If you have a collection of home movies on VHS, you know that VHS tapes tend to
wear out with time and use, and they take up a lot of space. Converting those
old video tapes to DVD is a better alternative. With the right equipment, and a
little know-how, you can do your own video to DVD transfers as well as a
professional, at a lower cost.
Converting old videos to DVD is not that difficult
Step 1: The
Equipment
You will need a DVD recorder to convert your videos to DVD. These range in both
quality and price. Your DVD recorder should also have the ability to play DVD's,
and it can also be used to record programs from your television onto DVD. This
is the least complicated option.
You can also use your PC to transfer the videos to DVD. Your PC must be equipped
with a DVD burner, and you will need to make sure that your PC has video inputs
or a video capture card. An external video capture device that plugs into a USB
port is recommended. If you are using a camcorder and MiniDV tapes, you only
need a Firewire port and cable.
You will need to purchase blank, recordable discs. It is important that you buy
the correct discs for your DVD recorder and player. The discs that are
appropriate for your DVD recorder should be listed either on the packaging of
the DVD recorder, or in the documentation.
Step 2: Getting Setup
If you have chosen to use a DVD recorder, you will need get it hooked up to the
VCR and the television properly. This is probably the hardest part of using a
DVD recorder, but the documentation should provide you with a detailed diagram
for getting things set up correctly.
If you have chosen to use your PC to transfer video tapes to DVD, you will need
to install your DVD burner, install the software that comes with the burner, and
read the documentation provided to learn how to use your DVD burner. You will
also need to get your video capture software or device installed and set up.
Step 3: Video Tape to DVD Transfer
Begin by determining the quality level that you need your video to be. I
recommend using the highest quality possible, and only putting one hour of video
on each disc.
If you are using a DVD recorder, the device usually includes basic editing
tools. Using these tools, you can easily edit the video tapes, enabling you to
only record what you want during the video tape to DVD transfer. The DVD
recorder should automatically create a menu for your DVD. All DVD recorders will
automatically create a title every time you stop recording. This allows you to
break your video up into 'chapters,' and to give each 'chapter' a title.
If you are using your PC, before you can convert your video to DVD, you must
first get the video to the hard drive of your PC. This is done either with the
video capture card or software, or by using a Firewire that connects from your
camcorder to your PC. You will need to refer to the documentation for the device
that you are using to find out how to get the video to your hard drive.
Once the video is on your hard drive, you will need to use
DVD authoring software to
convert your digital video into an MPEG-2 file. Read the documentation for the
DVD authoring software that you have chosen. While the computer does the actual
work, you should be aware that converting video to a MPEG-2 file is not a fast
process - it takes some time.
Conclusion
The more video to DVD
transfers you do, the easier it will become for you. Once you have the hang of
the basic process, you may want to play around with all the various options you
have to make your DVD menus and jazz it up a little. Good luck!
Create
Great-Looking Digital Videos
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