[Bryan K]

I need to get some VHS onto my computer or DVD and I was wondering if anybody has an adapter or VHS-DVD recorder that I might be able to use or buy for cheap. Thanks

[Navy salad]

I need to do the same thing, Bryan. I did a little (maybe 30 minutes worth) of research, and it actually sounds a little complicated, due to different standards in place today vs back when the VHS tapes were recorded. In my case, the tapes contain video of my kids when they were little, so I'd like the quality to be a good as possible. Please let us know what you come up with and how it turns out!

[tigermn]

Could it be as simple as something like this? I'm not sure why it would be complicated. Of course you have to play the tapes/no fast way. I wouldn't think it shouldn't take much to at least maintain something close to the quality of original VHS tapes. Hmmm maybe I'll order one and try it, but definitely time consuming to be sure. Of course I"d have to go dig up my old VHS tapes and see if they actually still will play and assume one of my old VHS players still works.

[tigermn]

What the heck I ordered one. Guess I can report back later on how it works (or doesn't).

[Doppelganger]

[Navy salad]

Wow, I sure hope this works! The complication I read about had to do with some interference patterns that sometimes display, depending on how old the tapes are. There were various things that could be done to clean them up and this is where it got complicated. In my case, I only have the tapes -- the camcorder long ago bit the dust. I also have different types of tapes (VHS, 8mm (I think), and one other). Yes, please tell us how it turns out!

[moonspots]

[SlingShot]

Costco also offers this service for about $18. 2 tapes, 2hrs per DVD. I'd like to do it myself with a good VCR and video capture device on my PC, But I have not owned a VCR since the 90's and for the cost of a capture device I'd just prefer to take my 2-3 tapes to Costco. Then I can edit and clean, after all the video is on DVD Costco Video Services

[tigermn]

I have two hardly used VCR's sitting right here. Hopefully at least one of them still works. The bigger question might be what shape the tapes are in (not to mention finding tapes I want to save). Will keep posted on how it goes. I will probably just capture to computer files. I don't know if I'll actually be burning DVD's or not.

[HitTheTrail]

All of our family videos are in the non-US format (pal/Secam) so we bought a converter a few years ago to convert them to NTSC and onto DVD. We used it a couple of times and it has been sitting in the basement every since. I think we still need to use it but not sure if your old pal/secam player still works. So I need to do three things; check the status of our old player, try to find the converter, and check with my wife. She is the un-archive/reformat person.

[Bryan K]

Tigermn, if that works maybe I could borrow or rent it from you?

[HitTheTrail]

Bryan, I just checked the converter I have. It is a Com World CMD-1500. Its main function is to convert the video signal from one format to another, such as PAL/SECAM to NTSC and vice versa. Then you can write the converted signal out to any storage media you want. If you need something like that let me know.

[Daryl]

I have one of those and have converted over several old VHS tapes. Works great. Mine accepts coax and RCA output so you can record off ANYTHING that has either of those outputs.