It would be best to convert your video tapes to both DVD and Digital files to ensure you have a physical hard copy (DVD’s) of you video files and also a digital backup copy (computer backup).
- The easiest way to convert all your old VHS to DVD is to first have a good working VCR. Panasonic & Sony 6 head stereo VCR’s are generally the best VCR’s to work with as they produce a good quality video image and sound and generally cost around $200.00. They are pretty reliable units and can still be found on ebay.
- Purchase a video capture recorder which you can find on eBay for around $200.00 to $300.00. these units capture video and audio via AV recording, it has an onboard LCD display and you insert a micro SD card to record on. Please note – that the quality in recording is not has high as getting your video tapes professionally converted by Works Perfect, but they still convert your video tapes pretty good.
- Connect you AV cable (Yellow, red & white cable), one end of the cable into the output of the VCR connectors located at the back of the VCR and the other end of the cable into the video capture recorder. AV cables can also be found on ebay.
- Insert a micro SD card into your video capture recorder.
- Switch on the video capture recorder and set it to AV input
- Switch on your VCR and press play and the image should appear little LCD screen of your capture device.
- Press the red record button and the press it again once the video has finished
- Remove the micro SD card and read it on a card reader connected to your computer to view the video files.
You can also connect your video camera up to the device and convert the video tapes to digital.
Saying all that if you just have VHS tapes to convert then it would be best to get either a Panasonic, LG or Sony VHS/DVD combo recorder unit which you can find on ebay.
They are much easier to use where you press play on the VCR and record on the DVD.
As long as you do not compress the DVD recording and only get up to 90 minutes of maximum recording on the DVD, they will produce a good quality conversion.
This process ATM is currently the easiest way to convert those old video tapes to DVD and Works Perfect would recommend this process for people who want to DYI there video tapes to DVD and are not to fussed about getting the highest quality in converting video tapes to digital.
Our recommendation – If you do not have the equipment to convert all your old VHS to DVD or cannot be fussed buying all the right equipment such as a video converter, VCR/DVD recorder combo units, memory card, cords and cables, specific working video cameras or working VCR may end up costing more than taking your video tapes into a professional converting service provider like us to convert VHS to DVD.
For example if you have around 50 assorted video tapes to convert to digital, say mini DV tapes, VHS tapes, Hi8 tapes and VHS-C tapes.
- You would require 1 VCR – finding a good condition (I would recommend Panasonic or Sony) working one if your lucky may set you back around $100.00 up to $200.00.
- or a VCR/DVD recorder combo unit in good working condition would be around $200.00 to $400.00.
- Also require one mini DV camcorder – finding a good condition (I would recommend Canon, Panasonic or Sony) working one would cost around $150.00 up to $300.00.
- also a Sony 8mm Handycam – finding a good condition (I would recommend Sony – good working ones are becoming more hard to find) working one may cost up to $600.00.
- 1 VHS-C adaptor, original brand works best Panasonic will cost around $60.00 (recommended). Generic brands cost around $20.00.
- 1 video capture recorder maybe around $200.00 up to $500.00.
- SD or micro SD memory card say 64GB may cost around $30.00.
- You should have a computer to work on so you can transfer the files off the SD card onto your PC or Mac.
So you would have spent easily between $600.00 up to $1,800.00 on all the equipment you need to convert your 50 video tapes.
That is a lot of money, not to mention the time it’s going to take as you have only purchased 1 video capture recorder or VCR/DVD combo.
So for a 1 hour video tape will take 1 hour to convert onto the SD card and then another 20 to 40 minutes to transfer the SD card onto your computer to back up or to edit.
It will also take another 20 to 40 minutes to put that video file onto a USB stick to be watched on your TV.
Unless your going to use the 64GB SD card to watch on your TV, then that would mean you would have to purchase a 16GB SD up to a 64GB SD card for each video tape you are converting.
So it may in fact cost a lot more.
To save all the hassle come see us at Works Perfect, for starters we guarantee your job is completed within 1 week.
We use professional equipment ensuring you are getting the highest quality in video tapes to digital transfer.
We will provide you with a DVD copy of each of the video tapes and for 50 video tapes we will place the digital MP4 video file footage onto your portable hard drive.
Now lets break down the cost for using our service, how much we will charge you to convert 50 assorted or the same type of video tapes and I will be calculating per video tape up to 90 minutes long per tape.
For a DVD copy of each video tape and also a digital MP4 file onto an external 1TB portable hard drive (if you provide us with your own portable hard drive).
50 video tapes up to 90 minutes long at $21.00 per tape & every 5th tape is copied for free.
You only pay for 40 tapes at $21.00 per tape total cost – $840.00 Inc. GST
We also except trade-ins on your working or non working video cameras, cameras, laptops, desktop computers PC or Mac, tablets & mobile phones to help reduce the costs on getting your video tapes converted to digital.
As you can see it will cost far less to have your video tapes converted by Works Perfect.
If you require only a DVD copy but may cost around the same price to have converted to digital files onto an external portable hard drive as doing the job yourself and getting less of a quality in the video conversion and time taken in converting those old video tapes.
