WANTED: Any Techies - Question on transferring VHS tape to CD or DVD

[lucienalta]

First, is this the correct forum for posting this issue? If not, I apologize and please direct me to the correct discussion group.

I purchased a Pinnacle Video Capture/Studio 14 Device. I installed it on my sisters laptop, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600), 3072MB RAM. I had no problem importing the video but could not capture the sound along with the video. I could not see the volume slider bar under the Import, Composite, More options. After some research, I was informed the device would only work on a 32-bit OS.

I had registered my product the day I purchased it, but never received email back with my product code. Called Corel for support code and received one email back, telling me to check my cable and ports. The end!

My computer is Windows XP Pro (5.1, Build 2600) 640MB RAM and I have what I think is called a 280GB or so Flash drive.

I understand Corel purchased Roxio (was going to try Roxio Easy VHS to DVD device) and all the posts I have read online state there is no customer support for this product either. And that I was not the only one finding it impossible to get their product code to work.

I am wondering if you could recommend the best video capture device for me to purchase? I am female, 73, and not all that computer literate. My sister is not far behind me. We are trying to transfer our old family movies from VCR to computer and then to DVD. Or better yet, directly to DVD--whatever works. In our lifetime (lol).

Thanks in advance, Lucy and Sis

[aedipuss]

something like this maybe? http://www.rakuten.com/prod/toshiba-dvr620-dvd-recorder-vcr-combo-w-1080p-upconversion...210761645.html

[freebird73717]

Yeah a VCR / DVD deck like what aedipuss linked to would be the easiest for you. If all you are doing is home movies then that will do what you want and be the simplest way of going about it.

[lucienalta]

Oh golly, thanks Big Meanie and Superman. Does it work something like this--you insert your VCR tape into the VCR Slot and a DVD disk into the DVD slot and it will copy the VCR videos onto the DVD disk? Will it capture the sound from the VCR? If so, a thousand thanks! If not, still a thousand thanks!!

[usually_quiet]

A DVD recorder is definitely much easier to use for digitizing VHS tapes than a PC capture device.

However, I have to tell you that sometimes tapes that look fine when played with your VCR can look pretty bad when you watch DVDs that you recorded from the tapes yourself using only a DVD recorder. When that happens it means there are some problems with those particular tapes, and if they are important to you, then you might want to consider turning them, over to a video transfer service that has pro VHS decks, time base correctors, and other specialized equipment that allows them to do a better job than you can do with just a DVD recorder. ...and I don't mean the photo desk at a drugstore, or Walmart. I mean a local or mail order service that specializes in video transfer.

[lucienalta]

Usually, Our current VCR/DVD player device is pretty much shot, we have had it since forever. So, I am going for the combo VHS/DVD recorder and will give it a shot. I imported the tape with our family pictures on it to the desktop computer using the Pinnacle Dazzle device with no problem. There was no issue with sound because the videos are 70+ years and had no sound back then. My little brother will kick in and help, but I do as much as I can understand first. He keeps all is sister's computers current depending on what we do on it. Plus his wife, his wife's boss/friends, his kids/their friends, sisters/brothers and all their friends. We keep him pretty busy, but he makes it look easy. Of course, now that I have found this site, I have sent him the link and will run it by him first. Thanks again, to all. I will probably be back so don't go away?

[lucienalta]

Oh, my sister and I found a tape that had come off the reel. We decided we could fix it ourselves we opened it up. We accidentally jarred the tape and all the springs and pieces came out. No problem, we would just open another tape with just TV programs on it and see how it was put together. It wasn't put together with the same springs/plastic pieces. Ooops, bump! OK one more tape. Oooops... Now I know why God gave us two brothers. Big brother traveled out 12 miles and put the tape back on the reel. He has such big hands I will never know how he got all those springs and plastic pieces back in. We found another tape later in the week and decided to take it back 12 miles to his house. Who says you can't teach an old horse anything! Little brother does the computer stuff.