Converting old VHS tapes through camcorder to IMovie???

HELP! Have set up VHS and video with output cable to camcorder (Samsung Mini DV). Then firewire from camcorder to IMac and STILL NO LUCK with converting video! Thought I could convert old VHS tapes into IMovie this way, without having to use a Pinnacle Box, etc.....?
Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. This has been an ongoing family "project" I have taken upon myself and refuse to take tape to a professional when I know my Mac and IMovie can do a BETTER job!

Sue, that was not my point per se. I am not rich enough to own two video cameras. For others in my position a tried and tested analogue to digital converter seems a simpler answer, and a lot less work.

Similar Messages

How to convert old VHS tapes to digital

I am hoping someone can give me an overview of what kind of equipment/software is necessary to convert VHS tapes into a digital format that could be saved in iMovie. Do I just need the right cables for the VCR or something more complicated? Thanks!

I recommend that you download the free iMovie HD6 for those with iMovie 08 who do not have a prior version of iMovie HD6. You can get it here: http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imovieHD6.html
And, do this tutorial: http://www.apple.com/support/imovie/tutorial/
It is more capable of creative editing and you have a quite a bit more control over your iMovie with it.
+So, your method worked using just a VCR, a camcorder, and your computer? No special converters?+
Yes, I just used the AV connectors that came with my camcorder to hook the camcorder to the VCR....which was in a combo TV/VCR unit so I could see the footage on my tv, just to make it easier. The AV connector cable has a special prong that fits into the camcorder, and those white/red/yellow prongs at the VCR end. The TV/VCR is a few years old, certainly not anything fancy or new.
I didn't bother with a converter since I just used the camcorder.
My computer and that VCR are not physically close enough to try to import directly, and since I wanted the digital tapes of the original footage, recording first to the miniDV tapes worked for me. Canopus makes a couple of nice converters...they are around $150-250, I think.
Then, to connect to the computer with the camcorder you will need a 4-6 pin Firewire cable.
+I might do it sooner or I might put it off for awhile while I practice messing around with iMovie.+
The benefit of recording from VHS to miniDV tapes is that the tapes are digital, they store easily and the footage will not degrade before you get around to creating your iMovies and DVDs. iMovies can take up lots of drive space, so don't be thinking that you will just import them all and save them for editing later. You would need a huge amount of space for this. Most of my movies are just under 2 hours, and occupy between 25-40 GB each. A couple of my movies were well over 100-140GB!!!! Yes, that is correct. I have a couple of external drives that I use for my movies while I am creating them. I usually have about two or three that I am working on at the same time.
+We want to put them in a digital format that will be easier to store and play and safer from eroding over time, so I guess the end format I'm looking for is DVDs.+
Because DVDs can break/crack/warp/melt/etc, you should consider exporting your finished iMovies back to the camcorder so that you have the miniDV tapes for more permanent storage and as a backup to your DVDs.
That is one of the big reasons that I don't use iMovie 08---it does not permit exporting back to a camcorder.
Although I do not save my created iMovies on my computer after I have made the DVD and exported the edited movie back to tape, I do save all my iDVD projects as disk images. A disk image can be up to 4.7 GB--even my large movies were automatically compressed down when put into iDVD. The limitation in iDVD is the total length of the movie in TIME, not SIZE. I use single-layer DVDs, which can hold up to 2 hours of content. Creating disk images allows you to have an exact copy of your iDVD projects, self-contained so that you can delete the original iMovies and the original iDVD projects. You can use the disk image to burn your disks when you first create them, and any time in the future. It is a good backup for the entire DVD.
Enjoy being creative with your movie projects! Post back with any more questions, and feel free to email me if you want.
Regards,
Beverly

Hello converting vhs tape to go into imovie - gooood audio important!

Hello
I need to convert a vhs tape to play in imovie for a client,
it's for voiceover work website - so crisp clear audio is crucial.
not sure what to tell customer service person at vhs conversion store.
Help please!!
thnx

Hi
Concider the cost and the cost of an A/D-box to do the conversion by Your self.
I use an rather expencive one but get Audio and Video as good as is possibly (I think)
I use an Canopus ADVC-300 (Now Grass Valley ADVC-300) - This has some vital features
• Timecode correction = less baby sitting even if drop-outs on VHS-tape
• Picture enhanzing
• Audio stays in sync. even if tape is in LP-mode eg 8 hour and got drop outs
Yours very happy to do this at own speed and full control.
If I'd use a store to do it I would like to have material back on miniDV tapes
and as streamingDV (as recorded by miniDV Camera).
If result is to be a new DVD then I also would not use iMovie'08 to 11 but
• iMovie up to HD6 - or -
• FinalCut (any version)
This to keep picture quality as close to 100% as possibly.
Yours Bengt W

Device for importing old VHS tapes into Mac to edit and make DVDs

Having tried one device unsuccessfully, we're looking for a device that we can use to convert old VHS tapes so we can edit in iPhoto/ Movie and store on DVDs. The one we tried came from the Apple retail store, but the Genius Bar was not able to get it to work. Thanks.

Here is how I do that (this only works with non-copy protected videos):
Connect the VHS tape player via RCA cables to an analogue-to-digital converter like, for example, the Canopus ADVC110.
Connect the converter via firewire to your Mac.
Import into iMovie as DV stream (I use iMovie 6). Edit out irritating commercials (from TV programs) and other glitches.
Convert to standard DVD format of mpeg2 in iDVD and burn to reliable media like Verbatim DVD-R.
Job done!

Converting my VHS tapes to a DVD using a Canon Elura 100 camcorder

I'm new to iMovie and this discussion board
I am trying to convert my VHS tapes to my powerbook G4 using iMovie 3.03. I've connected the wires correctly, I've tried it with a tape in the camcorder and without a tape. iMovie shows the camera connected, but I do not see the video from the VHS tape on my laptop. I changed the AV DV to "on" like the instructions stated.
#1 do I need to upgrade to iMovie 6?
#2 Anyone know of the common problems associated with this? Specifically with the Canon Elura 100
G4 power book Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Hi Karsten!
Thanks for the response. Yes, I am able to import from my camcorder/miniDV to my laptop. I've also made sure I don't have any other devices connected except for the power cord on the camcorder and my latop, which shouldn't matter right?
I have set up my camcorder to my VCR and tried to record on my camcorder, but that did not work either. I did not check in the manual if I had it connected right, or the settings right with this process. I'll try again and check with the manual. Also, I'm going to get iMovie 6 sometime this week, maybe that might make a difference?
Thanks again

Is there a way to import videos from old VHS tapes so that they can be later accessible to processing with imovie?

Is there any way to import videos from old VHS tapes so that thry can later be processed by imovie?

I recently got a new iPhone, and after restoring all my stuff from my old iPhone via the iTunes restore thing, I had to put all my music on manually, instead of it being restored.
iTunes content is not included with your iPhone's backup - no music, movies, tv shows, podcasts, audio and print books, tones, and apps. All iTunes content must be transferred back to your iPhone when restoring. If you sync music with Sync Music selected under the Music tab for your iPhone sync preferences with iTunes, music is transferred back to your iPhone from your iTunes library when syncing - syncing is followed after the iPhone is restored. If you manually manage music and videos with this selected under the Summary tab for your iPhone sync preferences with iTunes, you must manually drag all music from your iTunes library back to your iPhone. Manually manage music means manually all the way.

Looking fora camcorder that also has an s-video or rca jack input to convert my vhs tapes to digital

looking fora camcorder that also has an s-video or rca jack input to convert my vhs tapes to digital.

Hi ltcps,
Thanks for writing us!
None of Canon's current camcorders include S-Videos, RCA or other auxiliary inputs.
Did this answer your question? Please click the Accept as Solution button so that others may find the answer as well.

HT1014 I'm working with imovie 08 and converted movie originally from VHS tape to .m4v files imovie wouldn't recognize it. I converted to .mov files and imovie generated thumbnails (for hours) and shows a New Event but there is nothing there. Any help?

I'm working with imovie 08 on Macbook pro OS X and converted movie originally from VHS tape to .m4v files imovie wouldn't recognize it. I converted to .mov files and imovie generated thumbnails (for hours) and shows a New Event but there is nothing there. Any help?

markmc78 wrote:
.. I'm really struggling with the concept of events/clips/projects.
consider usage of a diff. editor.. iMovieHD6, you're entitled for a free downlaod at apple.com:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imovieHD6.html
but IF you're relaxed, opened your mind, follow the bright light, ommmm.. for Events & Stuff:
your intended workflow will add another step of quality-degradition (8mm>>avi>>mp4>>iM08) ..
consider the free tool Mpeg Streamclip www.squared5.com for 'chopping' that 90min beast into pieces..
rename these new chunks, follow advice given on my site:
http://karsten.schluter.googlepages.com/im08changeeventdate
there's the manual..
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iMovie08_GettingStarted.pdf
and the most recommended books from Mr Pogue's Missing Manual series..

Import VHS Tapes to DVD and iMovie

I have many old VHS tapes I want to finally digitize so I don't lose them. Most are old football games, generally between 1-2 hours per tape. I am working off of a new iMac - 27inch 3.1gHz 1TB hard drive.
I want to do 2 things:
1 - Backup each tape to a high quality DVD for backup purposes - to be played in a DVD player
2 - Store lower quality versions on my iMac hard drive to be viewed/ edited/ possibly uploaded to YouTube or other web based video sites
I have iMovie, and would like the ability to edit if possible - nothing major, ading scores, dates, etc...and possibly manipulating video (cropping of scenes, etc...) but not much.
I have researched and found a few different options. Most threads I have read seem to indicate the need for one of the following:
Canopus ADVC300
Canopus ADVC55
Elgato Eye TV Hybrid
I am willing to spend $100 - $200, but this I'd rather not go crazy. At a certain point it would just be easier to sed them away to be professionally archived to DVD.
Any advice?

I have many old VHS tapes I want to finally digitize so I don't lose them.
I have done lots of that.
To get your VHS video into iMovie, use the Grassvalley ADVC300. With the ADVC300 Audio and Video go in, FireWire comes out. It also comes with a nice Macintosh application that works flawlessly with iMovie 06 and iDVD 09/11 (I have used it a few times with iMovie 11).
The program that comes with the ADVC300 has some nice filters that can improve video and audio of the source material. The ADVC300 will take Audio and Video from any source (VCR, Tivo, Satellite Receiver) and convert it to FireWire (iMovie will treat it like a camera).
http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300
I would use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09/11, why?
iMovie 09/11 uses 'single field processing' meaning every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage. iMovie 06 uses ALL of the image to form the video.
If your primary workflow is editing DV clips and making DVDs, iMovie '06 is better suited.
Your movie will arrive at iDVD in DV format, which is an ideal match for making a DVD: same resolution, same pixels aspect ratio, and original quality. If you share your movie from iMovie 09/11, it gets re-rendered at 640x480 or less, and then iDVD upscales it back to 720x480. The end result is obviously not as good.
iMovie 06 and iDVD 11 is a "lossless" combination.

Copying old VHS tapes

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!
My wife volunteered me to copy her aunts crappy old VHS tapes to DVD. In order to do this, I have to capture the footage and then output it (I really should have gotten one of the stand alone recorders),
The problem is, even though I am running the VHS player through my Sony DVC deck, every time there is a hiccup in the VHS tape, FCP stops the recording! I have set the user settings to not stop on a timecode break (even though there is no timecode). I am capturing using a non-controllable device. Yet by the end of one tape, I have 20 clips, and of course, it also means I have to sit and babysit in case it stops partway through the tape. Is there any way to get around this madness!?!?!
Also, I tried capturing using Quicktimes recording feature, but this kept stopping as well!!

1
To Play back analogue video with a signal that is good enough to copy reqyuires a Time Base Corrector. This is a device that stabilises the inherent jitter caused by tape players, replacing the sync signals with good quality sync. The resultant signal is then stable enough to record.
you can buy a domestic version of this, which can be used with a DVD REcorder:
http://cpc.farnell.com/cyp/ctb100/time-base-corrector/dp/AV11954?_requestid=5518 23
there is a combined TBC and analogue video to Firewire converter which can be used to digitise the VHS for editing with Final Cut:
http://desktop.thomsongrassvalley.com/products/ADVC300/index.php
2
If you buy a Panasonic recorder you can set the firstplay to 'track' which will only playback the video content without menus.
Message was edited by: Gary Scotland

Capturing old VHS tapes

Hello.
Can anyone out there tell me the best way to capture old VHS tapes on to my imac? i.e. what software is best to use? What format is best? Best way to clean up the tapes/ machine before playing them? Basically any little tip and tricks for a good result.
I have searched and googled but cannot find information relavent to my set up. I have already imported quite a few tapes and the results vary from not too bad to terrible.
I would say that I have about 30 tapes that I want to go through and take bits from and am willing to give up a lot of time but only if the results are worth it. So far that has not been the case.
The set up I have at the moment is:
Hitachi VHS recorder (good one at the time)
Canopus advc-55
27" imac i7.
Also have Final Cut Express installed but find the capture/ achiving far easier in imovie.
Any help appreciated,
Pat.

Hi
Canopus advc-55 - should work OK
I use a Canopus ADVC-300 as this has two important (to me) features
• TimeBase correction - mend's small drop outs
The Capture doesn't halt
Audio is keept in sync - even when drop out frames
• Picture enhanzing
Then I prefer to use
• iMovie HD6 - and this set to Capture NOT in a cut up version as then drop out frames will trigger new clips (called save as individual clips in iMovie HD6 pref - I turn it off)
Else I don't need anything else.
Capturing in FinalCut Express or Pro - is more problematic to me as they are much more sencitive and halt's Import much easier. (Much more baby-sittings) - my notes on this following.
Analog to Mac/Digital
From
• S-VHS, VHS, VHS-C - Camera or VCR (VHS-C needs adaptor cassette - SVHS/VCR in such cases)
• Video 8, Hi8 ...........................................( Camera / Digital8 Camera or special VCR-player )
Can be done via
• Camera and tape or video trough (if present) (miniDV or Digital8)
• A/D-box
    Several brands (Must be FireWire)
        Canopus ADVC-55 (now Grass Valley ADVC-55) - (only on way)
        Canopus ADVC-110 (now Grass Valley ADVC-110) - (two ways)
        Canopus ADVC-300 (now Grass Valley ADVC-300) - (Timebase/code-correction)
        EyeTV
• VCR --> DVD (result needs conversion to be of use)
Captured/Imported by
• iMovie 1 to HD6
• iMovie’08 & 09 & 11
• FinalCut Express or Pro
• Final Cut Pro - X ( iMovie’11 Pro? )
• QuickTime Pro
• iDVD
SCART - Must use an SCART-adaptor with in and out switch. The one that came with Camera is one way. Camera ----> VCR/TV - not other way around.
RCA - Connect right way around
USING the S-Video out than RGB-video (Composite) from SCART will give a significantly better result !
Why
• Want to do a DVDs
• Want to edit
Connect VCR to A/D-box via SCART---RCA (EU) or via RCA---RCA (US) and set SCART switch to out (if used). The A/D-box may have an in resp. out side. Connect to in-side. Set A/D-box Input selector to Analog in.
My ADVC-300 has two sets of dip-switches on bottom - for PAL they are set to
Left one number 6 is set to on - all others in off state.
If 6 in off state then it is NTSC
From A/D-box via FireWire 6-pin to 6-pin or 9-pin end to Mac FW port.
Now turn A/D-box or Camera ON
Start iMovie or QT or FinalCut
Select Import or Capture
Re-wind tape in VCR or Camera
Start - Play on VCR or Camera
Import or Capture Now
See that the saved movie is collected on a hard disk with sufficient space
1 hour needs 13.5Gb
8 hour needs 105-110Gb (e.g. a 240VHS tape recorded in LP-mode)
How to store the material
• As is - Icon with a Star on it (iMovie HD6)
• As a set of DVDs
• Collected in a folder - FinalCuts Scratch folders + Movie document on an external/second hard disk
• As DiskImages
• Back to miniDV tapes
Do not use LP-mode with miniDV tapes. Two major problems.
a. When Camera dies - so does the tapes - Can’t be play-backed securely on other Camera even if
brand and type number is the same - the tolerances are to small
b. Audio goes out of sync due to 12-bit recording and/or drop outs in video makes video and audio
not walk in pace / parallel. Resulting in a very tough re-sync problem.
Yours Bengt W

Capturing from old vhs tapes

I want to capture a bunch of old VHS tapes into CS6. I have an analog to digital converter that I'm going to plug a VCR into and a Firewire cable from the converter into my computer.
1.) Can anyone recommend any general settings for making sure I get the highest quality possible?
I'm looking at using the following settings:
Sequence Preset
DV - NTSC
Standard 48kHz
and then going to:
- File > Capture
- Press play on the controller at the bottom of the window
- Press record on the controller at the bottom of the window
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

There are a few ways to take care of this. One is to crop the 2 pixels from the top and the 2 from the bottom from the source when you export. If you do that, you can scale it up a bit to take care of it, or stretch to fit. Either way, it is unlikely to be noticeable since the analog wasn't picture perfect to begin with. Or, you can just leave the black above and below. Hardly noticeable at all - depending on how you display it. If you put it full size on a white web site then it is a problem. Playing it out on a DVD is not problem at all. Nobody sees that far to the edge on most TVs anyway. Although more and more they show the entire picture.
Basically, I suggest that you capture a few seconds of video and play around with it before you get too far into the project. You might not even have the noise.

Lenovo IdeaCentre B520 - Plug in a Vhs and record my old vhs tapes!

Hi!
Besides of all i want to thank you for the time you gonna lose to read this post.
I bought a lenovo ideacentre B520 and i want to record my old vhs tapes.
I plug in the VHS into the AV in ports (yellow, red and white) and then i switch in the monitor to the av mode.
I can see the vhs tape in my computer but the problem is that i cant control the pc mode. I'd like to know how can i record the vhs tape in Av mode.
Thanks for the help, and sorry my english writing...
Cesar

You'd need to tell us what kind of film and cameras you have. I think you'll need to buy some equipment to do that.
An alternative is to send your film to a place like Integrated Imaging and they could transfer it to DVD or another suitable format for iMovie.

Old VHS tapes to digital on iMac

I applogize if this is the wrong forum buit I couldn't figure out where else to post. I have a 1 week old iMac G5 and want to import old family VCR tapes to it. I heard of Eye TV but $300 plus is awfully steep for a one time use. I am not planning on using my iMac as a DVR or anything. Is there anything cheaper? I just want to convert some VHS tapes to DVD.

A couple of related threads:
Philip Hurrell, "Connecting VCR to imac G5", 06:28am Aug 4, 2005 CDT
tom manforte, "VHS to DVD -What do I need?", 04:39pm Jul 6, 2005 CDT

Coverted old vhs tapes and downloaded to computer using Roxio. The audio and video don't sync.

I converted some vhs tapes to imovie with Roxie. Every project I created has video and audio that don't sync. What am I missing?

Thanks all-
This question was answered in [another thread|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1966084&tstart=0].

Converting old VHS tapes through camcorder to IMovie???

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