Inexpensive VHS to DVD conversion...

[lokki]

Hi,
I was wondering if any one know of a cheap VHS to DVD conversion service.
Have about 20 VHS that would like to convert to DVD

Most of the ones I have seen are around $20.00 per VHS

[protokatie]

Prolly best to just get a cheap video import card for your computer (if you dont already have the ability) and do it that way. It would be FAR cheaper than $400 for 20 VHS tapes. (I presume you also already have a DVD-r burner). On top of that, you can hook the output of your cablebox to the import card and make DVDs of your favorite shows.

[shmokes]

Agreed.  A possible alternative might be a Sony HandyCam camcorder.  I bought one for someone at my work a couple years ago and it had composite-in ports on the camera's docking cradle.  The camera was like $350 or something, so it's not exactly a cheap solution, but if you're going to spend that much on conversion anyway, you might as well get a nice little camcorder out of it.

[paigeoliver]

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

[AtomSmasher]

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

Yup, my uncle did this and has converted several dozen tapes to dvd.

[protokatie]

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

Simpler, yes. Cost wise, no. Although a 120 dollar low end DVD recorder would prolly do the job well enough. For me, personally I would go for a capture card (cheaper by a bit) and would also allow me to email/edit/etc any video I got off of VHS or TV.

So basically, for a low cost solution it is either a capture card or a DVD recorder. The only real problem is that DVDr's have a limited shelf life. If it is something like your wedding videos, maybe dropping the 20 bucks a pop would be worth getting a more profession job done (or not  )

[SavannahLion]

If it is something like your wedding videos, maybe dropping the 20 bucks a pop would be worth getting a more profession job done (or not  )

Professional ---my bottom---. The only advantage most of those "services" is that the service saves you the time it takes to process videos. The same kind of work can easily be done with any variety of tools available on a well equipped PC. Hell that is exactly what most of those guys use. The same ---smurfy--- Sony VAIOs or Apple laptops that you can buy at Frys.

Many of them even use the same exact DVD-/+R's that you can buy at any store. So your life expectancy concerns won't be alleviated. If you're lucky, you might get a logo-less DVDR with a very pretty printed sticker (which is probably going to ruin the DVD much sooner anyways).

Invest in a fat hard drive and USB interface. Dump the videos to the drive. Duplicate the videos to DVDR. Store the drive in a safe place. If you're really paranoid, create a mirror of the drive using a different model/manufacture/whatever drive then proceed to store it in a safety deposit box.

If you figure $180 for a 750GB external drive.
Another $40 for a spindle of 100 DVD+Rs.
$50 for a low-end video capture tool

That's $270 with the ability to archive about 100 to 130 movies.

You save about $130 and you lose the time it takes to process the videos.

Up to you though.

[paigeoliver]

The cheapy recorder they gave me for free with my TV seems to do this just fine, and a DVD recorder is the sort of thing that most people would eventually want to buy anyway. And using dedicated hardware is easier than involving the computer in the mix.

Plus, cost-wise, he always has the option of buying a used one on ebay, doing his tapes, then reselling it, he should get the about the same price for it, keeping his actual costs down around $20.

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

Simpler, yes. Cost wise, no. Although a 120 dollar low end DVD recorder would prolly do the job well enough. For me, personally I would go for a capture card (cheaper by a bit) and would also allow me to email/edit/etc any video I got off of VHS or TV.

So basically, for a low cost solution it is either a capture card or a DVD recorder. The only real problem is that DVDr's have a limited shelf life. If it is something like your wedding videos, maybe dropping the 20 bucks a pop would be worth getting a more profession job done (or not  )

[shmokes]

Paige's idea is almost embarrassingly obvious.  I'm surprised nobody had suggested it earlier.  In fairness, once a DVD is made, it is only a matter of ripping it to the PC in order to have a digital version on a hard drive.  So it's not like you lose the option of having a copy on the computer just because you use a dedicated set-top box to do the conversion.  And since the disc will lack CSS or anything, any number of easily obtained (perhaps already owned) programs will rip the disc.

[lokki]

Thanks for all the tips.
I do have a DVD recorder and capture card on my PC.
I just don't have the time to do it myself.  Would rather pay for some one to do it for me.
as long as it reasonable, otherwise I guess I will have to very slowly do it myself.


Thanks

[HaRuMaN]

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

Doesn't always work...  I've tried this myself...  while it works on older VHS tapes,my DVD recorder gives me a copyright warning on newer tapes, and won't let me proceed.   

[rhoelsch]

No matter who burns them, make sure they're on high quality DVD -R's (Verbatim's are good, stay the heck away from Memorex, Maxell, TDK, HP or even Sony..there's another good Japanese name that starts with a T, but it's escaping me right now.)

[Moose13]

Taiyo Yuden (TY) is the name you're looking for

[paigeoliver]

It isn't the age of the tape, it is if it has macrovision on it or not. (I have some shockingly old ones that do, and some very new ones that don't, about 75 percent of my collection of 1200 VHS tapes is macrovision free). There are ways around that though, and your off the shelf PC capture card and software will do the same thing there.

I am assuming the poster is talking about his home videos or something, no one pays people to get their VHS of Happy Gilmore copied over to DVD.

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

Doesn't always work...  I've tried this myself...  while it works on older VHS tapes,my DVD recorder gives me a copyright warning on newer tapes, and won't let me proceed.   

[ahofle]

Um, just buy a DVD recorder and run the VCR into it and hit record. Pretty simple stuff. Far simpler than anything that involves a computer.

Doesn't always work...  I've tried this myself...  while it works on older VHS tapes,my DVD recorder gives me a copyright warning on newer tapes, and won't let me proceed.   

If that is what you need, you can pick up a macrovision buster like the video copymaster.
Even with a Canopus capture card, I had to use this to capture some of my wife's VHS workout tapes to burn to DVD. 

[Organic Jerk]

capture some of my wife's VHS workout tapes to burn to DVD. 

Man she must have really liked those tapes...


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