Converting 8mm video tapes into DVDs...?

Question

My husband has all of these old videos of him as a child and his family that we've been hanging on to. The only way for us to watch them though is if we plug in [the huge] video camcorder in which they were taped. Needless to say with all of that hassle it doesn't happen often.

I would really love to make these 8mm tapes into DVDs so that we can share them with the rest of the family and enjoy them ourselves more often.

Is there anyway I can do this with my own computer?

We don’t have a DVD player that we can record the tapes onto so that’s not really an option.

If not, where can I take these tapes to get them converted if anywhere?

I really appreciate any ideas even if you aren't certain. Thanks!

I must add this is a pretty old camcorder from the early 80s so it's not too advanced.

It is also not digital.

Answer 1

Some the the major drug store chains - Walgreens, Rite Aid - offer video to DVD conversion services. Check with the photo finishing counter. Also try Ritz/Wolf Cameras.

Or if you want to do it yourself, here's a helpful guide. http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/basics/tapetodvd.php

Answer 2

You can do this on your own computer without a whole lot of expense. What you need is a piece of hardware that lets you put audio/video into your computer. This can be done with an add-in card or with an external USB 2.0 device. The latter is easier and cheaper, and for what you're doing, you shouldn't notice any difference in quality. Some units even have a built-in TV tuner so that you also gain the benefit of being able to watch TV on your computer.

You'll also need some software to edit and burn the DVD. I like Nero quite a bit. It isn't the prettiest thing, but it is easy and FAST. I spent a whole day futzing around with editing a VHS tape on iDVD for Mac and kept running into errors. Nero got the job done in fewer steps and less time, but it wasn't as pretty. Whatever input device you get may have some software bundled with it as well.

Answer 3

I do it all the time. All you have to do is buy a capture device that allows you to hook your VCR ,camcorder , DVD or whatever you got to your computer. Such as ADS DVD Express, X-pert DVD Maker, Etc. These could either be internal or simply plug into your usb port. After you install it you can use either Windows Movie Maker or the software that comes with the device to make your own DVD or even save it directly to your hard drive for later video creating. Here's a list of most of the popular ones available

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