How to convert VHS to DVD

Hi,, I am having lots of VHS of my family functions, which now i want to get convert in DVDs. Does any body have idea how can i do that?

Its a good idea to have DVD rather than a VHS. It will cost you little bit, follow some tips to complete your task...

There are a few methods to convert VHS to DVD:

1. First capture the VHS video to a computer video editing program using an analog-to-DV converter (which includes many DV/Digital8 camcorders as well as standalone analog-to-DV converters), encode it to MPEG-2 and author a DVD.
This is the most time-consuming method but it gives you the flexibility to edit the video as much as you want, adding transitions, special effects, music, etc. But, between the capture time, the editing time and the often considerable time it takes for software encoding to MPEG-2, this can result in several hours of work for your computer - and you - for each hour of video.

2. Capture the video to the computer as MPEG-2 using hardware capture devices that convert the VHS to MPEG-2 as they capture and then author and burn a DVD. A one-hour video is captured and compressed to MPEG-2 in one hour, but you are generally limited to doing "cuts-only" editing of the MPEG-2 files. However, if your original tape doesn't need editing this is a fast way to convert VHS to DVD, but still have the flexibility to create custom DVD menus. Many of the inexpensive hardware analog-to-MPEG boxes can deliver very good quality, in part because the analog source video does not have to be converted to DV before being encoded to MPEG. Converting VHS to DV can add artifacts that make it harder to get good MPEG compression.

3. Connect your VHS VCR or camcorder to a standalone DVD recorder that works much like a VCR. This VHS to DVD recorder basically gives you a DVD copy of your tape in real time. You don't have a lot of flexibility as far as menus, buttons and chapter settings, but it's the fastest and easiest way to convert VHS to DVD. If you get a "DVD VCR" with Firewire connections you can plug a DV/Digital8/DVCAM camcorder or VCR into it and transfer the tapes to DVD at even higher quality than by using the analog connections.

No matter which method you use, you need to ensure that the analog video has the highest quality possible: flaws in the original video may be greatly magnified when you encode it to MPEG-2 and convert it to DVD.

Now enjoy all your videos wathing on your PC or DVD Players..:biggrin:

Windows Movie Maker should be fine for what you're doing, since you're just importing. The resoution, I think, will be 640x480.

The problem is that the s-video port on your video card is for outputting s-video, not importing. To import, you'll need a PCI or USB import device. A TV tuner would work well, or something like this.

Or Try something different,, go through this steps:-

1. Connect the DVD recorder to the video source. Use the higher quality S-video cable if you can; otherwise, use standard RCA dubbing cables for both video and audio. Connect from the VHS player output to the DVD recorder input. Connecting to a digital source is different. Consult your recorder's manual.

2. Select your recording media. Most DVD recorders burn onto DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW. The -R and -RW formats are normally more compatible with other DVD players, especially older players, but you should record and test to be sure of compatibility. If you are going to record to a DVD-RW or +RW disk that has previously been recorded, you will have to erase it first. Your equipment manual will tell you exactly how to do that.

3. Set your DVD recorder up to preview the input signal. Normally you will press record and pause.

4. Position the VHS tape source to the beginning and check the recorder's input. This is a critical step. If you don't get it right, you will waste a blank DVD or will get an inferior recording.

5. Begin the recording and start playing the VHS source. Don't cut off the beginning by playing before starting to record.

6. Watch the recording or plan to stop the process at the end. You don't want to continue recording static at the end of the tape.

7. If desired, add another tape or passage to the recording. You are not limited to just one tape source per disk. If you have a number of short recordings that would go well together, change tapes, and add these to your DVD recording.

8. Finalize the process. Unlike a VHS recorder, a DVD recorder requires a couple of extra steps before you are done. The DVD cannot be played on a standard player until it is finalized. First, decide if you want to add chapter stops to the recording. I highly recommend that you do. Follow your recorder's manual. Defining chapters is normally as easy as finding the right spots and pressing a button on your remote to define a chapter. Multiple recordings will show up on the DVD player menu as different titles. You will be able to label these titles for playback. When you have finished managing the content of the DVD, you finalize the DVD, the recorder will create the chapter stops and menu on the disk, and you are done.

Before you get started, gather the tapes you want to transfer to DVD.

Bring your VCR into the room with your PC, and gather the cables required to connect them. You'll need a pair of audio cables with RCA plugs for audio, and either an S-Video or a composite-video cable for the picture signal. (All are available from any electronics retailer.) S-Video delivers a higher-quality signal—it's the best choice, assuming your VCR has an S-Video output.

Before hooking everything up, install the software that comes with the Dazzle DVD Recorder package. For this project, we'll use the Pinnacle Instant DVD Recorder app, on the first disc. Easy to use, it requires little drive space since it records directly to DVD, and it automates most of the transfer process. It can break your recording into chapters and add titles, but it doesn't let you edit your footage before you burn a disc. Its simplicity is a plus if you're converting lots of tapes.

To save time, you'll probably want to stick to Instant DVD Recorder for most tapes you want to convert. If you want to edit out some scenes, however—such as that shot of an ex-boyfriend hugging your wife during your wedding reception—you'll need Studio Quickstart, included on the second and third discs. It's a full-blown video editor that lets you remove or rearrange scenes, add transitions, and more.

With the software installed and your tapes stacked next to the VCR, we're ready to hook everything up. Locate the audio and video output jacks on the rear of your VCR, typically color-coded red (right audio), white (left audio), and yellow (composite video). If your VCR has an output labeled "S-Video," use that instead of the composite output for a better picture.

Connect your Dazzle unit to both your VCR and the corresponding inputs on the Dazzle hardware with the cables you fetched. Then plug the Dazzle box into a USB 2.0 port on your PC with the cable that comes in the package. You're ready to start recording.

It's useful to know exactly how long the material on your videotape is, to avoid recording long periods of snowy static onto your DVD when your material runs out. You can use the counter display on most VCRs to determine this. Just rewind your tape, then reset the counter using the remote (or just eject and replace the tape). Now press fast- forward. Most VCRs will stop running up the counter when they reach a blank section of tape, so the time on the counter will tell you how many minutes of video your tape contains.

If you've taped over old material and there's extra video at the end of the tape you don't want to record, you'll need to manually check where you want your recording to end. If you start Instant DVD Recorder, you'll see a preview window showing the output from your VCR. Just fast-forward to the spot where you want to stop recording and note the counter value.

With your VCR turned on, launch Instant DVD Recorder. On the first screen, select Let the Wizard Guide Me. Next, make sure that Dazzle DVC100 is chosen as your video source. Now click the Options button, and select either Video Composite or Video SVideo, depending on which connection you chose. Be sure to check the VHS Input box on the Options screen; this setting makes the recorder more tolerant of VHS tapes' sometimes dicey video quality.

Now drag the Options window down a little, until you can see the preview window in the main Instant DVD window. Press Play on your VCR to preview your video, then use the Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Hue sliders to adjust the image to your liking. Click OK to close the Options window, and rewind the tape when you've finished. Rewind to a point a few seconds before the moment you want the recording to start, so you can start the tape playing before recording begins. This will save you from having to start the VCR and the recording simultaneously, and prevent the onscreen word "Play" from being overlaid on the first few seconds of your recording. Use the preview window to find the right spot. Once done, click Next in the wizard, select your DVD burner, and put a blank DVD in the drive.

Finally, choose whether you want to include a DVD menu. If you decline, the recorded disc will play automatically when you insert it into a DVD player. Note that adding menus lets you tell the software to divide the DVD into a new chapter at an interval you specify. Even if you don't care about menus, chapters make skipping through long recordings easier, allowing you to use your remote to skip chunks of video at a time.

We're almost ready to burn. On the final screen, under "Select total recording time," enter the recording length you calculated in Step 4. Note that the maximum recording time on a standard single-layer disc is 93 minutes at Best quality and 133 minutes at Good quality. If you want to record more than 93 minutes of video to a disc, and both your DVD burner and your DVD player support double-layer (DL) discs, consider recording on a more-expensive DL disc—or on multiple single-layer discs—rather than reducing the video quality.

Before you start the recording, disable your screen saver, and shut down any CPU-intensive tasks that might interfere with the burning process. Now you're ready to rock. Press Play on your VCR, and watch the preview window for the point where you want the recording to start. Click Start Recording in Instant DVD Recorder, and your VHS recording will be transferred to DVD in real time. Once the process is complete, you'll have a fresh new DVD copy of your VHS recording, and you can say adios to that box of bulky old videotapes.

This seems fine... but I cannot get any input into the computer from the Dazzle. All seems fine, but no video or audio. I've tried everything -- even exchanged the unit for another -- and still no luck. I'm sure the installation and hookups are correct -- seems like a software issue. HELP!
Gordon

You need to perform a reinstallation process that may then help you out o get the issue sorted. I hope this will help you well. So in order to get the things to process or function I hope this is essential and necessary to work out.

I've tried uninstalling the software, then reinstalling... have downloaded the latest drivers... etc. This doesn't seem to do any good. Strangely, the Dazzle DVD recorder plus (pinnacle) isn't recognized by ANY program I use to capture the video from VHS (but when I run the Windows hardware diagnostics, it recognizes it and says it's working fine.

G

The best solution to your problem according to me is to take the VHS cassettes to a nearest photo studio and get it converted to DVD. It will definitely cost you some money, but it will ensure conversion quality and will save your time. There are many conversion centers available now a days.