Cheapest/Easiest way of transferring VHS videos to Laptop?

Frank_Sebem

Now, I'm guessing this has been asked before and before anyone calls me Lazy and tells me to Google this, I already have, but the results are varied, costly and a lot of them include fancy video editing Software which I don't need!

Basically, I have 5-6 VHS Videos that I'd like to transfer to my Laptop (which i will then transfer DVD using Windows Movie Maker). I also still have the VHS video.!

Now, I briefly remember my friend copying from VHS to a desktop PC about 8 years ago with just a decent video capture card in his Desktop PC and a lead from VHS video into the Capture card installed in the Desktop PC. I'd be astounded if today's technology hasn't made this task simpler & cheaper. So, like I said, I Googled this but a lot of the hits are from USA and a lot of the solutions are packages that include expensive software. I'm guessing there is a simple device or lead which carries out the transfer from Video to Laptop and let's me use my own Software to edit it etc.!

Any ideas Peeps on the cheapest alternative???!

vacheron

I'm sure the video experts here will have better solutions, but as it sounds like you will only be doing this once the easiest (and cheapest) solution we found was to use a digital camcorder which had composite video and audio inputs. This allowed us to record the output of the VCR directly onto the camcorder using it's A-D converters so you don't even have to have a PC present when you capture, or worry about dropouts / crashes / disk space etc.

We then we transferred the recorded digital data to the PC using the firewire port and edited it with the software of our choice.

If you have / can borrow such a camcorder from someone it will cost you nothing, perhaps a bottle of wine for a couple of days loan from a friend . I think the camcorder we used was about 6-7 years old and cost around £400 when new so there should be quite a few around and the results were excellent.

penrhyn

You could use a mini dv camcorder which has an analogue input, some Canons do, or a USB adapter like this.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/VHS-DVD-Deluxe-5-0-HD/dp/B003X26LAU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1309329183&sr=8-4

2010

I can`t really help but I thought the easiest option was to transfer tape to dvd and then onto your PC.

penrhyn

You would need a DVD recorder do do this, and yes it is the easiest way.

kwikbreaks

I used the USB capture card shown part way down this page - http://www.digitalham.co.uk/equipment/Dome_CCTV_camera.php

It cost £7.99 delivered on eBay iirc and worked perfectly with Windows 7. There are (or at least were) lots of sellers of the same thing so pick one with good feedback as well as a good price if you take this route.

macman

if you've only 6 to do then might just be easier to use a local conversion service to put them onto DVD for you. I think my local one charges about £6 each.

2010

RussJK wrote: »

It's so easy it's embarrassing.

What happened to the time when everything was satisfyingly difficult? Now people really don't have many excuses for asking for help with PC things!

How do you connect a vhs video recorder to a PC ?

Everyone knows you can connect a video CAMERA and use "fire-wire" but that wasn`t the question.

It`s that embarrassing easy these days, you didn`t answer it.

macman

You use a capture device that incorporates a USB connector at the PC end of the cable.

RussJK

2010 wrote: »

It`s that embarrassing easy these days, you didn`t answer it.

Wow, talk about getting the wrong end of the stick.

People have already answered the OPs question fully IMO with multiple solutions, so my my post was more a light-hearted aside to this part:

I'd be astounded if today's technology hasn't made this task simpler & cheaper.

I wasn't insulting the OP, but saying I feel embarrassed when helping out people with tech problems these days because I know that there is no longer nearly as much to it. For example, setting up a home network is a ten minute job compared to the Win95/98 days of having to set ICS, installing network drivers and components manually, and reinstalling them over and over exactly the same way until they worked...