stiscooby

I would like to transfer some VHS tapes to DVD for some family members and would like to know what I need, hardware wise, to achieve this?

I already have Pinnacle Studio which I can use to capture the VHS tapes and then record them to DVD but I’m just after some advice on what hardware/card I need to be able to plug a video recorder onto my PC?

Thanks

Iain Young

I use a Datavideo DAC-100 (Datavideo DAC-100 DV Converter)

I think it's been replaced by the DAC-200 now, (Datavideo Video Converters) but it does a really good job. The pc (or Mac) just sees the analog vcr input as a normal firewire digital input, so you don't need any additional hardware in the pc, (assuming you've got a firewire input?)

stiscooby

Ah yes, thanks, thats the sort of thing I need but I wasn't planning on spending that much on such an item!

I do have firewire input, I was hoping I would be able to do this some bit cheaper than £170 though as i'm only doing it as a favour for some members of the family so didn't want to spend too much

Iain Young

There are one or two cheaper options, (e.g. the Pinnacle Dazzle Pinnacle Systems Dazzle Video Creator (230100034) ) but I saw the results you got from them, and so I bought the DAC-100

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Just get a cheap standalone DVD recorder, connect your VCR with the scart lead, jobs a goodun.

GazTheHat

Second the above. You could get something like this for £58.99
http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/content/products/details/index~modelcode~CRW-CDVDRW300.htm

I'm just in the process of dubbing off all my videos to DVD, using a DVD-Recorder. Can set menus, chapter sizes, disc names etc etc.

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

Another way, is to buy a cheapish TV capture card for your PC, n plug the VCR directly into that. I got pretty decent results to DVDR with a Winfast TV2000 XP expert card. Doing this is probably the cheapest way, but a standalone dvd recorder is definately the easiest.

Jen_M

Go to Asda.

They have a machine that does VCR to DVD, can't remember how much it was but does the trick.