DIY VHS Conversion: Preserving Your Memories in the Digital Age
Video Home System (VHS) tapes were all the rage a few decades ago. You might even remember a family member or friend with a camcorder on their shoulder recording videos. People gathered around a VCR to play their favorite videotapes during this time.
As it often does, technology changed how people recorded and played back media. From wedding receptions to holiday get-togethers, people began using digital cameras and smartphones to capture professional-quality video.
These technological advancements created a problem: How could people who own VHS tapes digitize them into a more popular and modern format? In this post, you’ll learn the benefits of digitizing VHS tapes and how to convert them at home.
The Benefits of Converting VHS Tapes to a Digital Format
- Having a long-lasting way to watch older recordings
- Not relying on or having to hunt down a VCR
- Clearer video and better audio quality
- Utilizing an easy way to store and transport videos
- Not losing your videos to time-based degradation
- An easier way to share your videos with others
Taking the DIY Route for VHS to Digital Conversions
You’ll need several items before converting camcorder tapes to digital formats. Check out this list below before the conversion process gets started.
What You’ll Need
- The VHS tapes you want to convert
- VCR
- Video capture card
- Home computer
- Audio and video (AV) cables
- Software that captures and converts video
- Blank media or a flash drive (for storing your converted videos)
Step 1: Setting Everything Up
Transferring videos from a VHS cassette to a DVD or drive will require setting a few things up. First, you’ll want to connect your equipment. This step includes connecting your VCR to your video capture device. Then, connect your video capture device to your home computer. It’s helpful to have these items near each other.
Now’s also the time to download and install your video capture software. After installing your video capturing or editing software, you may want to fine-tune this program’s settings for optimal resolution, audio, and frame rate.
Step 2: Playing Back Your VHS Tapes
The recording process can begin after installing your software and connecting your equipment. Before playback begins, set your video-related software to start recording from the video capture card or USB cable. Then, you can begin playing your VHS tape in its VCR or similar type of player.
During this time, letting the VHS tape (or at least the portion you want to capture) play from beginning to end is crucial. If you only want to preserve part of what’s on your tape, you can stop the capture software from recording and the VHS tape from playing back at your desired point.
Step 3: Editing
At this point, the capture software should have recorded the played-back VHS videotape. While this step isn’t imperative, you can use this time to fine-tune the converted video. This process will be done on your computer using the interface of your video capture software.
Examples of fine-tuning your video can include adding menus, cutting out parts of your video, correcting colors, or something similar.
Step 4: Burning to a Disc or Transferring to a Drive
When you’re happy with the converted digital video, it will go onto a portable drive or DVD. Your video capture program should walk you through this process. Essentially, you’ll need your converted video to be a file type suitable for burning to a DVD or viewing digitally.
If you want your converted video on a DVD, it must be in AVI, MP4, or another suitable digital format. Once your video files are ready, you can burn them to a blank DVD. It’s good to have extra DVDs if the burning process encounters errors or you transfer video from many VHS tapes.
If you want your converted video on a hard drive, flash drive, or something similar, connect your device of choice to your computer. This step might take a few minutes if you connect a drive to
your computer for the first time. After connecting your drive, move your converted files onto your flash drive and eject it from your computer.
Step 5: Previewing the Newly Converted Media
This step is optional, but some people want to double-check how their transfers went by watching back the converted media. If you performed all previous steps correctly, you should end up with a digital video identical to what was on your VHS tapes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the time and processes involved, another option could be to seek out professionals to do the transfer for you.
Converting videos from VHS to DVD or digital files is a process that will take some time and effort. However, for those who are up for the challenge, completing this task is worthwhile for knowing you digitally archived your memories for you and future generations to enjoy.
