Where should I go to turn my VHS tapes into DVDs?

Question

I have some workout tapes that I want to change into DVDs, can you help me?

Answer 1

If these are store bought items like for example Richard Simmons, they are copyrighted and cannot be copied legally. In addition most commercially produced VHS tapes since the 1980's have copy protection on them to protect from un authorized copying.

If the above does not apply, check your local phone book under video or video tapes there should be companies advertising video transfers.

You could do it your self but it can be time consuming and cumbersome if you don't have the right tools and equipment.

Answer 2

Here are a few methods of how to turn VHS tapes into DVD's :

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.

- 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.

- 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.

Answer 3

Well...Your also going to need something else for capturing the video into the computer so ill suggest you get a matrox and some software that will allow you to capture the video (i use adobe premiere pro at my job) but you can buy Adobe Premiere Elements for about 70 bucks.

Answer 4

get a DVD recorder, and hook it up to a VCR.

Answer 5

Go to www.afterdawnforums.com