davidwallen

Found some old VHS tapes, while moving, that I would like to convert to digital. Wanted to k ow the latest, greatest, (easiest) way to do that. Thank you in advance!

BebuLamar

I found it works best with my JVC D-VHS VCR which has firewire connection. I connect the firewire to my PC with firewire and transfer using just about any video editing software.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

NCH Golden videos works for me. Slick, easy, and inexpensive

Gort55 Loc: Northern Colorado

Pinnacle software with their vcr rgb to usb converter.

Steved3604

Basically two methods to get from VHS to digital. First, easiest and with no correction, adjustment or editing is from a good VHS playback machine to Panasonic (or other) DVD recorder. Two hour VHS tape is a two hour DVD recording. No high speed method available. Two hour tape takes two hours. Method two is to put the VHS video into the computer via USB or Firewire (1394). Most video editing software will "Capture" the incoming VHS video and audio. The computer system allows for editing, color correction, etc. You can then have the video software burn a DVD or make an MP4 (h.264 or h.265) file for use on tablets, phones, etc. The DVD recorder is fast and direct. GIGO. The computer and video software is much more time consuming and usually can produce a program that is sometimes somewhat better. Lots of instruction on the internet (YT) with lots of suggestions. GL

Badgertale Loc: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

GIGO...what does this mean?

srt101fan

"Garbage In Garbage Out". A phrase from the early computer days, I believe.

Badgertale Loc: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Aha! Got it... Thanks.

Steved3604

GIGO is a phrase the computer guys toss around. Re: VHS to digital I inferred that if you make a direct DVD recording you will not be able to do any "improvement" to the video -- therefore -- if it looks bad on the VHS it will look the same (bad) on the digital. Bad VHS = Bad Digital. I like to put all my video in the computer and try to improve it with density and color correction, etc. -- just like I do with Photo Shop for my still pictures. Garbage In = Garbage Out. Side note is that Standard Definition VHS video is not very good compared with HD, 2K and 4K today. Poor resolution and not a very good method of recording. (in 20-20 hindsight). At the time we were happy to be able to record and play our favorite programs.

Steved3604

GIGO = Garbage In equals Garbage Out -- OR -- WYSIWYG = What you see is what you get.
YT = You Tube (where we seem to get our education today)
GL = Good Luck --transfer from VHS to digital is (in my opinion) not quick -- nor easy -- and sometimes not very pretty. But can be done with some patience and care.

stage36

I found a pristine GoVideo machine at a local thrift store for $10.00. It does a great job of transferring VHS to DVD.

therwol Loc: USA

I think that a VHS to DVD recorder is the easiest way to digitize VHS. I did that a long time ago with a GoVideo machine such as the one you mention. These things are still made, but not that brand.

Just one caveat. The DVDs I made on that GoVideo machine will play on any DVD player I have (I have 5 of them.) There was never a problem playing them on a computer until some Windows 10 update that I can't remember. They are not recognized by any of my 4 Windows 10 machines. They appear to be blank. (It's not just that Windows 10 doesn't have a DVD player, which it doesn't. I have third party software that will play DVDs. ) I found this out when I went to rip the video off of the DVDs to make files to hand down to my children. After all, the movies are of them. No go. It has to do with the way those discs were finalized in some non-standard way. I did figure out a workaround that involved a Windows 7 machine, but it's complex and not directly related to the question.

My answer is that the OP should consider a VHS to DVD machine as the "easy" solution but not the only solution. They are available both new and used.

therwol Loc: USA

New computers, including Apple, are not sold with firewire connections any longer. If you need one, you may have to add a card to a desktop PC or find an old, used laptop that has one.

BebuLamar

Yeah I realize that both a VCR with firewire and a PC with firewire are not common.

Bret Perry

You can buy an adapter for apple Macs to convert USBC/Thunderbolt 3 to Firewire.