Saving VHS on your harddrive... at DVinfo.net

John Travis · November 19th, 2005, 01:40 PM

I have some older home movies that I want to save on my harddrive, but I don't know that much about capturing analog sources (I just use a firewire card normally with my DV footage). What's the best way to do it and without degrading quality?

Boyd Ostroff · November 20th, 2005, 01:37 AM

You would need some way to capture analog footage using an s-video or composite connection from your old camcorder. One solution would be a device like this from ADS. It will transcode the analog video and audio and send it over firewire so that you can bring it into the computer in the same manner that you would DV footage:

http://www.adstech.com/products/API-...sp?pid=API-555

Dan Robinson · November 20th, 2005, 02:30 AM

You could also connect the outputs of your old camcorder or VCR to the inputs on your DV camcorder (with RCA cables or s-video) and record the old footage onto the DV tape, which can then be captured in normally via firewire.

Steve House · November 25th, 2005, 02:23 PM

Adding to Dan's comments, some DV cameras will act as a converter, letting you play the VHS tape into the A/V inputs on the camera and passing it out through the DV port without having to actually tape it to DV in the process. Check your camera manual.

Ainslie Davies · November 25th, 2005, 06:31 PM

A TV Tuner/capture card is a very easy way to capture video through RCA or S-video connections. They are cheap to buy, starting at about US$30.

Anhar Miah · November 25th, 2005, 08:08 PM

Depending on the current state of your VHS tapes, It may be advisable to get a TBC (Time Base Corrector) as sync errors will can cause adverse picture effects when transfering your VHS to a digital format. By using a TBC many common picture issuses can be resovled.

Also my advice would be to get a Super VHS player (even if the tape is a normal VHS tape) and use S-Video connections between your SVHS and Capture card.

Also capture in the least compressed format such as Huffyuv codec.

Also you can run the captured file through VirtualDub and "clean" it through a VHS plugin called "VHS flaXen" and also do other simple corrections.

Then finally get your self a good Mpeg Encoder and encode to DVD.

Alternatively (if you get stressed out like me, and want to do other things in your life then have it tied up by Video perfection then)

(1) Get a SVHS player

(2) Insert VHS tape

(3) connect to DVD recorder (standalone)

(3a) optionaly connect a TBC inbetween the SVHS and DVD recorder

(3b) Also connect a Video processor (for colour correction)

(4) Press play on SVHS and hit record on the DVD recorder

(4a) Optionaly take DVD and use software to rip the recorded DVD and recode it with menus.

Hope some of that helps.

Anhar Hussain Miah

November 19th, 2005, 01:40 PM	#1
John Travis Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 27	Saving VHS on your harddrive... I have some older home movies that I want to save on my harddrive, but I don't know that much about capturing analog sources (I just use a firewire card normally with my DV footage). What's the best way to do it and without degrading quality?

November 25th, 2005, 02:23 PM	#4
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	Adding to Dan's comments, some DV cameras will act as a converter, letting you play the VHS tape into the A/V inputs on the camera and passing it out through the DV port without having to actually tape it to DV in the process. Check your camera manual. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

November 25th, 2005, 06:31 PM	#5
Ainslie Davies Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 117	A TV Tuner/capture card is a very easy way to capture video through RCA or S-video connections. They are cheap to buy, starting at about US$30. __________________ Ainslie Davies - www.dualityproductions.com

November 25th, 2005, 08:08 PM	#6
Anhar Miah Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: United Kindom, England Posts: 290	Depending on the current state of your VHS tapes, It may be advisable to get a TBC (Time Base Corrector) as sync errors will can cause adverse picture effects when transfering your VHS to a digital format. By using a TBC many common picture issuses can be resovled. Also my advice would be to get a Super VHS player (even if the tape is a normal VHS tape) and use S-Video connections between your SVHS and Capture card. Also capture in the least compressed format such as Huffyuv codec. Also you can run the captured file through VirtualDub and "clean" it through a VHS plugin called "VHS flaXen" and also do other simple corrections. Then finally get your self a good Mpeg Encoder and encode to DVD. Alternatively (if you get stressed out like me, and want to do other things in your life then have it tied up by Video perfection then) (1) Get a SVHS player (2) Insert VHS tape (3) connect to DVD recorder (standalone) (3a) optionaly connect a TBC inbetween the SVHS and DVD recorder (3b) Also connect a Video processor (for colour correction) (4) Press play on SVHS and hit record on the DVD recorder (4a) Optionaly take DVD and use software to rip the recorded DVD and recode it with menus. Hope some of that helps. Anhar Hussain Miah __________________ The IT Ninja Learn, Teach, Grow..

November 20th, 2005, 01:37 AM	#2
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,800	You would need some way to capture analog footage using an s-video or composite connection from your old camcorder. One solution would be a device like this from ADS. It will transcode the analog video and audio and send it over firewire so that you can bring it into the computer in the same manner that you would DV footage: http://www.adstech.com/products/API-...sp?pid=API-555

November 20th, 2005, 02:30 AM	#3
Dan Robinson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Charleston, West Virginia Posts: 131	You could also connect the outputs of your old camcorder or VCR to the inputs on your DV camcorder (with RCA cables or s-video) and record the old footage onto the DV tape, which can then be captured in normally via firewire.