Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows..

"Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4 DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:FZvVi.15850$lD6.15497@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
> freeware?
>
> A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
> difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
> (freeware?) method today?
>
> Here's what I did then.
> * I played the tape in my VHS machine
> * The VHS player analog out (red/white/yellow) went to my dv camcorder
> * The firewire out of the camcorder went into my 1.2 Ghz PC
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 created a huuuuuuuge avi file (17Gbytes/hour)
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 allowed me to edit scenes, add menus, etc.
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 converted to an MPEG file
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 authored a DVD image (VIDEO_TS) directory
> * My DVD burner program burned the DVD
>
> The problem with this method was time. The DVD conversion step alone took
> 10 hours for a full 34Gbyte avi file of my home movie, so I gave up after
> just converting a couple of VHS movies.
>
> Is the state of affairs in freeware & computing better nowadays?
> That is, can I simplify this horrendously long and complex task nowadays?
> I know I have to start with a huge AVI file but can I simplify the rest of
> the steps.
>
> a) If I don't wish to edit, is there freeware that can convert the
> incoming
> AVI file to DVD in a single pass?
>
> b) If I wish to edit, is there newer freeware that replaces my old
> Pinnacle
> Studio 9?
>
> c) If I buy a VHS/DVD dual unit, how does it know how LARGE the incoming
> data is (I don't get how it knows how much to compress if it does it in
> real time).
>
> Please help me!

You wouldn't need a "dual format" recorder, a regular
DVD Recorder would do. That's assuming that you have
an acceptable means of playing the media you have. You
can probably do all the editing for a "home movie" using
an inexpensive MPEG capable editing package like those
offered by Ulead or Magix. There isn't much in the way of
free MPEG capable editing programs out there.


http://www.magix.com/us/movie-edit-pro/

http://www.ulead.com/runme.htm

Both have free trial downloads.

This approach will greatly speed up the process.


Luck;
Ken
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

Mr. Strat wrote:
> In article <FZvVi.15850$lD6.15497@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net>, Tia B.
> McMahon <mcmahon4.DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>> A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
>> difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
>> (freeware?) method today?
>
> Your life would have been simpler if you'd used a Mac. All the software
> you need to make DVDs is included...and you don't need an instruction
> book or 15 steps.

fu set.

--
lsmft
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

Tia B. McMahon wrote:
> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
> freeware? (big snip)

Just thought other people would like to know that you cross-posted your
original post into their groups. This is not a good idea.

--
John Corliss BS206. I try not to reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett,
Hummingbird or proteanthread.
Because of Googlespam, I use NFilter to block all Google Groups
posts from being displayed in my news reader.
No ad, cd, commercial, cripple, demo, dotnet, nag, share, spy,
time-limited, trial or web wares OR warez for me, please.
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

"Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4 DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:FZvVi.15850$lD6.15497@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net:

> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
> freeware?
>
> A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
> difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a
> better (freeware?) method today?
>
> Here's what I did then.
> * I played the tape in my VHS machine
> * The VHS player analog out (red/white/yellow) went to my dv camcorder
> * The firewire out of the camcorder went into my 1.2 Ghz PC
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 created a huuuuuuuge avi file (17Gbytes/hour)
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 allowed me to edit scenes, add menus, etc.
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 converted to an MPEG file
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 authored a DVD image (VIDEO_TS) directory
> * My DVD burner program burned the DVD
>
> The problem with this method was time. The DVD conversion step alone
> took 10 hours for a full 34Gbyte avi file of my home movie, so I gave
> up after just converting a couple of VHS movies.
>
> Is the state of affairs in freeware & computing better nowadays?
> That is, can I simplify this horrendously long and complex task
> nowadays? I know I have to start with a huge AVI file but can I
> simplify the rest of the steps.
The state of affairs in computing is that a new computer will run about
three times faster than the one you have and do the conversion faster.

>
> a) If I don't wish to edit, is there freeware that can convert the
> incoming AVI file to DVD in a single pass?
It's not free, but ConvertXtoDVD will do this quickly and simply. I don't
think you will find a free program to do this since the software companies
must pay to license the MPEG2 codec.

>
> b) If I wish to edit, is there newer freeware that replaces my old
> Pinnacle Studio 9?
VirtualDub will do simple AVI editing and compress your giant file into an
AVI that is a more manageable size.

>
> c) If I buy a VHS/DVD dual unit, how does it know how LARGE the
> incoming data is (I don't get how it knows how much to compress if it
> does it in real time).
It knows how much to compress because you manually set the compression
beforehand. They have settings for high, medium, low quality or 1, 2, 4
hours. These are really approximations because the complexity of frame
images and amount of motion are the real determinants.

>
> Please help me!
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

"-Lost" <maventheextrawords DeleteThis @techie.com> wrote in message
news:Xns99D8E4488202Clostthreads@216.196.97.136...
> Response from AlleyCat <al DeleteThis @aohell.com>:
>
> > In article <291020071857434118%rag@nospam.techline.com>,
> > rag DeleteThis @nospam.techline.com says...
> >> In article <FZvVi.15850$lD6.15497@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net>,
> >> Tia B. McMahon <mcmahon4 DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> > A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a
> >> > horrendously difficult and long process that took days - but
> >> > worked. Is there a better (freeware?) method today?

PC with video capture card. In my case an early ATI 7200 with composite in.

Start capture mode on PC, play movie on TV/VCR/DVD sending signal to pc. (as
my capture card is only composite-in rather than TV tuner type means sound
is routed thru sound card's line in).

End of movie use Nero, select saved capture file and burn to DVD. Nero
recodes original file, creating proper DVD layout and all as neccessary.

Have done and continue to do this often. Last time just last week for friend
had old Island Of Dr. Moruea VHS tape.

Two very simple steps. Capture takes as long as original takes to play and
Nero (P2.8, gig ram, XP Pro) recodes and burns in under 2 hours.

******* rest of response(s) not required *******
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

On Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:05:52 -0500, Ken Maltby wrote:
> You wouldn't need a "dual format" recorder, a regular
> DVD Recorder would do. That's assuming that you have
> an acceptable means of playing the media you have. You
> can probably do all the editing for a "home movie" using
> an inexpensive MPEG capable editing package like those
> offered by Ulead or Magix. There isn't much in the way of
> free MPEG capable editing programs out there.

I'm confused. Wouldn't I edit using the uncompressed AVI file and not the
MPEG file? Wouldn't I need a freeware AVI editor?

And, I'm confused about the "regular DVD recorder". Are you suggesting I
can output from my regular VHS player directly into a regular DVD recorder?
I didn't know that was possible. Is it?

How do most of YOU convert your VHS home video tapes to DVD using freeware?
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

"Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4 DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:BhAVi.37823$eY.32917@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net...
> On Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:05:52 -0500, Ken Maltby wrote:
>> You wouldn't need a "dual format" recorder, a regular
>> DVD Recorder would do. That's assuming that you have
>> an acceptable means of playing the media you have. You
>> can probably do all the editing for a "home movie" using
>> an inexpensive MPEG capable editing package like those
>> offered by Ulead or Magix. There isn't much in the way of
>> free MPEG capable editing programs out there.
>
> I'm confused. Wouldn't I edit using the uncompressed AVI file and not the
> MPEG file? Wouldn't I need a freeware AVI editor?
>

Your post indicated that you were wishing to go from
VHS and other Analog video sources to edited DVD
compliant MPEG as it would exist in a DVD made on
your PC. You said that your main problem was the
great deal of time it took to convert (encode) your AVI
file to a DVD compliant MPEG file.

There are now inexpensive MPEG capable Editing
programs.

You mention buying a DVD Recorder that is a VHS
Recorder as well. The DVD Recorder can use some
form of DVD-RW or DVD-RAM disk to bring the
DVD Compliant MPEG (in the DVD .vob files) to
your PC for editing. There would be no lengthy
conversion required for the edited DVD Compliant
MPEG. You would just author your new movie(s)
into a DVD.



> And, I'm confused about the "regular DVD recorder". Are you suggesting I
> can output from my regular VHS player directly into a regular DVD
> recorder?
> I didn't know that was possible. Is it?
>

Yes, especially for your unencrypted/ copy protected
video. Also, I posted regular "DVD Recorder", the kind
of thing you put in your livingroom and connect to your TV.
They are very often connected to a VCR, as well.


> How do most of YOU convert your VHS home video tapes to DVD using
freeware?

I do the following: Play the tape in my VCR providing a
composite video signal to my RCA DRC8000N DVD
Recorder (where the signal is processed by a TBC and
NR circuitry before it is output as S-Video) this I feed
through 4 R6 coax cables (2 audio and the 2 for the
S-Video) to a capture card in one of my PCs. I then
use software that I've paid for to edit the video, author
a DVD, and burn it to a blank disk. In some cases I
record to a DVD+RW disk and bring that to a PC,
for editing.

If you must have freeware DVD Authoring you can
check the "Tool" listings at

www.videohelp.com for the few that are available.

So of the options you presented, you have (1) letting
a DVD Recorder encode your VCR's output to DVD
Compliant MPEG and being able to quickly edit and
author to a new DVD, or (2) using your old method
and editing in DV25 AVI then encoding to DVD
Compliant MPEG (which on a 1.2 Ghz PC, will take
quite a long time), before you can author a new DVD.

Luck;
Ken
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

"Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4.DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
>freeware?
>
>A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
>difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
>(freeware?) method today?
>
>Here's what I did then.
>* I played the tape in my VHS machine
>* The VHS player analog out (red/white/yellow) went to my dv camcorder
>* The firewire out of the camcorder went into my 1.2 Ghz PC
>* Pinnacle Studio 9 created a huuuuuuuge avi file (17Gbytes/hour)
>* Pinnacle Studio 9 allowed me to edit scenes, add menus, etc.
>* Pinnacle Studio 9 converted to an MPEG file
>* Pinnacle Studio 9 authored a DVD image (VIDEO_TS) directory
>* My DVD burner program burned the DVD
>
>The problem with this method was time. The DVD conversion step alone took
>10 hours for a full 34Gbyte avi file of my home movie, so I gave up after
>just converting a couple of VHS movies.
>
>Is the state of affairs in freeware & computing better nowadays?
>That is, can I simplify this horrendously long and complex task nowadays?
>I know I have to start with a huge AVI file but can I simplify the rest of
>the steps.
>
>a) If I don't wish to edit, is there freeware that can convert the incoming
>AVI file to DVD in a single pass?
>
>b) If I wish to edit, is there newer freeware that replaces my old Pinnacle
>Studio 9?
>
>c) If I buy a VHS/DVD dual unit, how does it know how LARGE the incoming
>data is (I don't get how it knows how much to compress if it does it in
>real time).
>
>Please help me!

I purchased one of these DVD Recorders at Walmart about a year ago for
less than $100. It has been working perfectly.

http://www.hometechanswers.com/codefreedvd/ch-dvr1600.html

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/cyberhome-ch-dvr-1600/5507

After I have the video on DVD I can rip it and do whatever I like.

--
------------------------------------------------
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dmitton
SPAM Reduction: Remove "x." from my domain.
------------------------------------------------
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

Doug Mitton wrote:
> "Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
>> freeware?
>>
>> A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
>> difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
>> (freeware?) method today?
>>
>> Here's what I did then.
>> * I played the tape in my VHS machine
>> * The VHS player analog out (red/white/yellow) went to my dv camcorder
>> * The firewire out of the camcorder went into my 1.2 Ghz PC
>> * Pinnacle Studio 9 created a huuuuuuuge avi file (17Gbytes/hour)
>> * Pinnacle Studio 9 allowed me to edit scenes, add menus, etc.
>> * Pinnacle Studio 9 converted to an MPEG file
>> * Pinnacle Studio 9 authored a DVD image (VIDEO_TS) directory
>> * My DVD burner program burned the DVD
>>
>> The problem with this method was time. The DVD conversion step alone took
>> 10 hours for a full 34Gbyte avi file of my home movie, so I gave up after
>> just converting a couple of VHS movies.
>>
>> Is the state of affairs in freeware & computing better nowadays?
>> That is, can I simplify this horrendously long and complex task nowadays?
>> I know I have to start with a huge AVI file but can I simplify the rest of
>> the steps.
>>
>> a) If I don't wish to edit, is there freeware that can convert the incoming
>> AVI file to DVD in a single pass?
>>
>> b) If I wish to edit, is there newer freeware that replaces my old Pinnacle
>> Studio 9?
>>
>> c) If I buy a VHS/DVD dual unit, how does it know how LARGE the incoming
>> data is (I don't get how it knows how much to compress if it does it in
>> real time).
>>
>> Please help me!
>
> I purchased one of these DVD Recorders at Walmart about a year ago for
> less than $100. It has been working perfectly.
>
> http://www.hometechanswers.com/codefreedvd/ch-dvr1600.html
>
> http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/cyberhome-ch-dvr-1600/5507
>
> After I have the video on DVD I can rip it and do whatever I like.
>
Yes, but the quality is poor. Even worse than the original tape.

--
John McWilliams
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

"Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:FZvVi.15850$lD6.15497@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
> freeware?
>
> A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
> difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
> (freeware?) method today?
>
> Here's what I did then.
> * I played the tape in my VHS machine
> * The VHS player analog out (red/white/yellow) went to my dv camcorder
> * The firewire out of the camcorder went into my 1.2 Ghz PC
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 created a huuuuuuuge avi file (17Gbytes/hour)
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 allowed me to edit scenes, add menus, etc.
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 converted to an MPEG file
> * Pinnacle Studio 9 authored a DVD image (VIDEO_TS) directory
> * My DVD burner program burned the DVD

That's still what you have to do, starting from an analogue source like VHS,
though a 3 GHz PC will do parts of it somewhat quicker. Any free software
such as the neoDVDPlus that came with my PC DVD burner a few years back is
likely to be clunky to use and more limited in features than payware like
Pinnacle. You may also get sound sync problems at the DVD burning stage
which would need you to run yet another "re-muxing" program like
PVAStrumento (which may or may not work - and you don't find out until you
play the DVD!). There is an excellent cheap program - VideoReDo Plus -
which can edit and make perfect DVDs from a digital TV source, but it
doesn't handle analogue.

My advice would be to get a DVD recorder with a built in hard drive. That
will digitize the output from your VHS player "on the fly", and if you
record to the hard drive you can edit the file by cutting bits out with
single frame accuracy, and then burn a DVD with a choice of quality
settings. I have a Panasonic DMR-EX75 which can record from its own digital
and analogue off-air TV tuners, or any other analogue source via SCART / RCA
phono / S-VHS inputs. It will also take a Firewire stream from a camcorder.
Far quicker and easier than using a PC, in my experience!

>
> The problem with this method was time. [snip]

Damn right!

TrevM
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

Tia B. McMahon wrote:

> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
> freeware?

Hello!


Why would you do that? Your Tapes will surely last longer



Best regards,

Daniel Mandic
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

John McWilliams <jpmcw RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:

>Doug Mitton wrote:
>> "Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4 RemoveThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
>>> freeware?
>>>
>>> A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
>>> difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
>>> (freeware?) method today?
>>>
>>> Please help me!
>>
>> I purchased one of these DVD Recorders at Walmart about a year ago for
>> less than $100. It has been working perfectly.
>>
>> http://www.hometechanswers.com/codefreedvd/ch-dvr1600.html
>>
>> http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/cyberhome-ch-dvr-1600/5507
>>
>> After I have the video on DVD I can rip it and do whatever I like.
>>
>Yes, but the quality is poor. Even worse than the original tape.

There are various quality settings ... I can make it AT LEAST as good
as the original tape. I am using this to make copies of old Home
Movie VHS made/collected over the last 15 years. I wouldn't
recommend this to copy commercial VHS movies or anything of the sort.

--
------------------------------------------------
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dmitton
SPAM Reduction: Remove "x." from my domain.
------------------------------------------------
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows.. 

>I purchased one of these DVD Recorders at Walmart about a year ago for
>less than $100. It has been working perfectly.
>
>http://www.hometechanswers.com/codefreedvd/ch-dvr1600.html
>
>http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/cyberhome-ch-dvr-1600/5507
>
>After I have the video on DVD I can rip it and do whatever I like.

These Chinese made recorders have audio sync problems. They lack
the electronics required for keeping the audio and video in sync. The
longer the recording, the farther out of sync they become.
 >> Stay informed about: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows..