data, and you need something like twenty megabytes per minute of video (1.2 gigabytes per hour for the lowest resolutions).

Here's another page of advice: Transfer video to CD (TechTV column)

[Paradox]

Since VCR video quality is already quite a bit below DVD quality, once you get the VCR video captured and digitized (others can help you there), you might want to consider some of the later video compression schemes that can compress a couple of hours of decent (VCR?) quality video to a regular CD-ROM (CDRW). It can take many hours (overnight) to compress 2 hours of video though. Others can fill in the details. Is it Mpeg4? DIVx? I am not quite up to date myself, I just know they are out there..

[freedomlover]

I agree on the Mac route. Over the last year I have been archiving iMovies to DVD (yeah OK they are only 3 min long) and it's lots O fun. If I didn't have to work and I could play all day with no cares (sigh) I would still be playing movie maker with all the sound and video editing capabilities of iMovie.

I'm not up on the latest but my understanding is that the latest and greatest Mac pretty much will allow one to make their own DVDs (not as noted above to be be confused with videos on CD). Although one might need an analog/digital converter to play plain vanilla VHS tapes from an analog player. I shoot all video on Sony Digital 8 so no converting for moi.

[ArrogantBustard]

Video CD

Quality is comparable to VHS, but not to DVD. Capacity is not comparable to DVD either. It's cheap, though, if your DVD player recognises CDR or CDRW media. All Pioneer brand DVD players recognise these media, many others do as well. Also computer DVD-ROM drives.

AB

[John Jorsett]

I called a service here in Atlanta who wanted $4,000 for a 12 minute mpeg.

That's just someone who didn't want your business. Lifeclips.com will transfer a 2-hour video tape to DVD-R for $29.95, plus shipping.

[razorback-bert]

bump

[freedomlover]

For what it's worth I'd also get rid of that Win Me.

[Delta-Boudreaux]

Or, if you want to transfer your VCR tapes to MPEG-1 files to CD-RW discs, or even to VCD (which will play on many DVD players) which is reasonable since MPEG-1 matches closely the resolution you get from VHS anyways, you could get a USB MPEG capture device such as the Dazzle DM-4100 DVC (the one I have which works great).

This sounds like what I want to do. As long as the (a) the Video quality from VHS to VCD is similar and (b) it will play on a DVD, (c) the image size is the same on the TV as the Original VHS VCR tape.

Who makes the Dazzle product? Do you recommend any good online retailers?

[PrivateIdaho]

I had no idea how DVD players worked until I did some research on them before I bought one for my wife's Christmas present. I found some very useful information at SoYouWanna.com. Their article, SoYouWanna Buy a DVD Player, has this interesting descripton of how DVD's work:

"On a CD, the data is read off the disc using an infrared laser; a DVD works in the same way, but it uses a shorter wavelength laser so that it can read smaller "pits" or little pockets in which data is stored. Smaller pits mean more of them on a disc, hence more information. DVDs also have not one but two layers per side that can store information. And DVDs can carry info on both sides (front and back) for a total of four data-holding layers. So while a CD can fit about 20 minutes of compressed video, a DVD can hold about 135 minutes… per layer. That means that one double-layered double-sided DVD can hold up to 9 hours of Steven Seagal."

[Delta-Boudreaux]

After reading this thread, I've come to the conclusion that the easiest solution is just to wait three years, when it will be cheap and easy.

You may be DEAD right.

[Harrison Bergeron]

"...and you'll need a fast computer to keep up with the incoming frames."

The faster the processor will render (compile) the video faster, but the capture speed is entirely dependent on the speed of the recording device (hard drive).

[tophat9000]

Check out this:

TDK To Ship 2-Gbyte CD-RW Drive, Media

And this:

The ALL-IN-WONDER® RADEON™ 8500DV

[Delta-Boudreaux]

Was JUST LOOKING for the instructions to my Digital 8 camera. They are LOST. Might be with yours.

[Honcho]

You need a DVD burner and I would recomend the following video card that has everything else you need, plus it's a Geforce 2 3D card.

http://www.ubid.com/actn/opn/getpage.asp?AuctionId=6474642

[krb]

The Dazzle products are made by Dazzle Multimedia. I've only used the one product, and I bought it at Best Buy. They do online, too, but I'd go to Pricewatch, and click on Multimedia->Video Capture to find cheap sources.

[Delta-Boudreaux]

Capacity of VCD. Will it hold a 1, 2, 3 hour movie? What is your experience?

[Delta-Boudreaux]

Been thinking about using the $5 upgrade certificate to XP.

[blackie]

Here's a firewire DVD recorder.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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[Delta-Boudreaux]

Good Info! Thanks.