<p>OK… just about finished my recipe project (am basically just waiting for the custom-made box I ordered to arrive) and now am thinking about my next project… the title of the thread says it all.</p>
<p>So, we have quite a few old VHS tapes and some DVD-R discs. I want to get everything on DVD format. I have priced out having someone do it for me, but I think I can purchase the transfer equipment and do it cheaper myself… and, I have the time. And I can edit it along the way.</p>
<p>Has anyone done this themselves and have any recommendations on equipment to purchase? Any brand better than another? Once I get everything transferred onto DVD, I will probably upload it to my MobileMe account. </p>
<p>I think this is going to be a more time-consuming project than the recipe cards!</p>
<p>I’ve done this with a few VHS tapes before. I just bought a TV interface for the PC (these come in PCI and USB interfaces) and connected it to the output of the VHS player via a coax cable.</p>
<p>Here are some sample products. There are products that are far cheaper too. I’ve only used Hauppauge and ATI products in the past.</p>
<p>[Newegg.com</a> - Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-950Q TV Tuner Stick/Hybrid Video Recorder with Remote Control 1191 USB 2.0 Interface](<a href=“Are you a human?”>Are you a human?)
[Newegg.com</a> - Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1250 Hybrid TV Tuner /Video Recorder 1196 PCI-Express x1 Interface](<a href=“Are you a human?”>Are you a human?)</p>
<p>When you run the transfers, you shouldn’t be doing anything else on your system unless you have a very highly specced system as this can result in frame drops. I didn’t put the videos on DVDs - I just have them on large hard drives, usually with backups on other hard drives.</p>
<p>DH bought a Toshiba that converts it. Sorry I don’t know the model but I recall that he paid $179. It worked very well and he is still in the process of finishing up the tapes. We have so much VHS to convert!!! It is a great space saver to get it onto DVD too!</p>
<p>BCEagle - how many hours would you say you transferred and have on the hard drives?</p>
<p>Northeastmom - that’s sort of the range I’ve been looking at.</p>
<p>btw - if it matters in equipment recommendations, I have a MacBook Pro and a PC.</p>
<p>I have no idea as to whether it is the model that is posted in #5. I do know that DH has now converted most of our VHS and we are satisfied with the quality. It is not connected to a PC so it does not matter.</p>
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<p>I’d say about three to four hours. I only have about 15 VHS tapes and didn’t have a lot that I wanted to save. You can get a 2 TB drives for under $100 which should be comparable to 400 DVDs. The target format doesn’t matter though: you can burn DVDs or write the data to hard drives. The latter is more convenient if you want random access to your library on demand.</p>
<p>Whoa… I’m sure I’ve got at least 50 hours worth of stuff… a lot of it was my kids’ performances (they were both very active in high school in plays, musicals, show choir, etc.). Many of the performances, though, are on the DVD-R format. It’s the stuff from when they were really young that is VHS format. But I’ll bet we have at least 15 hours of that stuff.</p>
<p>Wanted to update people on some more information I got on this.</p>
<p>Was at Best Buy today and asked them about it. They had something called Dazzle DVDRecorder Plus, that includes a program called Pinnacle Studio. It allows you to connect your VCR to your computer, transfer video, then burn a DVD. Best thing is that it only cost $50.</p>
<p>[Dazzle</a> DVD Recorder Plus - Save and Share Video](<a href=“Pinnacle Studio: Video Editing Software & Screen Recorder”>Pinnacle Studio: Video Editing Software & Screen Recorder)</p>
<p>Since D2 is now home (and job hunting), I have offered to pay her to transfer all of our VHS home videos, add some chapters, maybe do a little editing (she did a lot of this in high school when she was editor of the video yearbook). I was told there is equipment (more expensive) that allows you to transfer video directly from a VCR to a DVD burner, but that it doesn’t transfer audio as well as the method we are choosing. I’m sure this will take longer, but I trust D2 to do a good job and she will earn some money in the process.</p>
<p>Wanted to update people on some more information I got on this.</p>
<p>Was at Best Buy today and asked them about it. They had something called Dazzle DVDRecorder Plus, that includes a program called Pinnacle Studio. It allows you to connect your VCR to your computer, transfer video, then burn a DVD. Best thing is that it only cost $50.</p>
<p>[Dazzle</a> DVD Recorder Plus - Save and Share Video](<a href=“Pinnacle Studio: Video Editing Software & Screen Recorder”>Pinnacle Studio: Video Editing Software & Screen Recorder)</p>
<p>Since D2 is now home (and job hunting), I have offered to pay her to transfer all of our VHS home videos, add some chapters, maybe do a little editing (she did a lot of this in high school when she was editor of the video yearbook). I was told there is equipment (more expensive) that allows you to transfer video directly from a VCR to a DVD burner, but that it doesn’t transfer audio as well as the method we are choosing. I’m sure this will take longer, but I trust D2 to do a good job and she will earn some money in the process.</p>
<p>So, teriwtt, how is the quality of the transfered product?</p>
<p>haha… you’re assuming D has begun this project!</p>
<p>Will let you know when she has actually done one.</p>
<p>But your post reminds me to give her a big swift kick in the rear.</p>
<p>I do have to say, though, that she has been doing a lot of cooking for us lately and helping out with H’s needs (he was in a bad bike accident last Friday and ended up having surgery), so I’m not complaining that videos aren’t getting transferred.</p>
<p>Oh good heavens! Sorry to hear about the hubby and his accident/surgery. HOpe he recovers fully and soon.</p>
<p>We had some of our VHS tapes transferred to DVD through Costco’s photo service. I really like the way they turned out. There are chapters, just like a commercial DVD and the case is covered with mini photos from the DVD. Definitely more expensive than doing it yourself, however. The regular price is $17.99 for a 2-hr DVD, although they currently have a $5 coupon in their coupon book.</p>
<p>[Costco</a> 1-Hour Photo Center - Services & Pricing](<a href=“Home Video & Photo Transfer | Costco Photo Center”>Home Video & Photo Transfer | Costco Photo Center)</p>
<p>Hope your husband is doing well.</p>
<p>I really need to just take my stuff over to Costco and let them do it.</p>
<p>It was a big relief when I finally got it done, abasket, as I had many years (okay a few decades!) of irreplaceable footage of priceless family memories. I kept putting it off, because I thought I could do it myself, but I never got around to even buying the necessary equipment.</p>
<p>Kuddos to teriwtt for doing it at home. (Just wondering now what the recipe project is!)</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, teriwtt. I am so impressed with your recipe project. I have a couple of file boxes and a manila folder filled with random recipes torn from magazines or printed from websites. My goal is to one day get the folder recipes transferred to a binder…</p>
<p>Please let us know how the DVD project goes.</p>
<p>Costco’s photo service still offers the same deal:$12.99 (with $5 coupon) to convert VHS, 8 mm, etc. to DVDs. There are also many online services available. Just wondered which one is better? Go to Costco or find the best deal online? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.</p>