How to Capture VHS Tape Using Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus
By Alexis Lawrence
Since VHS tapes degrade, if you have video footage saved on VHS tapes that you would like to keep, you should transfer it to a more durable storage medium such as your computer's hard drive. Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus is a digital video-editing application that can capture video from external sources, such as video cameras and VCRs. So, if you have a VHS tape that you would like capture to your computer, you can do so in Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus.
Connect a VCR to your computer using a pass-through, such as a digital video capture device. Plug the audio and video cords at one end of the video capture device into the audio and video outs on the VCR or video camera, matching the plugs to the ports of the corresponding color, and connect the other end of the device to a USB port on your computer. Some digital camcorders have the ability to act as a pass-through device. To use a digital camcorder for digital pass-through, connect the camera to the video and audio outputs on the VCR or video camera using the audio/video cord provided with the camcorder and connect the camcorder to the computer using the computer interface cord provided with the camcorder.
Launch Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus by going to the "Start" menu of your computer, clicking "All Programs," clicking on the Ulead folder in the program list and then clicking on "Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus." When the application opens, launch the capture wizard by clicking "Capture" from the main screen and then the "Capture Video" button.
Pull down the "Format" menu. Choose the video format you would like to use for the captured video. MPEG comes up as the default option in Ulead, but other standard video formats, such as AVI, are available as well.
Click "Options" and then the "Video Properties" link to set the properties of the incoming video. Choose "Composite" as the "Input Source" and, if you are in the U.S., "NTSC" as the type of video being captured. Click "OK" to return to the main capture screen.
Press the "Capture Folder" button and choose the folder on the hard drive where you want the captured video to save. Then, click "Start Capture" and begin playing the video in the VCR or video camera. When the video is done playing, or when you've captured the part of the video that you want to capture, click "Stop Capture." The captured video automatically saves to the folder you set as the capture folder.
References
Tips
- VCRs and video cameras that use video tapes record analog video signals, which must be converted into digital in order for your computer to read them. The computer will not recognize a VCR or VHS video camera plugged into it directly.
Writer Bio
Alexis Lawrence is a freelance writer, filmmaker and photographer with extensive experience in digital video, book publishing and graphic design. An avid traveler, Lawrence has visited at least 10 cities on each inhabitable continent. She has attended several universities and holds a Bachelor of Science in English.