But that’s okay, because a free program called Open Broadcaster Software is very good, and should work with most of these types of adapters. Download OBS, install it, and start it up, using its default settings for recording when prompted. Those VHS tapes sitting in your closet won’t last forever. And if you don’t have a VCR anymore, those home movies are pretty useless. If you really want those tapes to stand the test of time, you should digitize them soon.
Learn How to Turn Your VHS Tapes and Home Movies into DVDs
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Well, it’s not a good idea to just throw them away, which is why we… Have come a long way, but there are still both high- and low-quality options available no matter what type you choose. “When it comes to music, I’m more of a looking-forward guy than a looking-back guy,” Hilton reflects. “But after I uploaded some of those files to YouTube, I reconnected with a lot of people from that time. We even got a little following. It was cool to remember that part of the journey.”
Roxio has been in the business of video editing and conversion for many years, and the Easy VHS to DVD 3 Plus is a polished product that reflects that expertise. The box includes a USB capture device that connects to your PC’s USB port and has inputs for the VCR or camcorder’s analog output cables. For the vast majority of people, the best video file format for turning VHS video into digital video is MPEG-4 using H.264 compression.
These are some companies that we recommend for the service. At Costco you’ll pay $20 for up to 2 hours of VHS content. At Walgreens the cost is $35 for one tape-to-DVD conversion.
Prepare Software for Recording
Check your old tapes and if they’ve been gathering dust – literally, that is – try to clean as much as you can from the part of the cassette where the tape is exposed to prevent it being drawn inside once you play it. If they have, try to get them moving by hand before playing the offending tape. Movavi Content Team has tested all the products covered in this article. You can then insert the SD card into any device for viewing. Be aware, though — you might need extra cables and a bigger SD card .
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Drivers are little bits of software that tell Windows how to connect to and capture video from a VHS-to-digital converter. These are often included with your VHS-to-digital software but it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s website to see if there are more up to date versions.
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If you have a VCR or camcorder with Firewire connections, you can get a DVD Recorder with Firewire connections and transfer tapes at a higher quality. Firewire ports look similar to USB ports, except they are flatter and tapered at the end. Most people will probably want to go with one of the above two options—they’re the easiest. But if you want to edit those old home videos on a PC, or store them as separate clips rather than two-hour-long chunks, you can hook your VCR up to your PC for more precise recording. Films at Home, understands the predicament the domination of streaming services has forced upon movie lovers. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd.
There also may be local shops in your area that perform similar services, so check Yelp or ask around to see what might be available. This method can get pricey quickly, depending on how many tapes you have, but it requires almost no work for you. If that means the job actually gets done (rather than sitting on your to-do list forever), it’s well worth it. If you’d rather not go through the hassle yourself—and are willing to throw a bit more money at the project just to get it done—there are plenty of professional services that will transfer your tapes for you.