jono300

iTrader: (8)

Anyone here sucusfully managed to convert there vhs video to dvd using one off these cheap " Easycap " gadgets often seen on ebay etc ?? ask this as I have one or two old vhs tapes that it would like to have on disc and if I knew that these things actually work would just go ahead and order one . from a quick search off google on this very subject have read off a few users having problems getting acceptable sound in the conversion process ??

anyone here able to advise ??

Iain Young

I've tried a couple of the cheap (and no so cheap) ones, and ended up throwing them away. Not worth the money imo. They work reasonably well on perfect tapes, but when you start getting dropouts etc (as often happens with older tapes) they struggle, often pixelating the images, and distorting sound etc. The captured picture can also be a bit fuzzy sometimes.

I've ended up buying a Matrox MX02 mini to do the job. A lot more expensive, but it works very well, and the resulting picture quality is so much better than I got with the cheap options (even when they were working). You get what you pay for...

jono300

iTrader: (8)

Okay thanks mate appreciatte your advice, to be honest kinda suspected that the results with the cheap ebay device would not be accepatble and that would probably just be better off getting any videos requiring dvd conversion done by the professionals.

cheers and thanks again for your advice.

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Much easier to get a cheap standalone DVD recorder and connect scart to scart with your VHS player. Record then trim and edit the result on your PC. I've done lots like this.

Fabioso

I want to backup vhs tapes that are copy protected because they are going to wer out if they play them much more. Is that illegal? if not, how could it be done? in theory like

jono300

iTrader: (8)

Now theres a idea I had never thought about ?? so you reckon its as simple as just connecting up my dvd recorder and video player , pressing play on the dvd and all being well a perfect copy should be produced onto disc within the recorder ??

anything I need to look out for and will I be able to back up shop purchased vhs films as opposed to just blank videos that I have put recordings onto ie weddings etc ??

certainly be interested to here a bit more as its certainly got to be worth a try, having sky+ I knew there would eventually be a use for that old dvd recorder !!

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Yep, that's exactly how I've done mine. I backed up numerous old rave VHS tapes to DVD with good results - or just as good as the VHS quality is anyway.

VHS Recorder -> Scart -> DVD Recorder -> Scart -> TV

Record on the DVD recorder at a high a bitrate as possible for the length of your recording using the RGB setting if possible. It's the same as connecting old the Sky Digital box to yor TV, through the VHS recorder. I used cheap DVD-R's, copied the resulting files to the PC and edited them using DVD Shrink to trim them. You can then re-burn them to DVD if you like

Anything that's likely to have protection is probably available on DVD anyway. My stuff would never have been.

This way cuts out the problems that a less than perfect PC may introduce, such as frame drops and stutters.

jono300

iTrader: (8)

Perfect thanks again for the info, will certainly give it a try sometime when I get a chance.

Iain Young

Don't know why I didn;t think of recommending that If you have a dvd recorder, give it a go. It does work quite well...

jono300

iTrader: (8)

No probs mate your original info was good enough for me ie. wont be buying one off these cheap " Easycrap " cadgets !!

thanks again guys.

jono300

iTrader: (8)

Just wonder if this same dvd recorder could be put to use for recording akyplus programmes onto disc, anyone ??

GC8

Ive only had real success using an Hauppauge PVR300. Its got a hardware MPEG encoder, whichs what you need to reliably create MPEG2 files in real time. Ive also got a PVR150, which I believe has a similar chip, but costs a good deal less.

Simon

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Yes, of course The only channels you will get issues with are Sky Movies and other PPV channels.

I've recorded festival footage from my Sky+ and edited it all afterwards on the PC - cutting out the adverts, waffle and bands that I didn't want on there.

jono300

iTrader: (8)

Okay great thanks again appreciatte your help on this one.