Converting VCR tapes to Digital - efficient , easy , cheap way ???

[mkhan]

I have actually never done this.. as i dont have a DVR i recorded some stuff on VCR tapes and now i need to convert them to Digital media. I think a firewire card might be needed for this but i am totally novice at these days. Can someone give me some tips or directions as how to go about doing it.

Thnx

 

[Todd33]

You need to get from a VHS to a digital format for say DVD burrning? You need a capture card (does analog to digital sampling). There is also USB 2.0 solutions, just be sure your CPU and HD are fast enough to keep up without dropping frames. Firewire is digital connection, so unless your source is digital (miniDV, etc.) and has FW out, you cannot use it.

 

[mkhan]

CPU is AMD Athlon XP 1700 while HD is like 7200 RPM Maxtor .. should be okay
What is the USB solution that u r referring to

 

[niall]

If it makes you feel better, I'm also looking for the same type of setup. It looks like the usual rules apply: you'll have to pick two of efficient, easy or cheap. If you capture through a graphics card, take out the "cheap" part - this is the result of my intensive (but not yet extensive) research.

I would second the request to Todd33 about more details about USB 2.0 solutions. As I'm looking at a 2500+ and a 7200 HD, I don't think I'd have to worry about dropped frames.

 

[Todd33]

USB @ newegg

Pinnacle moviebox

Aver media USB2

Avermedia @ newegg

 

[oldfart]

I would use a firewire product if possible. USB uses too much CPU.

 

[Todd33]

In general firewire is used to transfer digial stream from device to PC and the USB devices are used to capture analog signals. Two different beast, I've never seen a FW capture device. And the CPU utilization for the connection is negligable, the mpeg encoding is going to eat all the CPU for the capture.

 

[oldfart]

Originally posted by: Todd33
In general firewire is used to transfer digial stream from device to PC and the USB devices are used to capture analog signals. Two different beast, I've never seen a FW capture device. And the CPU utilization for the connection is negligable, the mpeg encoding is going to eat all the CPU for the capture.

The Pinnacle Moveibox is available in a firewire version. There are others as well. USB CPU utilization is very high on devices like that. Better off using FW and have all the CPU cycles available for encoding.

 

[Todd33]

PC Mag Roundup

If your computer meets the min specs, you should be able to encode without dropped frames, with any connection. While Firewire has less cpu usage, both are often in sigle digits at full transfer (hard drive read/write). Get a firewire device if you have a port and the extra cash, they are also harder to find. I have a PCI capture card myself with firewire for miniDV transfer.

 

[dbarton]

If you are just looking for basic video and audio in's and not a diital transfer, the tv 2000xp card seems to work fine. $45.

I am encoding a beta video into my PC as I type this.. Easy to make VCD ouit of the mpg file.