Importing VHS Video To PC For Burning To DVD

[Chrishazle]

Although I have a now fully operational Panasonic machine that has both VHS and DVD decks and the ability to record from one to the other, I wish to transfer a number of commercial VHS tapes to DVD, and the copy protection on the tape precludes this, so the only way is to hook the Panasonic to my PC. I have tried both RCA to USB2 and HDMI to my AMD Radeon video card, but cannot see the VHS output on Windows Movie Maker, Windows Media Player or Roxio Creator NXT. My reason for wanting to do this is mainly kiddies stuff for our grandchildren - Aladin, Peter Pan and the like - as daughter/SIL do not have a VHS player but can, via laptop, play DVD's through their TV. I only want to make 1 copy of each tape.

I have Googled and searched Ebay and Amazon for VHS to PC converters, there are any number of RCA/S Video to USB2 converters, but all have very variable reviews, all the way from Great to useless/returned! Can anyone recommend something suitable that works well and reliably (as well as easily, I'm not a complete techophobe but equally not an expert!)

My PC has Windows 10 home 64 bit, AMD Phenom 9850 quad core processor, 16Gb of RAM and plenty of spare HDD space.

 

[Skd884]

VH What ?

 

[Chrishazle]

Guess we're both showing our age here - should I also mention my collection of vinyl LP's and music casettes??

 

[KillerHERTZ]

A VHS recording on a modern will LCD HD look dire - even little kids will notice this.

Re: Copy protection on a VHS, just remove the tab from the tapes with a screwdriver no?

 

[Chrishazle]

Apparently not Karl, it's more complex than that, used to be able to get a gizmo that stripped out part of the output that screwed the copy, plus the DVD recorder recognises that the tape is copy protected so won't copy it (but starts, and writes a few little things to the blank DVD so that's scrap!). However, it seems to be possible with these "video capture card" things - but which one, as reviews (and prices) are so variable.

As for playback quality, if I can get one tape done I'll try the playback quality on my PC and only continue if it's OK, as it'll be very time consuming to import the tape (real time) then do any required editing then output it to DVD and check the final outcome - on maybe 20 1 1/2 - 3 hour tapes!!

 

[Doodle]

We've always used Hauppage or Avermedia for capture cards on the equipment we sell. Very rarely had problems with them.

 

[Atavus]

Have a look here. Convert VHS Tapes to Digital - Better Editor Some decent kit suggested.

The VHS copy protection is Macrovision.

 

[Skd884]

Guess we're both showing our age here - should I also mention my collection of vinyl LP's and music casettes??

Only joking, my v8 c43 has a Jvc vhs player installed.

 

[gatty]

Probably cheaper from time perspective to subscribe to Disney+

 

[Teego]

It's all on You Tube.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

The VHS tape may have Macrovision and this messes with the sync in the VBI.

Your analogue capture card may not be able to cope with this.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I'm also interested in this: in a recent foray into the gloomy depths of the loft I recently rediscovered a storage box containing a quantity of Duke Video VHS tapes including 1990's BTCC races (Cleland, Soper, Rouse, Sytner and too many others to mention), various Manx rallyes and Aussie Touring Cars from Bathurst in the mid '80s when it wasn't just the Holden and Ford entries but also featured Rover SD1 Vitesse, BMW 635CSi and IIRC a Mazda RX-7

 

[Chrishazle]

Yes the tapes do have macrovision on them, which is why I cannot use the straight VHS to DVD copy on the Panasonic as the DVD software on it recognises the macrovision tweaks and aborts!

Thanks to Ataus and Doodle, I'll have a look tomorrow, too late tonight after a lovely 1 hour Portal video call with family!

 

[Merc220cls]

I'm also interested in this: in a recent foray into the gloomy depths of the loft I recently rediscovered a storage box containing a quantity of Duke Video VHS tapes including 1990's BTCC races (Cleland, Soper, Rouse, Sytner and too many others to mention), various Manx rallyes and Aussie Touring Cars from Bathurst in the mid '80s when it wasn't just the Holden and Ford entries but also featured Rover SD1 Vitesse, BMW 635CSi and IIRC a Mazda RX-7

My old Moonraker Blue SD1 might have featured in the Duke tape. I was surprised when looking at an Australian TV programme on the SD1 a photo of my car was used as the backdrop with the presenters.

After owning it for around 30 years and carrying out a major restoration, I sold it to a collector a couple of years back just prior to purchasing my SL

 

[Chrishazle]

I've taken the plunge and ordered a cheapie video converter from Ebay, should be here early next week. I've also found, in my collection of spare leads, an RCA to scart converter and the 3 RCA male/male leads needed to connect the RCA output from the VCR to the converter. Also found that some of the Ebay listings are "deceptive", to put it politely, in that the listing photos show the converter with RCA female connetors and a male/male RCA connector set plus software disc, but when you delve into the listing all you get is the converter and a USB extension cable, no software or additional leads! Let's see what next week brings for me!

 

[Steeve]

I've used one of these before, slow but did the job

https://www.amazon.co.uk/REDGO-Updated-Digital-Converter-Recorder/dp/B07MCTQRSP/

 

[Chrishazle]

That looks identical to what I've ordered from eBay, appreciate it will be slow as video input is real time (done previous video import and editing from my camcorder) so fingers crossed it will work and not be messed up by the macrovision copy protection!

 

[moonloops]

Copyright theft?

 

[Larkone]

Probably cheaper from time perspective to subscribe to Disney+

or buy the DVDs s/hand on ebay - much easier than spending hours trying to convert low quality VHS video

Not illegal either - I thought conversations about breaking copyright by copying things was banned on here.

 

[Chrishazle]

I don't see it as breaking copyright, I simply want to change the playback method for items I legally own so I can show them to my grandchildren - who have a DVD player but not a VHS player. I often do this with music CD's as I refuse to use "proper" CD's in my cars, as I'v had a few damaged in the car CD player in the past.