Converting
VHS
(part 1)
Questions are popping up all over the internet about converting VHS to something easier to use. Questions like: Has anyone done this? What kind of machine do I need? Is it difficult to do? The expectation is that it should be just as easy to convert the tape as it was to record it in the first place. To that end, manufacturers have made many products. Let's take a look and note the links below will expire soon:
There is the Funai [refurbished] for $699.50 https://tinyurl.com/m8u3z4yn
The Philips DVP3345V for $599. on ebay https://tinyurl.com/bmfj5sjy
The MAGNAVOX DV220MW9 DVD Player VCR Combo on Amazon for $874. or ZV427MG9 for $977.60 with extra features
Some company on Facebook just listed one for about $300. but I suspect the quality is not great.
Should you buy a VCR/DVD recording set up?
No.
Why? Because DVDs are an obsolete standard and there are many confusing possibilities to sort out. Unless you want to spend hours on an educational "learn more than you ever wanted to learn" journey this approach is full of problems, false assumptions, and a great opportunity to make poor choices.
Why does this have to be so difficult and confusing?
A little explanation about VHS might help. Inside the VHS cassette, there is magnetic tape. More specifically, magnetic particles suspended on a polyester layer. The tape passes over a spinning disc called a head that aligns those particles so that when the recorded tape moves across a play head the video waveform that is represented by the magnetic particles creates a picture on a TV. Two big problems with VHS tape are:
- The close proximity of magnetic particles packed together on tape creates cross-talk and degrades picture quality over time.
- The polyester tape degrades over time and humidity can create a breakdown that sheds bits on the VCR heads in a way that renders the image distorted and noisy.
Conditions of storage can also facilitate mold or other environmental degradation. So let's say you did buy one of those $$$ boxes above. After converting the first tape, you might notice severely degraded picture quality. Unless you are skilled at cleaning tape heads, this could be a big, time-consuming, and expensive problem.
How do I upload video off a DVD?
You don't.
You have to rip the MPEG2 VOB files from the DVD and transcode them to a compatible format. For that, you need a computer with a DVD drive. Try finding one of those today. DVD drives have fallen out of favor and have been replaced by USB drives. On top of that, do you really want to learn about MPEG2 and H.264 and all of the various format options and container standards like MKV, MP4, MOV, AVI...? Interested in GOP (iframes, Bframes, Pframes). How about frame rates and progressive vs. interlaced video standards? Unless it is your business to know (or a serious hobby) chances are you don't want to deal with all of that.
What to do...?
Let's start by saying you need to do something. VHS tape degrades to a point where it ultimately is not playable. If your thought is to convert a theater movie library - you would be better off acquiring a digital copy that was made by a professional company/source. VHS from the beginning has been a low-quality medium and professional transfer companies use a much higher quality source to do the transfer. Almost any movie you can think of has already been digitized at high quality. If you want to watch Star Wars or Rear Window you can get a Blu-ray or better yet, get it off of a streaming service.
If your VHS library is of home movies or "the original and only source" then things become more serious. The "cheapest way" can become the "most expensive" in the blink of an eye. Do-it-yourself is an option only if you want to educate yourself and purchase or rent the appropriate equipment to achieve the goals you want for your archive. Some people are ok being ignorant to what is possible and are happy with less than optimal results. If that is you then log in to YouTube and watch some DIY videos and you will be all set. If you have an extremely limited budget, YouTube can often be a Godsend. If you know how to search, there is a wealth of information on YouTube where people often get results they are happy with. That is really the best measure. If you are happy with what you end up with then nothing else matters.
For those of you committed to doing it the cheapest/easiest way, going on YouTube and searching a good DIY video is your best bet. For those of you looking for something better, I'm writing part 2 on Sunday.