Transferring your VHS movies onto DVD and digital

[pannoni1]

Over the weekend, I decided to do something new that I really enjoy doing, even if a bit time consuming: Dubbing my old VHS tapes and transferring them to DVD, from which I can upload online. It was a gift I got last Christmas which plays both VHS and DVD's. It's pretty easy to do once its setup. All I do is to insert a blank DVD, switch over to VHS mode on the remote, insert and play a VHS, pause it at the desired frame, press the DVD button to switch to DVD mode, press the recording mode, and then finally press dubbing. When the disc is complete and/or full, then I go to another setup and DVD menu and choose to finalize the disk, resulted in a transfer. And the video quality has turned out quite well! I have a bunch of family videos, some with movies, and some TV shows (including some Pokemon, Dragonball Z, Adult Swim from the early 2000s, and much more!) If you have a bunch of old VHS tapes lying around, check them out since there is likely to be stuff that will never be broadcast on TV or released on video, such as local news programs, game shows, talk shows, soap operas, or other items described as "Keep Circulating the tapes". I'm sure some of you have some TMNT tapes, whether OT, TNM, or 4kids era (Our family recorded on VHS as late as 2007). But most importantly, if there are home videos there can be important TMNT memories! I just discovered that from a video in 1990 I wasn't the only Ninja Turtle dressed up for Halloween (I was Raphael). There was a Leo, a couple Michelangelos, and even a teacher dressed as a Foot Soldier (but with a green uniform!) For those of you that have recorded certain movies/TV shows, tells us what you have since I may be willing to B/S/T, especially if it isn't released on video or is hard to find.

[Darth Knuckles]

I've actually been wondering how to do this but I have no idea how to do it. Are you using something that is connected to a t.v. or a computer when you switch / record something over from VHS to DVD?

I don't have a clue what device to buy to make the switch, but I've been wanting to do this especially to my Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back 1997 Special Edition VHS tape. It's the only version that has the updated CGI sections in the movie where in addition: Boba Fett is not voiced by Temuera Morrison and is still voiced by Jason Wingreen as well as the only version where Darth Vader says "Bring me my shuttle!" after the fight with Luke in Cloud City instead of "Alert the Star Destroyer, to prepare for my arrival."

I've wanted that exact version (my favorite) on DVD but it hasn't happened yet. Any advice would be appreciated.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by Darth Knuckles

I've actually been wondering how to do this but I have no idea how to do it. Are you using something that is connected to a t.v. or a computer when you switch / record something over from VHS to DVD?

I don't have a clue what device to buy to make the switch, but I've been wanting to do this especially to my Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back 1997 Special Edition VHS tape. It's the only version that has the updated CGI sections in the movie where in addition: Boba Fett is not voiced by Temuera Morrison and is still voiced by Jason Wingreen as well as the only version where Darth Vader says "Bring me my shuttle!" after the fight with Luke in Cloud City instead of "Alert the Star Destroyer, to prepare for my arrival."

I've wanted that exact version (my favorite) on DVD but it hasn't happened yet. Any advice would be appreciated.

There's a Device you can buy that will copy directly to a DVD, Called the Sony DVDirect, It lets you plug any source like a VHS player, Camcorder or one of those Sony Handycams, to Copy all those videos directly to a DVD. I have one in which I used for transferring home movies on DV Tape or VHS-C to DVD.

What you are asking is to make copies of your movies. If I remember correctly, VHS tapes uses a copy protection called Macrovision. It makes the picture fuzzy when plugged into a recording device.

[Darth Knuckles]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

There's a Device you can buy that will copy directly to a DVD, Called the Sony DVDirect, It lets you plug any source like a VHS player, Camcorder or one of those Sony Handycams, to Copy all those videos directly to a DVD. I have one in which I used for transferring home movies on DV Tape or VHS-C to DVD.

What you are asking is to make copies of your movies. If I remember correctly, VHS tapes uses a copy protection called Macrovision. It makes the picture fuzzy when plugged into a recording device.

Aah okay. I understand all of that I think. So what I'm trying to do with the 1997 The Empire Strikes Back VHS is kind of made to be frowned upon I guess, right? Well that stinks a little but I understand it I suppose. I guess I'll never get that one unique version of The Empire Strikes Back on DVD. But I guess I'll live though. Thanks for the explanation TigerClaw!

[Roseangelo]

It's actually better to do a direct capture to a computer using a capture card. Doing it to a DVD recorder creates compression. When you're already at VHS quality, you don't want even more loss of quality. When you record onto your computer you can take the raw file and do whatever you want with it, including burn to a DVD.