Making DVDs

[J and M]

Has anyone transferred video tape to DVD?

 

[vraiblonde]

Not to DVD yet, but I've transferred VHS to my computer. When I'm finished editing, I'll burn to DVD.

What did you want to know?

 

[J and M]

My dad is trying to copy all of his old family video tapes to DVD. He was asking me what to use and how to do it. Since I've never done it, I thought I'd ask here.

I guess I'm looking for info on DVD writers, additional equipment, etc.

 

[vraiblonde]

I have a digital cam corder with an AVI connector. Here are my steps:

1. Hook the cam to my VCR (standard AVI connector) and my computer (via firewire).
2. Open my editing software - I use Ulead Studios.
3. Start playing the VHS tape on my VCR, which feeds through my cam and can then be captured by my editing software.
4. Once everything is captured, I edit the video down to just relevant stuff, then save to my hard drive as an MPEG movie.
   [/list=1]
   
   Once you have a collection of MPEG movies, you just burn them to DVD or you can use your DVD sofware to make title screens, hierarchies, etc.
   
   Movies take up a TON of space so if you have limited hard drive capacity, you might think about just paying someone to convert the movies for you.
   
   If anyone else has a better method, I'm all ears!

 

[J and M]

Thanks for the info!

 

[J and M]

If anyone's interested...

My dad just purchased a DVD Bridge. It's a small unit which plugs into the computer via firewire and you plug your camcorder, tv, or vcr into it. The included software allows video and audio editing. It allows you to write to DVD, CD, S-VCD, or send video email or webcast.

It looks like a pretty neat toy. We're gonna give it a try this weekend.

Their website is Dazzle