Topic: Copying VHS to DVD

[Ian Sane]

I recently was able to buy some VHS copies of the original version of the Star Wars trilogy.  It's the 1995 remastered version and I got them from a video store that was selling off it's old VHS selection.  Unfortunately it's the full screen version but for 4 bucks each I'm not going to complain.

Anyway one of my big beefs with the original cuts not being on DVD is that VHS is not as durable.  Eventually multiple viewings are going to ruin the tapes and for all I know this may be the only option to get these cuts for decades.  So I would like to copy my tapes to DVD if possible.  I know that the quality isn't going to be as good as the real DVD sets but I really just want to make a back up.

My PC has a DVD burner, I just have no idea how to get the tape contents onto the computer.  Anyone have any suggestions.

[ThePerm]

video capture card..i want one....berto has one..anyways iv had the same problem..i want to restore all my families home videos but alas i just have a capture card that takes snap shot, but doesnt do video.

[MattVDB]

I wouldn't recommend VHS to DVD using a computer unless you have a strait to DVD option, or a lot of HD space.  Uncompressed video chows your space very, very quickly.  The best bet would be to use a console DVD burner.  If nobody you know has one, look to pro666.  He may be able to help, but whatever you do, it isn't going to be easy.

Do you have a beef with the new DVD versions?  They actually may be cheaper than a video capture card for you to be able to make your own.

All this talk makes me curious what people on this board use to capture video with.  I used to use the Iomega Buzz, but that thing is long outdated and long outsupported.  I now do all my work DV, and use Firewire transfer, but every now and again I get the urge to make Gamecube demo reels, and can't because of my lack of analog capture equipment.  Hmmm.

[ruby_onix]

I also would really like to get a video capture card.

I saw an ATi "All In Wonder" thingy (which I had heard is supposed to be some sort of "do everything" video card, letting you do video capturing, and running video over to your TV, and stuff like that) at Future Shop the other day on sale for $250 Canadian, after a $100 rebate (IIRC). But I don't really know much about video cards, so there's no way I would've jumped in head-first on it.

[Ian Sane]

"Do you have a beef with the new DVD versions? They actually may be cheaper than a video capture card for you to be able to make your own."

Of course I have a beef with the new DVD versions.  They're full of changes.  If you like out-of-place computer animation, sh!tty new music, and connections with the crappy prequels then fine but since I want the REAL film I have to go with other methods.  That fact that I found one that's completely legal (though not exactly what I want) is great.

The video capture card sounds too expensive.  I think I'll just hope my VHS copies survive.  Odds are Lucas' "the special editions are the finished versions" spiel is just to get people to buy the same movie twice anyway.

[DrZoidberg]

you could allways back up your master copies and watch the copies untill they die then repeat, not exactly the answer you were looking for, but it will increase the longevity of the original tapes.

Or ask around for someone you know with a capture card :'D

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I'll provide a thorough answer soon.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

There's 2 general ways: copy the footage to your computer and create a dvd, or use a DVD recording console.

1)  Capturing analog video onto your comp and use a DVD-R (aka the hard way).  You'll need analog video capture hardware: either a traditional capture card, a high-speed USB capture device, or an analog-to-DV bridge (such as those from Dazzle; you'll need a firewire port to receive DV video from the DV bridge).  The capture device will record full-resolution video (640x480, up to 720x480 NTSC) from your VCR, straight to either a compressed AVI, or MPEG-2, or DV format video file.  You'll need TONS of harddrive space.  Expect an average of 2-4MB per second of recorded video+audio.  You know how long the movies are, so you can do the math.  When the video is on your harddrive and ready, you'll need transcoding programs or DVD authoring programs to format the video to proper DVD specifications, and you can finally burn a dvd.  In terms of time cost, there's the time involved with watching/recording the video, then transcoding/conversion, then burning the dvd.  The methods other than the DV bridge method requires your system to be in tip-top shape; fast harddrive, decent-as-of-2001 CPU, clean defragged drives, no other programs running other than the capture program, a fixed-size swap file to minimize unnecessary harddrive operations; OTHERWISE you risk dropping frames during capture.  Can be a headache when somethings not quite right.

2)  Use a DVD recording console that has analog inputs (transfer your home movies to dvd! -- crap like that, it's been around).  You'll hookup your VCR straight to this DVD recorder, and it should burn your DVD as you watch it.  However, I expect either the VCR or the VHS tape to support Macrovision copy protection, in which case any analog video recording will show up as a garbled mess on the destination medium, or no video shows up at all.  In which case, you'll have to hookup your VCR's analog outputs to a little unit that strips the Macrovision copy protection, then hookup another set of analog cables from the little unit to the DVD recorder.  Pricey but less painful option.

[MattVDB]

Macrovision?  Hmm..  Makes sense, but really, I haven't ever seen it in practice before.  

He is right though.  Making copies is way easier to do if you use a console recorder.  The problem becomes finding somebody who has one, or being able to afford one yourself.  DVD burners are best used for movies you create; not for making back-ups of VHS.

Hey, Pro666, what do you use for DVD authoring?

Edit:  It is spelled "authoring".  I hate lame keyboards.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I don't have a dvd burner, so I've never done any dvd authoring.  I know some people who use Pinnacle software for dvd authoring, tho.  My focus is on analog in-game captures.

The U.S. VHS release of "The Crow"(Brandon Lee) had Macrovision on it, I can assure you.  It was annoying.

Many commercial dvd players and movies do support Macrovision.

[MattVDB]

Cool.  How about editing?  I love Vegas, and I just got into version 5.  It's really quick, and really simple.  I did a Matrix spoof that actually looked pretty good, using the included features.

I ask about DVD authoring though, because I just started using the DVD expansion for Vegas, but wondered if you knew of anything better, as anything from Sonic Foundry I currently see as gold.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

For editing, like making actual presentations or music videos, I use Adobe Premiere 5.5.  It's the last great Premiere before things got bloated with ver.6 and up, but it doesn't support WinXP.  I've been using 5.5 since 2000 I think.

Checkout what Pinnacle offers for DVD authoring:
http://www.pinnaclesys.com

[MattVDB]

Sweet.  Thanks.  I have heard about it and all, but the people I've talked to haven't been able to pick one out over the rest.  I will surely look into it.

If you can, look into Vegas sometime.  I've used a variety of programs ranging from Avid down to MGI's Videowave, and my fave has been Vegas.  Give it a try, and I think you may like it.  :-)

[ruby_onix]

Hey Ian? Have you looked at SuprNova.org lately?

Two words. Laser. Disk.

[Draygaia]

I just find a machine that just does it.  If you don't want to purchase one then maybe a friend that might have one.

[Gibdo Master]

Would it be easier for him to transfer the Laser Disk version to DVD? If not, why don't you just look into getting one that's already been done for you, Ian San? They're all over Ebay, and since you've already boughten a legal version of the VHS I don't see what the big deal is.

By the way, I find it humorous when people who pitch a fit about the SEs don't even have a copy of the original versions in the first place. Some fan you are. Of course if your copy fell apart or something I can understand.  

[Ian Sane]

"By the way, I find it humorous when people who pitch a fit about the SEs don't even have a copy of the original versions in the first place."

Well when the originals last came out I was 13 and had no money.  Plus the "this will be the last time" stuff in the commercial I assumed was BS like when Disney says that and then ten years later releases the same movie again.  Once I got money I held out for a DVD release which unfortunately wasn't what I wanted when it was finally released.

If Lucas had made a huge effort to inform us that he was going to permanently alter the originals back in 1995 (and video didn't change to a better format which makes his "you have the VHS versions" arguement worthless) less of us would be complaining.

[Gibdo Master]

I do think he made it clear that they wouldn't be released again. There was even a little message on the back of the box saying they wouldn't be released again.

Even I assumed it was BS, though. I figured that he meant it was the last time they would be released on VHS.

Do you own a copy of the SEs, though? When's the last time you saw the original versions then?

Have you gotten to at least take a look at the DVDs? The picture quality is simply mind blowing. Even on my 20" TV they look glorious. They definitely have never looked so good.

You should really check into getting a rip of the LDs, though. There's a lot of really good versions out and there's some cool projects where people are remastering them themselves to try and get them to look as good as the DVDs.