Need VHS to DVD help, please!

[AngieM]

I am trying to copy a few VHS films to DVD. I have a VHS player, a Dazzle and Vista, but the software for the Dazzle is for XP. Is there a program I can download for free in order to do this? Or any other suggestions how I can get this done easily? I have only about 8 films and sending them out is $24.99 each(!)
I need simple step-by-step instructions, not high-tech that I can’t understand, on how to get movies from VHS to a DVD.

[hech54]

Which Dazzle?

[True Colors]

I am trying to copy a few VHS films to DVD. I have a VHS player, a Dazzle and Vista, but the software for the Dazzle is for XP. Is there a program I can download for free in order to do this? Or any other suggestions how I can get this done easily? I have only about 8 films and sending them out is $24.99 each(!)
I need simple step-by-step instructions, not high-tech that I can’t understand, on how to get movies from VHS to a DVD.

Easy...... you could pay me $23.99. Just kidding

We need to determine which model of dazzle is being used and also which version of Vista the user has -- 32 bit or 64 bit.

After that is determined...... here is the link to the list of drivers provided from the manufacturer of dazzle

http://cdn.pinnaclesys.com/SupportFiles/Hardware_Installer/readmeHW10.htm

TC

[jman98]

Yeah, definitely need more info, but in an attempt to hopefully get you going in the right direction...
1) Did the Dazzle software refuse to install in Vista? Or does it install but not work? Or are you just assuming it won't work and haven't actually tried it?
2) You absolutely cannot count on this working and it's not easy to use in my opinion if it does work, but VirtualDub and VirtualDubMod do sometimes work with various capture cards and they are free.
3) Do it easily? Sure I have suggestions. One easy way is to buy a DVD recorder from Amazon.com. Magnavox sells a rebranded Philips model that a lot of people like. You won't be able to find DVD recorders in most stores like Best Buy, so that's why I say go to Amazon. Well, paying someone to do it for you is really easy. I understand you not liking the cost, but for convenience that can't be beat.
4) I don't have your card, whatever it is, so I can't provide a guide, but I'm going to be honest with you. I wouldn't hold my breath expecting someone to do that for you. Around here we mostly expect people to do their own research and just come to us when they have very specific questions. Asking even for a simple step-by-step guide is more than just about anyone here wants to do, although perhaps you will get lucky and someone will give that to you. I'm not trying to insult you, but honestly, if you have to ask for a guide, you really should either by a DVD recorder or pay a shop to do it for you. Recording to a PC first and then making a DVD from it is actually not really all that easy and I'm getting the impression that you probably really and truly don't want to spend the time it's going to take to do it that way. It would be significantly quicker and easier to do it yourself via DVD recorder.

[True Colors]

4) I don't have your card, whatever it is, so I can't provide a guide, but I'm going to be honest with you. I wouldn't hold my breath expecting someone to do that for you. Around here we mostly expect people to do their own research and just come to us when they have very specific questions. Asking even for a simple step-by-step guide is more than just about anyone here wants to do, although perhaps you will get lucky and someone will give that to you. I'm not trying to insult you, but honestly, if you have to ask for a guide, you really should either by a DVD recorder or pay a shop to do it for you. Recording to a PC first and then making a DVD from it is actually not really all that easyand I'm getting the impression that you probably really and truly don't want to spend the time it's going to take to do it that way. It would be significantly quicker and easier to do it yourself via DVD recorder.

Point 4 says it all. Well stated.

If simplicity and speed are the most important things here then simply run down to walmart or Best Buy and pick up a DVD recorder. By tomorrow afternoon you could probably be finished with this entire project. Perhaps you could even convert other people's VHS tapes for them and charge them enough $$ to recover what you spent to buy your DVD recorder.

DVD recorders are relatively cheap and this would be much faster than navigating through this current situation with vista/dazzle. If you are already tripping over the difference between an XP driver and a Vista driver then it won't get much simpler as you get further down that road.

TC

[AngieM]

I'm guessing what you mean is what's printed on the back of the disk holder: Pinnacle Studio QS version 10WW. I have Vista 64 bit.

[AngieM]

I didn't mean to imply I wanted someone to write something out for me, I thought someone would hae a link to the right place for these instructions. I have a Dazzle set up to a VHS player and to my PC... all that is set. I thought once I get the VHS to my PC I could use something like (please forgive my being not too tech savvy on this one, guys-- I'm an older gal and doing the best I can) DVDFab or DVD Copy Express to burn the saved image to a DVD. How far off base am I here with this? No one told me about a DVD recorder when they sold me this equipment.

[sum_guy]

I'm no expert on the Dazzle, it should have come with capture software which you will use to record the video from the vcr to the computer, it most likely will record in real time to the computer and create an avi or mpeg file which you would then need software like ConvertXtoDVD, this software pretty much converts any video file format to a DVD. This isn't a free program, but there are others that are that will convert the video file to DVD format as well. This, as has been stated here before, can be a complex project.

[lowellriggsiam]

I have a dazzle dvp150, it is an older USB video capture device (win 98 era) and it came with movie star 5 software.

[classfour]

True Colors gave a good link for drivers - depending on your capture device.

Myself: I have a Hauppauge PVR-250 fed by a Panasonic Ag-1980, with a Datavideo TBC and Elite Video BVP4 on standby if needed.

I used to record with Panasonic DVD Recorders (Started with a DMR-E20 in 2002), but found the routine of transferring the recording from RAM to computer to be a pain when I could put it straight on the hard drive.

I do use TDA to reauthor (add menus, chapter points, etc.) and cut out the uglies.

I have found the 64bit versions of windows to be a little more difficult to find drivers and software for - and wish you luck.

[mediachimp]

Hi,
I have a Pinnacle Dazzle DVC100 Instant DVD Recorder USB capture set. This comes with "Intstant DVD Recorder" software which will not only capture from several sources (VHS being one of them) but will also automatically burn them direct to DVD if that's what you want. You need to go to the www.pinnaclesys.com site and there you'll find the driver updates for Vista 32&64bit, which will also work with Windows 7, 32&64bit.
It works quite well and gives very satisfactory results!

[lordsmurf]

Both that Dazzle box and most DVD recorders at Walmart or Best Buy are crap. Not just "not perfect", but low quality junk. I don't want to gloss over this with mushy phrases/words like "not the best quality" or "it could be better" -- no -- "crap" is far more accurate. Your DVDs will look worse than your tapes. But if you're fine with that, proceed as desired. That's what happens with consumer devices made for recording TV and not truly designed for converting VHS tapes.

I think 8 videos at $25 each ($200 total) is a much better option, if quality matters. That's the same prices as a DVD recorder, but you don't have VCRs, TBCs, etc, as a good pro service should. ("Good" being a keyword -- Walgreens, Walmart and Wolf are not it.)

[mediachimp]

Lordsmurf,
Gee, I'm certainly glad that you let it all out like that!
It just so happens that I get very satisfactory results with my Dazzle.
What happened? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?
Thanks for your input!

[AngieM]

Someone put Golden Videos on my computer... seems like the answer to my wanting to put VHS to DVD, but can anyone tell me where the VHS is downloaded to? I mean, how can I tell it that I want it to download to a certain folder on my desktop? Then how do I get it to DVD? Do I use something like Burn4free or what other program? I'm not ignorant by any means, but all he did was put the program on and I have no clue how to find answers to my questions (he doesn't know either, not too brilliant, I'm finding out).
Please advise

[Jim44]

http://www.nchsoftware.com/goldenvideos/screenshots.html

Last screenshot might help. Also, look in the "Help" menu and also the "Options" button. Sometimes you just have to click through various menus - explore a little bit.

[AngieM]

Have no idea where any of those are. I've come up with a few more questions and hopefully some day someone will see them here and have an answer or two. These are questions about Golden Videos VHS to DVD program:

Where does it copy to?
How can I set it so it always copies to one folder I choose?
I have several short clips on one VHS and the program stops after each one and says it's finished, but then the video continues. Do I let it just finish the entire VHS before responding to it telling me to put a DVD in so it can copy each individual section?

The lines across the video get copied too rather than a nice, clean picture.
I get no sound on the finished/copied DVD.
Will an entire VHS fit onto one 4.7GB DVD? How do I check that?

[Jim44]

Have no idea where any of those are.

Sorry? No idea where *what* are? The Help and Options menus? Does the program not look like the screenshot on the page I pointed you to?

[AngieM]

Oh no, it looks a lot different but I like yours better. He must have installed an older version. I'll have to uninstall mine and install yours... can't do it now, a huge other project just became a priority. Thanks for the link!!!

[tomlee59]

The lines across the video get copied too rather than a nice, clean picture.
I get no sound on the finished/copied DVD.
Will an entire VHS fit onto one 4.7GB DVD? How do I check that?

It depends on bitrate: Filesize = bitrate*runtime. Longer runtimes require lower bitrates to fit. But quality is also a function of bitrate, so you can't just dial down bitrate arbitrarily. As a rough guide, 1 hour on a 4.7GB DVD will be high quality, and 2 hours is about as high as you'd normally want to go. If quality doesn't matter, you can stretch that, but it's not recommended.

As for your sound problem, make sure that you have connected the VHS player's audio signals to your capture card or computer (I don't know whether your card has audio inputs; many do not, and rely on your computer's sound inputs instead), and that the software is aware of where the audio is coming from.

[True Colors]

Hello angie. Did you look at the "Golden Video" webpage? They have instructions there on how to use their program. It looks fairly simple to me.

Here is the link: http://www.nchsoftware.com/goldenvideos/screenshots.html

Down towards the bottom, the very last screen shot there is a box which says "Where do you want to save your videos." You just need to click on "browse" and then pick a folder on your hard drive where you want your files to go.

Also, as far as determining if a file will fit onto a DVD....... that should be a simple matter of right clicking on the file and looking at the file size. Anything less than 4.5 Gig should be fine. Technically, a DVD can hold up to 4.7 Gig, but I do not like to go over 4.5 Gig myself.

If you have other questions about this Golden Video product that you are using then the people on their support team could probably help you the best. Here is the link to their support page.

http://www.nchsoftware.com/goldenvideos/support.html

TC

[AngieM]

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong, I've downloaded the program but I do not have the same screenshots as your link, where I have the option to save to file or save to DVD. That's exactly what I want, it looks VERY easy, but the program I've downloaded from that link (again) does NOT look like that. Would you know why? I do VERY much appreciate the link to their support site- THANK YOU !!!