How to Go From a VHS Tape to a DVD on Windows Vista

VHS tapes have a 15- to 30-year life span, depending on where you store your old tapes. As VHS tapes start to deteriorate, the picture quality can worsen. Trying to get the tape repaired can be extremely expensive. Converting your VHS to DVD ensures the captured moments are there for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• VHS player
• A/V converter box
• Windows Vista software
• Pinnacle Studio software
• DVD burner
• Blank DVD

Instructions

1. Plug in the VHS player and boot up the computer.

2. Open Pinnacle Studio's software in Windows Vista. Click "File" and open the folder marked "Pinnacle."

3. Plug your A/V wires from the VHS player to the A/V converter box. The white and red wires are audio; plug them into the color-coded female connectors in the A/V converter. The yellow wire is the video wire; plug it into the color-coded female connector in the A/V converter.

4. Plug the USB cable from the A/V converter into the USB port in the computer.

5. The computer should instantly recognize the VHS player. A preview window will open on the computer. Insert the VHS tape for conversion into the VHS player.

6. Insert a blank DVD into your DVD burner.

7. In the top-left corner of the Pinnacle software window, there is a drop-down menu. It will default to "Save to the hard drive." Select "Convert to DVD." Another drop-down menu will appear asking which DVD burner to use. Select the burner containing the blank DVD.

8. Press "Start recording," located in the bottom-left corner of the Pinnacle software window. The software will recognize when the VHS tape is done converting. Remove DVD from burner.

Tips & Warnings

• Use high-quality DVD media.

References

• Youtube: How to Convert VHS to DVD Using Windows Vista