Converting VHS Into Digital Video files - Many times we came across file formats which are not compatible with the software we have and we are helpless to access
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You are here: DIME Home > Internet & E-Commerce > Converting VHS Into Digital Video files
Many times we came across file formats which are not compatible with the software we have and we are helpless to access
and open those files. These files need to be converted in some other suitable file format or we need the exact software to
run them.
Author: Kay Brenner
Date: Jan 4, 2010 - 2:52:03 AM
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Do you remember how cumbersome VCRs were? The quality, in retrospect, wasn't that great, seeking a scene was done
sequentially, and you had to rewind rentals before you returned them to the store. Not only were VHS tapes a pain, but
they also weren't very robust. Leaving a VHS in your car on a hot summer day was a recipe for a warped, melted mess, and
constant rewinding and fast-forwarding would eventually wear the plastic tape down until it snapped in two. Fortunately,
now we have DVDs. No more rewinding, seeking a specific scene is almost instantaneous, and they're smaller than their
bulkier, heavier VHS predecessors. Since VHS has practically gone the way of the dinosaurs, what does one do with all
their old VHS cassettes and home movies? You don't have to toss them out with the garbage. Convert all your VHS movies
into digital files!
Digital files are versatile; watch them on your computer; burn to a DVD disc; sync to your iPod and watch a movie in the
palm of your hand. The list goes on and on. But how does one actually get the content from a VHS tape into the bionic
digital format? Here's how.
What You Need
Of course, you're going to need a VCR to play the plastic relics and a graphics card that can capture the video that'll
stream from your VCR. Most recent video cards (mid- to high-end) have what's referred to as Video In capabilities. If
they support both Video In and Video out, they're called VIVO cards. Be sure that your graphics card at least supports
Video In.
Your computer will need a processor quicker than 500Mhz, a generous amount of memory, and a lot of hard disk space (40 to
80GBs is a goodish amount). Neglecting any of the above will often result in extremely slow conversion times or simply
the inability to do the conversion. To connect your VCR to your graphics card, you'll need either an RCA composite cable
or an S-video cable. A converter from a dual or single RCA audio cable to a stereo jack is also needed if you want the
audio to transfer over.
VHS Cassettes to MPEG Clips
Now that all the required hardware is accounted for, hook up your VCR to your computer by connecting your VCR's video-out
to your graphics card's video-in port (either S-Video or composite cable). Next, connect your left/right audio cables
from your VCR to your sound card using the mini-plug converter mentioned above. Usually, your video card will not have
the correct capture software drivers installed, so you'll probably have to do this manually by downloading and installing
them. Consult your video card's documentation for this. After the new capture drivers are installed, reboot your PC.
Windows Movie Maker
Windows comes with Windows Movie Maker, which can perform the capture for you, so you don't need to download and install
any other software. Movie Maker does the job nicely, but don't expect scads of configuration options; for that, you'll
need to experiment with other specialized capture programs. We'll stick with Windows Movie Maker since it comes stock
with Windows.
Once Movie Maker is running, click the record button and the record window will materialize. Make sure that the list of
video and audio capture devices is right. Play a movie in your VCR. If all is connected correctly, you should see the
movie playing on your PC's screen. If you don't, retrace your steps and make sure all cable connections are right and
that you've installed the proper capture drivers for your graphics card.
On the left-hand menu of Movie Maker, click “Capture from video device”. Select your graphics card and make sure that
your sound card is selected under Audio device in the Wizard. Next, enter a filename for the digital file that will be
captured from your VCR. Leave all the default video capture settings at their default values. After all this, you'll be
at the video capture window. You'll see a preview of the movie currently playing in your VCR. After the process is over,
navigate to where your MPEG movie was saved and test it out. If the quality isn't to your liking, or you simply don't
like Windows Movie Maker, there are other video capture programs out there that may meet your needs. Happy converting!
View all articles by Kay Brenner
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