Need some help...I have about 50 VHS tapes that I need to put onto DVD

[tpt1989]

Okay, heres the deal, I have about 50 VHS tapes that I need to put onto file or DVD for several organizations that Im involved in as well as a few personal ones....

I have tried several different things, all ending in failure, so I'll just give all of my technical resources and maybe someone can give me some guidance....
I actually have had some success in video capturing in the past with an old ATI capture card but that is in some old pc that I can't find...

Right now I have an HP Pavillion dv6500 CTO notebook, i have used the HDMI and S-Video (component and composite) as video out but I don't know if the S-Video has video input capabilities with the right drivers maybe? Ya I know probably unlikely but i guess its worth mentioning...

I also found a very old Pinnacle Dazzle DVC USB device which I have been trying to get working on Vista but has been nothing but a big headache...
I have installed drivers from their site, and tried to use both their original software which never could "initiate the device",
then i tried using VLC player and it kept giving me errors, I also tried using WINAVI Video capture which is a really nice prog, but every time I attempted to use dazzle, it gave me an error as well......

I forgot to mention I also have the hp tv tuner adapter thingy that has an attachment for svideo and composite video with stereo audio, but the only program i can get it to work with is windows media center and that program on its own is a gigantic head ache.... it never lets you just view the signal you're giving it, it wants to scan for channels and junk but I've never gotten it to work great.... if anyone knows any other program that might work with that adapter to just detect and store the signal I'm throwing it...... drop a response....


I know i have some sort of hardware that some experienced user might be able to do something with so if anyone has any suggestions please please please leave a response......im desperate lol

[edDV]

Oh boy

Start with model numbers of your VHS player, capture thingy and any video software you own.

Have you considered a standalone DVD recorder? Are you supposed to edit?

[Brainiac]

I agree with edDV - DVD recorder would be easiest solution if no editing is required.

Another consideration - if you have a camcorder with a firewire port and the laptop has a firewire port you may be able to use the camcorder's passthru (if the camera has support for passthru) and capture video thru firewire. See this thread:

https://www.videohelp.com/dvanalog

Brainiac

[lacywest]

Yep I agree with EDDV ... find a decent DVD Recorder ... you dont need to find one with a Hard drive in it ... I've got Panasonic DVD recorders that I use that type of service for. I put my ABBA Gold VHS tapes on DVD.

[tpt1989]

well do you guys have any suggestions for a good affordable dvd recorder?

[lacywest]

well do you guys have any suggestions for a good affordable dvd recorder?

Im surprised no one has said anything yet ...

So I will be the first one ... Panasonic DMR-EZ27 DVD Recorder with Built-in ATSC Tuner

I do have this one hooked up in my living room and works just fine ... it misbehaves once in awhile.

Plays DVD disks with Divx movies burnt on a DVD in Data mode.

Link for review >>> http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/panasonic-dmr-ez27-1179.shtml

and there is this one too >>> Panasonic DMR-EZ17

Link >>> http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMR-EZ17S-Recorder-Tuner-Silver/dp/B000O3N74E

Use the Amazon link and it will give you more links to what other customers bought instead.

This should give you alot to work with.

Something to think about ... Panasonic DVD Recorders use Flex Record.

Just use your VCR and find out how long the length is on each vcr tape you want to record.
You can then use Flex Record and set it for the length of each tape length and it will record very nicely.

Panasonic has improved the recording method for LP ... very nice quality ... you might be able to put more than one movie on one DVD Disk.

Or use DVD RAM Disks and transfer the VRO video file to your computer and then process it with a Video Editing Program.

I've done this using ... TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress ... put two movies in the program to process and if it is too big ... use DVD Shrink.

Plenty of other different methods ... use DVD Rebuilder to re-encode it to fit on a DVD R 5

[tpt1989]

woaaaaa $250 and $330???
im a poor college student unfortunately, anything under $50 or $75?
i know maybe that cheap is unreasonable for a decent product.... so if not i understand lol

[Bjs]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100033

AVerMedia DVD EZMaker USB

Works with the majority of capture software, nerovision, ulead video studio, adobe premier elements, vegas, windows movie maker ... etc, and cheap.

[mw01908]

I have a Panasonic DMR EX 75 DVD recorder and I am not happy with the captures on VHS. They are too pixellated and not as good as the original tape. Theres a big thread of my woes. I heard the best DVD recorders are the JVC's and pioneers.

[lordsmurf]

Read, read: http://www.digitalfaq.com/reviews/dvd-recorders.htm

[deuce8pro]

I have a Panasonic DMR EX 75 DVD recorder and I am not happy with the captures on VHS. They are too pixellated and not as good as the original tape. Theres a big thread of my woes. I heard the best DVD recorders are the JVC's and pioneers.

Yes, get a jvc drm100 for no pixelated dvds.

[mw01908]

Well I have got a Pioneer 550 after hearing good things about it on here. Am disappointed with it. The pixellation is worse than my old panasonic. Thats more money down the drain then. I thought they were on the good list or did I make a mistake?