How to hook the RCA cable onto the IEEE 1393 or USB port?

[coody]

I would like to copy some VHS tape into the DVD R disc. I have already had the software. But my VHS player has the RCA cable while my laptop has the IEEE 1394 and USB ports. Do you know what is the simplest, easiest and cheapest way to hook the VHS player (with the RCA port) onto the computer (with the IEEE 1394 and USB ports)?

[Bodyslide]

You need something like this

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_pvrusb2.html

[yoda313]

Only way you could use firewire with vhs is if you had a digital camcorder with analog passthrough.

Otherwise you'll have to get a usb capture device to get good results. They may make pc cards for laptops with video inputs - I don't know since I've never looked for one. But you can get a usb capture device. You should be able to get a cheap one on an auction site.

[redwudz]

You can get PCMCIA capture cards for a laptop. A little expensive, though. For both PCMCIA capture cards and USB capture devices, you can look to the left under 'Capture Cards'. Just plug in the type you want, USB 1.1 or 2.0 or PCMCIA and you will see some devices in each category. <<<<<< There is a fair variety of USB capture devices available and some are fairly economical. Be aware that capturing can use a lot of hard drive space.

I would definately look for USB 2.0 instead of 1.1, also. There are also 1394 capture devices available, but probably more than you want to spend.

[terjeber]

I would like to copy some VHS tape into the DVD R disc. I have already had the software. But my VHS player has the RCA cable while my laptop has the IEEE 1394 and USB ports.

1 - forget about your USB port, even USB-2. Theoretically USB has slightly higher transfer rates than does IEEE 1394 ports, in reality transfers over USB-2 are slower and far less reliable than over firewire.

2 - You need a capture device. They come in different packages which all have their own problems and issues. I have a capture card in my PC which requires you capture audio through your soundcard. The problem is that these always get out of sync. That is inevitable, the timer in the capture card is invariably not in sync with the timer in the soundcard.

I would recommend getting an external capture device. One that is recommended in a lot of places is the ADVC 110 from Cannopus: http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC110/index.php.

An alternative is to use a digital camcorder as your capture device. You can go to an electronics store, get a converter from RCA to S-Video, then connect the S-Video to your digital camcorder. This assumes your camcorder supports S-Video in, not all of the do.

[thecoalman]

Bottom line is you need something to convert the analog signal to a digital one whther it be capture card, exernal converter, DV cam with passthrough or use a DVD recorder and import the footage from the DVD disc to your computer.

There's lot's of options, check to the left under capture cards.