Transferring VHS movies I already own to DVD

[surv1]

I am new at this so please bear with me. I've done a forum search and didn't find anything that answered my question. With those being said, here's my questions: I am in the process of changing/replacing all my VHS movies to DVDs. I have found DVD replacements for most all of them, with the exception of a couple that aren't out on DVD. I own the original movie in VHS. What I would like to know is, what would be the easiest way to transfer them onto DVD??? DVD burner/capture device and software??? Home DVD recorder and copyguard remover?? I'm looking for the least expensive, least troublesome, and easiest way to transfer movies I already own onto DVD, NOT pirate movies. Any suggestions??

[Bob W]

The easy ,fastest, and best quality way to do the transfers IMO is to buy a DVD recorder (one that has a TBC like the panasonic E50 or E80). To get around macrovision you will need this gadget.
http://www.facetvideo.com/

[jpwone]

I'm looking for the least expensive, least troublesome, and easiest way to transfer movies I already own onto DVD

Find someone who is already doing it (for a hobby)and give them $20 a tape to convert them for you. In the long run it will be far cheaper, in both time and money, than kitting yourself up to do this if it is only for a few tapes.

[macleod]

I've done a forum search and didn't find anything that answered my question.

what did you search for as there are a number of posts that answer this question (most of them very recent)

Here it is all summed up for you (I am assuming that you already have a VCR):

computer transfer:
1. computer with dvd rom drive and/or DVD burner
2. capture card of some kind ($20 - $300)
3. software (freeware available) to pull in the VHS
dont care about quality - powervcrII for real time cap ($10)
care about quality - software to capture video as avi with codecs ($100)
4. If you captured as avi, need an encoder
- TMPGENC - $40
- CCE SP - $2000
- CCE Basic - $60
5. DVD authoring tool (freeware available like ifoedit)
- TMPGENC dvd author $60
- Movie Factory II - $50
6. Burning software
- Nero (usually free when you but your dvd burner

7. Hours and hours of frustration because final product looks like crap and you dont want to take the time it takes to really learn how to do this
- priceless


standalone dvd recorder:
1. recorder
- panasonic dvd recorder off of ebay $200-$800
2. macrovision removal tool
- Sima macrovision remover $20 - $50 off of ebay


the standalone may have compatibility issues with some dvd players (also, it makes very generic menus, etc.). To "fix" this:
1. Computer with dvd Rom and/or dvd burner
2. authoring software (cant recommend TMPGENC dvd author enough)


The standalone covers your requirements of :

I'm looking for the least expensive, least troublesome, and easiest way to transfer movies I already own onto DVD

To know what you are getting yourself into, do an actual forum search regarding the legalities of moving VHS you already own to DVD. One would think that (and I am talking about US here) it is perfectly legal to do this and anyone who thinks otherwise is insane. You will be a little surprised.

[Will Hay]

With all due respect...
...if you did a forum search and couldn't find an answer to probably the most common question, there's something seriously wrong with the forum.
The least expensive is to pick up an ATI card (All In Wonder is recommended here but mine is a Radeon ViVo 64mb DDR which cost me £35 new and has been superb), download the free capture utility Virtualdub and also the free codec huffyuv (although I'd suggest you buy the PicVideo codec, it's cheap but well worth the money, less intensive than the huffyuv...for me at least) and then connect your VCR video composite (yellow) to the ATI and the sound (red and white) to your soundcard.
Oh, and read the guides on the left, my response sounds like it's a doddle to undertake but trust me, it's tough when you start.
Good luck, and welcome
Will

[Leoslocks]

macleod, your response should be "Required reading" or perhaps a disclaimer requiring acceptance prior to posting on the forums. Maybe Stickie status. . .

Clear, concise, easy to understand instructions.

surv1, I am in the same boat as you. I have been working to get 6 or 8 old Svhs videos on DVD.

I have gaind a wealth of experience trying to step throught the overwhelming process of capture>edit>author a DVD.
I downloaded some of the tools mentioned and ran into problems with my hardware and the capture step. The 30 day trial period expired before I got past the capture issues.

I am currently upgrading my hardware and getting ready to purchase TMPGEnc.

The only thing more priceless than step 7 is the content of these home made videos. Necessity is the mother of learning new software.

[SatStorm]

Go and buy a DVD standalone recorder.

[Will Hay]

Go and buy a DVD standalone recorder.

A wise suggestion (and patient, considering the ATI thread I've just read!!!!! ) but not the cheapest perhaps?
Although sayingh that, DVD recorders in the UK have just hit £199, unthinkable six months ago.
Had dvd recorders been this price two years ago I would never had bought anything else (even though my ATI Radeon 64mb DDR ViVo has been the best peice of hardware ever, and all for £35).

Will

[SatStorm]

The man simply wants to transfer specific stuff to DVDR.

So a standalone DVDR recorder is a better choice. Going any PC roots, needs about 4 - 6 months of reading, testing, searching, etc.

And with a DVD Standalone Recorder you don't do the common mistake of thinking that you have succeed a good transfer, based on what you currently have to view the results....

[andkiich]

"Cheapest" is a relative term if you factor in the manhours required to capture, encode, author and burn a video captured to the PC. It may factor out in the end to be cheaper to spend a couple hundred on a DVD-recorder than it would to be tied to the PC for hours, especially if this person is new to the process.

Only the person doing this can determine the true value of one method over the other.

[snafu099]

Ads usb IDVD-2 which has analog playback for about $150 us or
Ads usb IDVDexpress which is the same unit without playback for $99
Both are boxed with good ulead programs

another route is just get the burner, rent the dvd and use dvd shrink to achieve it.

I use a combination of both using the idvd-2 and have done several hundred so far. (bought boxes of tapes from bankrupt rental store)

[jae_d]

i have looked in to this before and the info i got was to buy a tv card that has svideo in etc a lot of the tv cards can capture analogue and even come with basic editing software. I got a card last week for £35, it gave you diagrams of how to connect your video recorder or analogue video recorder i have yet to try it

[mecg]

VHS to DVD:
I use Canopus ADVC-100 and MovieFactory 2. Thats's it. I capture, use the templates to create basic menus, compile to mpeg, and burn all with that one program. I've created over 80 DVD's with only 2 coasters (both my fault). This includes transfers of wedding videos, vacation videos, and I'm in the process of converting my collection of Laserdisk Karaoke. I'm not even sure what codec MF2 uses. There may be a better way - but I've not had any complaints yet and this seems to be the "bare bones", simplest way I have come up with. I did quite a bit of research on this site and the ADVC-100 came out on top. I was not/am not sorry I bought it. I set MF2 up to compile and burn all in one shot. Usually I have it do this while I'm sleeping so I don't even notice the time it takes. Sorry if this is too generic, but it works well for me.