VHS_2_DVD Archive
Dick Axtell - 29/12/06 at 04:23 PM
Got an interesting VHS tape, recording loads of historical stuff on the British motor industry. Since the UK motor manufacturing sector is nowadays
represented by the Japanese transplants, Jaguar (& for how long?), Land Rover and, God bless 'em, Morgan, this tape could be all that's
left.
So I want to transfer it to DVD. How can this be done at home?
Catpuss - 29/12/06 at 05:03 PM
Easy method - VHS recorder to DVD recorder and just record it.
Slightly more akward, use a PC video capture card + software , record to hard disk then write to DVD
Easiest method, search on line for a service (or a local one) that will do the transfer job for you.
If you don't already have the hardware then a local copying service may well be the cheapest for 1 or 2 tapes. If you have half a dozen or more
it may be cheaper just to buy a cheapo domestic DVD recorder (say 80 quid) + you get to keep it.
Even cheaper, buy a cheapo DVD recorder from some where where you get a no quibble return after a week say 
bilbo - 29/12/06 at 05:10 PM
Just what ever you do, keep the old VHS tape just in case. Some of my oldest CD-Rs I recorded 5-6 years ago are now unreadable
, so only time will
tell if the DVD+/-Rs will suffer the same fate.
Magnetic tape, on the other hand, seems to be able to last 30-40 years at least if kept properly.
Dick Axtell - 29/12/06 at 05:39 PM
Thanks both for the feedback.
Not sure about the "easy method", coupling VCR to DVD recorder. Isn't there some restricting of output signal from the tape, to prevent
unauthorised copying?
Bilbo, your comment...."Some of my oldest CD-Rs I recorded 5-6 years ago are now unreadable," worries me. I have some similar CD-R's.
What causes degradation over time?
bilbo - 29/12/06 at 05:57 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Dick Axtell
Bilbo, your comment...."Some of my oldest CD-Rs I recorded 5-6 years ago are now unreadable," worries me. I have some similar CD-R's.
What causes degradation over time?
I'm not entirely sure why. It may have been the earlier blank disks, or the older recorders? I'd have though it is something to do with
light getting to them?
Maybe worth checking your old disks - could just be my old-old recorder at fault or where I've stored them?
RichardK - 29/12/06 at 07:58 PM
It the quality of the pigment dyes that are used, if you used the really cheap cdr then don't expect to work after about 5years tops, I did read
somewhere that the really expensive ones won't last more than about 8 years, but can't confirm this as I only used the cheapest of the cheap
So if it is about dye quality then it's probably the same for dvd in that they will have a life, but how long???
Regards
Rich