How to Make Copies of VHS Tapes

Copy VHS tapes by connecting two VCRs.

Analog VHS tapes became obsolete after the advent of digital video formats. These tapes can also degrade over time and repeated viewings, so it is a good idea to make a backup copy of any VHS tapes you may own that are priceless or rare. To copy a VHS tape, all you will need to do is connect the video outputs of one VCR to the inputs of another VCR. This method is also great for sharing your VHS home movies with friends or relatives without risking damage to the original tapes.

Things You'll Need

• 2 VCRs
• RCA audio and video cables
• Blank VHS tape

Instructions

1. Plug both VCRs into two available power outlets.

2. Connect a set of RCA audio and video cables to the "Video Out" and "Audio Out" ports on the back of the playback VCR. These cables are color coded (yellow, white and red) for easy connection.

3. Plug the other ends of the RCA audio and video cables into the "Video In" and "Audio In" ports on the back of the recording VCR.

4. Tune the recording VCR to the "Line In" or "Auxiliary" input channel using the remote or "Channel" buttons on the front of the device.

5. Insert a blank VHS tape into the recording VCR.

6. Insert the original VHS tape into the playback VCR.

7. Press the "Play" button on the playback VHS and then press the "Record" button on the recording VCR. The original VHS tape is now being copied to the blank tape.

8. Wait for the tapes to finish playing and recording, then press the "Stop" button on both VCRs.

9. Rewind both VHS tapes by pressing the "Rewind" or "Reverse" buttons on both VCRs.

10. Press the "Eject" button on both VCRs to retrieve the VHS tapes. Your original VHS tape has now been copied to the blank tape.

Tips & Warnings

• VHS tapes will degrade in quality each time they are copied. This process is known as "generation loss" and is an unavoidable problem when making copies of analog formats, such as video and audio tapes.