Methods For Copying VHS To DVD

Ways to transfer old tapes to digital format

There are several methods on the market today that you can use to copy a VHS tape to DVD. They all involve a significant amount of time, money and patience - the question is, which of these items do you have the most of and are able to invest?

Copying a VHS to DVD is normally accomplished with a device called an Analog to Digital (A/D) converter. These devices come in many forms - from combination DVD/VHS set-top boxes to some more popular USB to computer options. If you are not the hands-on type, you can choose to employ a conversion service that will do the whole process for you.

The combination set-top boxes are the simplest and fastest method for home movie reproduction. They have the "set and forget" philosophy for transferring your movies, so that you can start a movie playing on the VHS side and directly record (or dub) it to a DVD. While this method is very straightforward, it does not allow for any editing or customization of the resulting DVD. This also means that all those home movies that are separated by minutes of static and white noise on the old VHS tape would result in a DVD that has the same problem. Plus, if it is a commercial machine, it may not be able to copy the commercial VHS tapes (feature movies) that may be in your collection.

The computer converters generally feature a USB connection on one end and a connection that matches the Composite Video (RCA type) jacks found on the back of your VCR. You then plug this device into your computer and connect the various cables to the back of your VCR. Then, using supplied software, the video will be recorded to your computer's hard drive. You will then be able to edit and enhance the recording according to the features of the software editor. Once you have made any revisions to your movie, it is then rendered and recorded to a DVD.

Some of these packages included more advanced editing software that enables you to perform some enhancements to the video, remove unwanted sections, add titles and special effects, and voiceovers. All of these effects do come at a cost and that is time. While it may be nice to add voiceovers and titles, they can really show up in the bottom line of the time it takes to render these to the DVD format. This will also make it necessary to have a computer with a bit more horsepower, as without sufficient system resources the computer will not be able to keep everything in sync and the resulting DVD will be of poorer quality than the original tape. These programs can almost always copy commercial VHS tapes, as the only signals being recorded are the Video and Audio channels.

One alternative to copying the tapes yourself is to use a VHS to DVD service generally available anywhere that still processes film, such as your local pharmacy or super store. These services can run anywhere from $10-$25+ per tape depending on the length of the tape and if any additional services are needed. This method is the most expensive over the long run, but it does free up your time. Be aware, however, that most companies that offer this type of service will not copy commercial VHS tapes.