I understand that there is a way to record VHS onto the DVDs via the DVD recorder in the PC. I was wondering if anyone can explain how to do this for a novice-intermediate PC user? Thank you.

You'll need a way to get the video from the VCR into the PC.
You'll need some software that can take that video file, possibly do some editing on it, then burn it to the DVD. Plan on spending alot of time with each tape.

It's easier (but less flexible) to buy one of those VHS/DVD recorder players. They typically let you stick a video tape in the VCR slot, a DVD -R or +R in the DVD drive, then press "COPY". Great if you've got alot of personal tapes you want to make into DVDs.

Dave B.

DBrown, I'm more in to flexibility.

I've meddled with this some, but the vocabulary and knowledge curve sometimes take the fun out of it. Any chance you'd give a brief explanation of the process, VHS to Avi to MPEG to DVD, right?

Thanks in advance!

Depending on what software you use to capture the video from the VCR, you may have AVI file(s) or MPEG, WMV, or some other file format to start with. But most applications that will capture video and also make DVDs for you will have the ability to convert the video to the right format once it's time to make the DVD. On my PC, a MediaCenter PC from HP, I've got Nero 6.0, Roxio DVD Builder, Window's Movie Maker, something called Arcsoft's ShowBiz, and probably a few other applications I could use. I recommend Nero 6's Burning ROM application for burning the DVD, but as I recall Nero wasn't the best for editing/creating it.

Although I've edited alot of video, most of it didn't involve computers. The last big project I did on my PC was to take video of a Musical my Niece had starred in and burn it to a DVD. I was able to edit out scene changes mainly, and then create useful menus on the DVD for easy access to each scene.

Hope that helps. Plan on spending lots of time.

Dave B.

Thanks, Dave.

Merry Xmas.

You will need a TV Tuner Card inside your computer in order to get the video from the VHS into your computer, most software can capture to a MPG file, which you can use a DVD burner program to burn to DVD, i suggest DVD-Lab for the burner, and WinDVR to capture the video

I have never done this, but i have burned AVI/MPG/WMV/RM to DVD, and captured a few minutes of video(the fastest desktop i have is a Pentium2, all my fast computers are laptops, so i can't capture long videos)

Well, it doesn't actually have to be a TV tuner... could be something geared specifically to analog video capture (I think certain high-end firewire add-in cards also support analog video capture).

For that matter, if you have a camcorder with firewire output, some higher-end models can take an analog input and convert it to a DV/firewire stream. My not-too-expensive Samsung can do that. You'd still have to reprocess that to MPEG2, but if you have a lot of editing of your VHS source to do - say take out commercials or remove the chaff from your home videos - it may end up being better.

I recently did just this to a relative's 1980's appearance on a TV show... I tried the camcorder/firewire route, but ended up capturing via my ATI All-In-Wonder video card (built-in TV tuner and analog video capture) to high-bitrate MPEG2 (out of DVD spec), then edited those files, removing commercials and so on, outputted them as lower bitrate MPEG2, then created a whole DVD around them with animated menus and so on.

The whole project, with about 2.5 hours of source material, took about 2 nights.

Check out the Divx site(www.divx.com) . I haven't used any of the products, but the way they explain the whole process may be of interest to you and they also have some links to products that may come in handy like the Plextor ConvertX PX-M402U.

DBrown,
I have the exact same setup you described and cannot seem to get my pc to capture any video from my VHS device, Help Please!

If it's exactly the same, your PC has RCA video/audio inputs on the back as part of the TV tuner card. Mine also has RCA and Svideo, inputs on the front, but they are connected internally to that same TV tuner card. It also has firewire, which I use with my video camera.

You need some recording application that can access those inputs. Window's Movie Maker 2 is free, and can probably do the job. Once you've captured the video, you need it in a format that your DVD burning software can use. It's up to you to figure that out.

If you have all the hookups, but the image looks corrupted, you may be encountering Macrovision copy protection. To get past that you'll need a SIMA video stabilizer or something similar.

Good luck.

Check out the VideO H then go to http://www.icos-tech.com/ for a way to have your now free of distractions VHS go through and connect with the VideO H or a Belkin 2.0 USB video to your computer, if a standalone forget all from the dot com URL and record as you would with a VHS adding chapter book marks if you want. Check out other responses on recording DVD to ICOS to DVD recorder or 2.0 USB VideO H, then to your PC DVD recorder.:)

This message was edited by grovvy on 02/01/05 22:43 ET.

I am using Pinnicle version 9 ordered from www.jr.com to back up my paid for and owned to transfer my Vhs video to my NEC 6500 DVD+ internal drive at 4 x write speed. I use Nero Ultimate 6 or Ezy Creator 7 to start the burning process, I use the The Stripemaster from www.icos-tech.com to cancel out the macrovision going to my Dell Inspiron-8600 Notebook. for back up covers I use Paint Shop Pro 9.01.1 or Dell Image Expert to make the 10.80 X 7.24 inches high with no UPC code or studio label. To get the right size to fit in a keep case, last year I bought a X-Acto guillitine paper cutter at www.staples.com for $29.95. :)

Hello, I have a Emerson DVD rw/r EWR20V5, It is a VHS/DVD combo, and I have tried to copy VHS to DVD but it is able to read it and won't copy the VHS. Does anyone know a way around this. I can't figure it out. I thought by buying this it would "copy" as it said it would and it doesn't.

Also what is the best DVD to use when copying....I am not sure the difference between dvd+r, dvd-r, what is this......there is so many DVD types to buy.....Please Help.
Bren

Bren, you need to start a new thread.
Your help request could go unnoticed becuse it is buried within somemone elses thread.