Newbie on how to convert VHS movies to DVD?

[Roberteyewhy]

Hello to everyone. I have a collection (over 1,500 movies) on VHS tapes (mostly 3 movies on each) and would like to convert these movies to DVD's. What do you experts suggest or use? Price vs quality?

Have a desktop with XP pro/Enterprise Server 2003, Cendyne 4x +R DVD burner, AMD 1800 (oc to 1900), RAID 0 (2-120's 8megs cache), 1gig ram highest specs, USB 2.0 but no firewire. I can always install one if I need to however.

I also have a laptop with XP Pro/Standard Server 2003, DVD -R 1x burner, 2.0 CPU, 768 ram, 60 gig, USB 2.0 and firewire.

Read that Canopus ADVC-100 is the best to do this with. How about Dazzle, Pinnacle, or Adaptec? I just want the transfer to be as good as it can be and will not be editing anything.

Thanks,
Robert

[LanEvo7]

Just get a standalone DVD Recoder. It'll be easier that way since you do not need to edit the discs.

[Bob W]

I also say you be much better off in the long run to just get a DVD recorder. By the time you buy the hardware to do the capture and buy the software to edit or author the captured it may actually be cheaper just to buy the recorder. Also the recorders will do a better job than you can ever expect from a capture. I tried my hand at the capturing and trust me unless you have a lot of time to waste it's just not worth it.

[Roberteyewhy]

Thanks people...knew this is the place to come for answers. Didn't think about a standalone DVD recorder as aren't they expensive? So, it must have a VHS and DVD slot and the ability to read from the VHS and then write to a blank -/+ DVD disk? Any suggestions on which one? Articles, sites, etc so I can research?

Thanks,
Robert

[Bob W]

You can get this Sharp DVD-R/RW recorder here for $350 after a mail in $50 rebate. This is the best deal I know of at this time.
http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/detail.asp?dpno=137370&options=T

[Roberteyewhy]

Thanks Bob W. So are you folks saying that you connect a VCR to this type of recorder, put in the VHS tape, put in a blank DVD disk (whichever type it takes), hit record and it will record whatever is on the VHS tape to the DVD disk? Most of my VHS tapes contain 2 or 3 movies on them. Obviously, a standard -/+ blank DVD disk will be able to record all of what is on a VHS tape right? Will the picture and sound quality be better when transferred to a DVD from VHS? Does the quality of the movie on the VHS matter as most of my movies look fine?

Just looked at the DVD Writers/Recorders to the left. Don't mind paying $300-$400 to be able to get DVD like quality from my VHS movie collection.

Thanks,
Robert

[Bob W]

I'm just now buying a recorder myself so all I can tell you is what I have been told. Several have said the picture and sound quality of the recorders may even look better than the source VHS tape due to built in filters and in the case of the Panasonic recorders what they refer to as TBC or time base correction. I can also say from experience I have wasted a ton of time and most likely spent way over what a recorder costs trying to capture VHS with my computer with results that vary from just good to poor it seems every time.

The only problem I could see recording a VHS tape to a DVD recorder is perhaps macrovision copy protection. I get around that by using the Sima CopyMaster box I bought at BestBuy but I don't think they carry them any more. Anyway here is another device for killing macrovision.
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=9&products_id=1365&

[g_shocker182]

Wow, 1500 tapes? I wouldnt even consider going thru the caputer card through dvd process. Go with what they're saying.

[Firewire]

I agree on the quality issue. I've transfered many VHS tapes through my Pioneer PRV-9000. I swear the DVD copy looks better than the original VHS master. It seems to clean up the picture and color by running it through that machine.
Pioneer has since dropped the PRV-9000, using the PRV-7000 as its replacement.

[LanEvo7]

Also the recorders will do a better job than you can ever expect from a capture. I tried my hand at the capturing and trust me unless you have a lot of time to waste it's just not worth it.

This really depends on how much money and time you are willing to invest into it. Computer captures will look extremely close to the original VHS quality if you invest some time into encoding and filtering it. The file will also be smaller than compared to a DVD Recorder. I've put about five hours of video onto a single dvd and still have had it look extremely close to the original. Encoding takes about 2 hours for a 45min clip at VBR. I'd bet that I'd even get better results if I had a better VCR(mine doesn't have TBC). All in all, if you have time and patience, the computer/capture route would be better. If you do not have time / patience, go standalone.

Since the poster has 1500 vhs tapes, its just not worth the time to do it on a computer though.

[qpskfec]

If you have 3 movies per tape, the tapes must be in the 6 hr recording mode. A stand alone dvd recorder will look just fine given the quality of your source.

I use a Philips 985. Captures vhs just fine. Seen them on sale recently for $399, as it is now discontinued and replaced by newer models.

Many people also like the Panasonics.

[handyguy]

try buydig.com you can get then under $350, a panasonic e50, or ebay.com e30s for $335

Dont do more than 4 hours per disk though cause it gets choppy after that.

[Roberteyewhy]

Thanks everyone for your invaluable input! After reading your post, I have decided to go with the DVD standalone Recorder as all of you agree that it is the most viable route given my situation. Just got back from Costco B&M to see if they carry any. Alas, they do not

I will checkout all what you have posted to get the best deal I can. I live in Hawaii, so shipping is always a problem and usually kills the deal!

Just to clarify, I have about 500-600 VHS tapes with 2 or 3 movies on each. All are either 6 or 8 hrs recording time. My friend must have at least 5 times more tapes than I do.

Thanks again,
Robert

[Jolard]

Have to agree with all the above.

Standalones are much easier to use, although you do lose out in flexibility etc. You can't make custom menus, you can't set the chapter stops as specifically, you can't edit the video etc etc.

But running 500-600 tapes through the PC process would take forever, and if you are happy with just having the tapes on DVD, then the standalone is definitely the way to go.

[vida_loca]

You CAN set your own chapters with Hard Drive standalone models if you record to the HD before transfering to DVD!