VHS to DVD conversion

[tails007]

Hi i would like to transfer some VHS videos to DVD. What is the best way i can do this. Ive found some companies such as transfer2 who charge £10 per hour of content, but with all of the family vids that i have that is going to get too expensive.

Would a machine that had both vhs slot and dvd slot be able to do this or is there a way to do it on pc?

Thanks in advance

 

[JayCee]

Would a machine that had both vhs slot and dvd slot be able to do this

Yes a DVD-VCR Combi would do it...or connect your existing VCR to a DVDR...you would be best to get a model with a HDD...that way you can copy and edit before burning to disc.

 

[tails007]

thanks jaycee!

is there a particular one that you could recomend? I would only want vhs straight to dvd capability... im happy to edit them on my pc after they are on dvd in rough form.

Not keen on one with a hdd as i already have sky plus and this is only a one time project so keen not to add too much expense.

Thanks again.

 

[terryxpress]

You can buy DVD/VHS recorders, but : whilst you may get a cheap one to do the trick, the problem is whether a cheap one allows you to specify the recording time so that the writing bit rate is adjusted precisely. By this I mean: say for a one hour disc, the recorder records at 10,000 bits per sec. To put 2 hours on a one hour disc, it writes at 5,000. What about a tape that lasts 65 minutes. Suddenly, you lose quality because it's defaulted to 5000, rather than adjusting to something like 9,500 (that is, dropping the bit rate proportionally so that it fits precisely onto the disc. (the other way, at 5000, in effect you have half the disc blank, and reduced visual quality to boot!)
The other problem is, all the inbuilt electronics going into stabilizing the image etc etc from the VHS to give you the best picture quality - that costs money!
I wouldn't have rained on your parade except...I'm just down the road from you, in Dumfries, on the A701 half way to Moffat (and the A74). I have a brilliant JVC 3-in-1 that I have used to convert all my own tapes, and weddings and what have you of friends and their friends (And I don't charge other than 40p to cover the cost of each Sony Accutron (best quality) disc. Since it's a one-off, save your money and I'd be happy to play with my equipment (toys) and do it for you. If you want to go ahead, reply and somehow we'll send phone numbers to arrange it.

 

[terryxpress]

Sorry - just realized that it's JayCee who lives up the road, but still note that you live in the UK - postage would be the same anyway. I can understand you want to be careful with your videos (I presume by "family vids" you mean home-shot), but we could do a few at a time.