How to Transfer VHS Tapes to DVD or Other Digital Formats

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If you've got a mountain of unlabeled youth soccer games and bar mitzvah compilations from 1989 threatening a VHS avalanche in your basement, it may be time to fast-forward into the 21st century. Professional VHS-to-DVD transfer services can be expensive if you have many tapes to transfer, but you can do it yourself with professional results if you have the right hardware and the appropriate software.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using an Analog-to-Digital Video Capture Device

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  1. Typically, these can be purchased for between $100-$150 dollars. Popular models include:
    • HDML-Cloner Box Pro
    • Elgato Video Capture
    • Roxio Easy VHS to DVD
    • Diamond VC500
  2. Connect the device to your computer via the mini USB port.
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  4. Insert the VHS tape and fast-forward (or rewind) to the portion of video you'd like to record.
    • Try playing the VHS tape at this point. You should be able to see it in a pop-up window for the software you've installed. Then return to the portion of video you'd like to record.
  5. Make sure the software is in capture mode before you start playing the video or you'll miss the first few seconds of the tape in your recording. This process will vary slightly depending on the software you've installed, but regardless you'll have to wait for the video to finish playing before moving on to convert the file to a DVD.
  6. If you want to edit the video at this point, you can open it in iMovie or a freeware program like VirtualDub and trim out any unwanted parts.
    • Make sure that the audio and video are in sync. If they are not, you can adjust the audio skew by selecting "Interleaving..." from the audio menu and entering a positive or negative number for the audio delay. When figuring out how much to delay the audio, it is helpful to select "Audio display" from the view menu.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using a VHS-DVD Combo Player

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  1. While these will generally lack High-Def outputs and software packages, it's still the least-complciated way to transfer a VHS tape to DVD.
    • A new combo player will probably run between $100-$200, but will probably be available for cheaper on eBay or craigslist.
    • Alternatively, you can connect a separate VHS player to a DVD player with recording capabilities. For this, you'll need a regular set of two-directional Audio-Visual cables. Plug the outputs from the VHS player into the inputs from the DVD player and follow the rest of the instructions as if you were using a combo player.
  2. . Depending on the quality of your VHS tapes, this can be either an over-cautious step or a necessary one. If you're working with old irreplaceable family tapes or extremely dirty tapes you'll want to make sure that you're not going to ruin them by running them through the player.
    • Roll the protective tab back to reveal the magnetic tape. Forward the tape by turning the spindles and wiping the tape with a soft cloth or piece of cotton.
    • If the tape is wrinkled or twisted, gently smooth it with the cloth. Turn the spindles the other way to run the tape out if it's severely twisted. Be very careful.
  3. Check the player's specifications about DVD formats, whether or not it will write over DVD-R discs or DVD-RW and make sure you've got the right kind of disc for your player.
  4. This process will vary depending upon your machine, but typically you'll need to press play on the VHS controls and hit record on the DVD controls. Often, though, there will be a single "record" button that engages the transfer process automatically.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using a Commercial Conversion Service

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  1. If you don't want to go to the trouble of buying the hardware to complete a single transfer project, many big stores with electronics departments will complete the process for a small fee. This offers less control over editing and care of the tapes, but requires little on your part other than delivery. It's also a good way to convert more obscure formats like 8mm film or Betamax.
    • Walgreens, Costco, Walmart, imemories.com, Southtree, Target, CVS, and Sam's Club all offer this service for somewhere between $10 and $30 dollars a disc. Typically a single disc will hold two hours of VHS tape. [1]
  2. If you want all of your daughter's VHS birthday tapes on one disc and your son's on another, make a note of this and include it with the package. Make sure all tapes are clearly labeled and that you have already made a copy of important tapes. Also be sure to make the staff aware of any fragility or damage on the tapes.
    • Depending on where you drop the tapes off, there may be other custom editing options available.
  3. This is a great option for people with a small amount of personal material to transfer, avoiding the separate costs of blank discs, hardware, and software. There are also online services available that offer the same transfer options, though you'll have to ship the VHS tapes, which could be costly.
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  • Question
    My Panasonic DVD recorder says "unformat" and won't record. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    Check to see if your blank DVD says "RW" or "rewritable" on it. If that's the case then refer to Format DVD RW . It's the best instructive I've seen on the subject. If that's not the issue you can look up the user's manual online or try Googling your question.
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  • Question
    Transferred VHS Tapes to DVD with a Sony RDR VX530 VCR. The DVD will play on the VCR that we used to do the transfers but not on any other DVD Player we have. Why?
    Community Answer
    The DVD probably needs to be "Finalized". There should be a menu option to finalize or finish the disk to make it playable in other players.
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  • Question
    My VCR only has UHF/VHF output cable and Audio/Video Out cable - it does NOT have stereo audio output like all those fancy adapters seem to require. Should I just throw away the VCR and try to find one that isn't quite as old and obsolete, or is there a simple adapter cable that would work?
    Community Answer
    You're still able to use it with those fancy stereo adapters - just use the yellow and white plugs on the cables - your video will be in mono, but with VHS tapes that's usually the most you'll need.
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      Tips

      • If the video begins to skip or freeze part way through a video capture, the CPU may be slowing down to prevent overheating. Capturing video is very CPU intensive, and I had a problem with my notebook PC automatically slowing down its processor speed to prevent overheating. The problem was solved by propping the computer up and blowing a fan under it to assist its cooling system.
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      Warnings

      • Avoid touching the tape inside. Doing this might cause wrinkling, folds or tears on your tape, which could make it unplayable.
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      • Do not attempt to copy commercial tapes of any sort (e.g. movies, TV shows). It's against the law, and it's a waste of time.
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      Things You'll Need

      • VHS tapes you want to copy and blank DVDs
      • VHS player
      • DVD recorder
      • A reasonably fast PC
      • A video capture card or adapter
      • An S-Video cable, and a pair of RCA audio cables

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/how-to-convert-vhs-to-dvd/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Get an analog-to-digital video capture device.
      2. Connect the device to the VCR.
      3. Install the device's app on your computer.
      4. Open the device's app.
      5. Click Record .
      6. Press Play on the VCR.
      7. Stop recording when the tape ends.

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