No one and no technology can stop time. Videotape is almost obsolete. There was a time that you could preserve family memories using videotape. If you are like many people, you probably have a cabinet of VHS tapes and haven’t used a VCR in 10 years. While it is possible to convert VHS to Digital, you should not wait too long. The contents of your tapes will soon be lost forever. VHS video is subject to a 20% degradation every 10-25 years.
Even if your grandkids have a robot butler who can 3D-print a VCR from the archival blueprints for 20th century consumer electronics they may not be able to view your tapes.
You can easily save your family’s VHS tapes to your computer as video files. Just a few parts are required. The videos can be converted in just a few hours.
Keep in mind that time is ticking. Each year your collection of videotapes gets less valuable. You may be shocked at the quality of videotapes compared to digital video on a smartphone or tablet. In fact, your tape collection could have lost 10-20% quality since the day it was originally shot. Don’t wait any longer, here are the facts.
Here are the steps to convert your VHS to digital
Four major components are required to convert vhsc to digital. After you have completed this list, you can follow us down the article to find out more.
The Playback Medium: Camcorders and VCRs
VHS VCR
This is the most difficult part of the equation if your VCR was not kept from the Before Times. It’s getting increasingly difficult to find an original working VCR. VCRs have been discontinued and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a new-in-box.
You can find VCRs online at eBay, so that is your best option. There are many VCRs available for you to choose from. You can expect them to be used. Most of them are from private sellers. However, perseverance will allow you to find a VCR which works well enough for you to play, rewind and remove tapes.
Camcorder
You might prefer a camcorder to a VCR for mini-sized tapes, also known as VHS-C. There are adapters available that allow you to insert VHS tapes into an ordinary VCR.
VHS-C adapter
You can return the product to eBay, VCR, or VHS adapter if you are not satisfied with it. Don’t test a new purchase with tapes that you don’t care about. You won’t lose anything important, even if the VCR/camcorder damages the first tape that you insert.
The Video Converter
The video converter connects the VCR and your computer. It takes an analog video signal and converts that to digital input for your USB port.
A Computer To Process The Translation
How to Convert VHS Video to Digital
The process to convert your first movie is simple once you have everything needed. To ensure that you don’t lose anything, it is a good idea to first try the process with a test video tape.
Step 1: Follow these instructions to install the video converter and any other device drivers.
Step 2: Next, place the VCR/camcorder and computer next to each other and connect them via video converter. You will need to run the RCA-style video and audio cables from the output port of the VCR/camcorder to connect it to the input jacks in the video converter. To ensure proper connection, these wires are often color-coded. Red and white are for stereo and yellow for video.
Step 3: A VCR/camcorder equipped with an S-video output will produce a slightly better quality image than the yellow analog video cables. Although it’s not necessary, it’s a good idea to use the S-video cable in lieu of the yellow cable.
Step 4: Connect your converter to your computer with the USB cable
Step 5: Insert a VHS tape, and rewind the tape.
Step 6: Launch the video converter program on your computer. Follow the instructions to initiate the video capture process. You’ll likely need to give your project a name and specify the location where you want it to be saved.
Step 7: Press Play on your VCR when you’re done.
Step 8: Your videotape will start recording and playback in real-time. If you have a two hour videotape it will take you two hours to convert it into a digital video file.
Step 9: After it is done, you can stop recording and allow the software file to be saved to a folder on your hard drive.
Tips and Tricks to Convert VHS Tapes To Digital Video
Once you have everything needed, it is very easy to convert your VHS tapes. The video converter handles all the work. These are some tips and tricks to preserve your videos.
There is no need for a television. You may have noticed that the items you don’t need in this article do not include a television. The VCR can be connected to your computer through the video converter. You will see the videotape playing on the computer’s screen. You don’t have to waste your time trying to find a way to link the VCR to a new digital TV.
You don’t have to do this yourself. There are services that will convert your videotapes to digital. I
Even if you don’t do any advanced editing to your videos files, trim them using the built in trim tool within the video conversion software. You can eliminate static and video errors from the tape’s beginning and ending.
Pro-level video editors don’t necessarily have to cost a lot to improve your videos.
You must back up the converted videos. Make sure you back up your converted videos after saving them to digital files. After all the work involved in converting your videotapes to digital files, you don’t want to lose them on a failing hard drive or broken computer.
Copy your videotapes to DVD. Long-term storage for your video collection isn’t much better than VHS. As the optical layer wears down, DVDs can fail. DVD discs generally last between 25 to 100 years. The bottom line is that computer storage is the best option for protecting your videos.
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