Transferring Movies from VHS to DVD

You have still your old videos and you regularly watch them. So if you didn't transfer your VHS videotapes into DVD already; it is time to start with this now because the time of video recorders is passed and you probably will not be able to buy another recorder. Most companies have stopped already production and within a short time there are no video recorders more available. Probably combo video/DVD models will be available for a certain time but within a few years; also these will disappear.

Digital technology is the future and only these models will be available in the future and improvements are only made in this technology.

Transferring your VHS videotapes into DVD is not difficult and there are several ways to do it:

A COMBO VIDEO/DVD RECORDER
When you have a combo video/DVD recorder you can easy transfer your old videotapes into a DVD by clicking one button. It is the easiest way to do it but not my personal choice if I should buy a DVD recorder. These recorders are now maybe useful because you can still play your old video but once you have transferred them to DVD you will only use your DVD's.

A DVD RECORDER
There are two kinds of DVD recorders available, with or without hard disk. I prefer a DVD recorder with hard disk because these give more possibilities for making changes to the programs you have recorded. The same benefits are applicable when you transfer your videotapes on the hard disk of your DVD recorder. You can remove commercial breaks which you have on your videotape and make it into one movie without breaks.

Once you have everything corrected for transferring into a DVD disk you need first to check that you use DVD disks which are compatible with your DVD recorder. There are 2 kinds of disks: DVD - (R or RW) and DVD + (R or RW). R means non rewritable and RW means rewritable. So If you take a non rewritable disk you need to ensure you can only use it once. The current DVD recorders have all these possibilities but if you have an older model you need to check which kind of DVD disks can be used.

Before you can transfer your videotapes into your DVD recorder you need to connect your video recorder with a scart connection. Once this is done; you can push the play button for your video recorder push the record button for your DVD recorder. When you have everything into your DVD you can still edit the title of your recording and also erase things which you don't want to have on your disk. For making this to a DVD which can be played in every DVD recorder you need to select the option "finish" and every DVD player can read your disk.

A COMPUTER
Another possibility is transferring your old videotapes into DVD with the use of a computer. This system is more time consuming but offers more possibilities. First of all, you need to check how many free space you have on your hard disk of your computer; the RAM of your computer and the speed of your processor. The more RAM you have the better and the same is also true for your processor otherwise it will take too much time and maybe you don't succeed to transfer your videotape on the hard disk of your computer.

Now you need also a DVD burner and DVD software, for example Nero but there are many other software programs available. This software gives you the possibilities to make changes once you have transferred your videotape to your hard disk. A computer gives more possibilities for making changes to your original recording. You can change colours, making a menu, adding music, making special effects and almost everything you can imagine.

NOTE
It is noteworthy that if you are making a DVD from a video, you may have to verify the type of format used for the country in which the DVD will be played, since while PAL works in many countries, others are confined to SECAM.

Making DVD's turns all those old memories that are on film into a much more compact way to store your movies, home movies and moves them into this century, letting you have control over editing and style, and you can also make covers for them that will give them a great professional finish.