How Do I Copy VHS Movies to DVD?

VHS was a boon in the 1980s for people looking to take home videos easily to have for posterity. Unfortunately, VHS uses a magnetic tape that will degrade over time. The best way to preserve your home movies is to convert the VHS into a digital format and then burn it onto a DVD.

Combo Units

The easiest way to convert VHS to DVD is to use a combination VHS/DVD player. Many newer models on the market are equipped with the functionality to record VHS onto DVD. However, this option does not allow you to add any menus or perform any digital editing.

Video Camera or Black Box

Another way to transfer VHS to DVD is to put the feed through either a DVD video camera or a black box recorder. From your VCR, connect the video out cord to the camera input and place a blank DVD into the camera. Play the VCR tape and press record on your camera. This should begin a transfer.

A black box recorder works in a similar way. The VCR plugs into this device the same way as it does into the video camera. The recorder then plugs into your computer and digitizes the video stream. From the computer, you can then burn it onto a DVD. With this method, you are able to edit and create menus.

Other Ways to Copy VHS to DVD

In order to connect directly from a VCR to a computer and capture the data, you will need to use a high-end video editing program. The software allows you to do almost anything to the video before it is burned onto a DVD. Some DVD recorders also can be connected to the VCR directly and will record a tape onto a DVD.

References

• How to Convert VHS to DVD
• Convert VHS to DVD