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

Similar Messages

  • Any way to use standard VHS deck to convert VHS tape to digital file (iMac)

    I use FCE/iMovie. I've had old 8mm films converted to digital files to make family movies - very costly. Is there a way to use a standard VHS deck as a source with my newer iMac to convert old VHS tapes to digital files for editing?

    I purhcased the Canopus 55 - it is working well. You can't preview in iMovie, though, which is a challenge and was a comment in reviews on Canopus 55. I did buy the power source with it based on reviews.
    However, I am posting a question about iMovie 08 which has quit making thumbnails & writing the video even though the import screen appears to import.

  • 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

  • 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

  • How can I view DVD's that I dubbed from old vhs tapes?  I finalized them and can play on other DVD players but not my IMac.  Is there a specific program?

    I dubbed DVD's from old VHS tapes.  I finalized them and can play tehm on differant DVD players, but on my IMac I can't play them.  Ultimately I want to create home movies with pics, but how can I play the DVD's?

    A DVD is a DVD, unless it's been authored in a non-standard way. When you insert it in your Mac, do you at least see the disk appear on the desktop? Does it have a VIDEO_TS folder in it, containing various files?
    If you open DVD Player manually (from the Applications folder), does it see it and start playing? If not, try downloading VLC (free) and see if that works.

  • HT3775 This info is not helping. I am using VC500MAC digital video conversion system to record old VHS tapes to computer. The file is .mov, but quicktime is not playing it back. Help, please.

    This info is not helping. I am using VC500MAC digital video conversion system to record old VHS tapes to computer. The file is .mov, but quicktime is not playing it back. Help, please.

    Sorry for this question. Can you use this device with Vlc or QuickTime? Does skype support it? Is this device supported only by its own software?
    I need a device that can work with my own software. My software can work only with a QuickTime supported device.
    Thanks if you will reply to me.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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 tape to DVD

    I have a old VHS tape that I made but want to put it on A DVD or CD. Is there anything cheap that I can get so I can transfer it to my computer and burn it from there? Its only about 15 minutes long so its not really a big deal but not sure on how to go about it. Any ideas?

    Hi
    Using the Camera is a great way and best quality (my opinion) and a rather
    straight forward way to do it.
    Using DVD disc as an in between - works but reduces quality.
    Only thing to know about using a miniDV tape Camera is:
    • The Camera must have Analog-in. Often limited in EU due to tax as a VCR.
    • You need a SCART-plug that has an in/out switch so that the VCR can deliver
    to the analog in on the Camera.
    Yours Bengt W

  • 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

  • Getting the best quality out of capturing old VHS tapes?

    I want to capture some old VHS tapes using a ADVC55 and Final Cut 6 or maybe 7. The VCR I have does not have S Video.
    1. Will using S Video make any difference with visual quality?
    2. Are there any settings in FCP that I can make that will improve visual capture quality?
    3. Any other general tips?
    Thanks!

    A TBC will correct timing errors that are inherent in analog tape playback.  You'd probably recognize timing errors visually as wavy-ness (i.e.; not straight) in vertical objects in the image.  Most of the stand-alone TBCs also have proc amp controls that would allows for phase, contrast, luma and chroma adjustments.
    Thinking about it more, using an S-Video cable will help eliminate Y/C delay, which has the affect of shifting chroma slightly to the right of where it should be.  S-Video (aka Y/C) transmits the luminance and chroma portions of the signal separately instead of together like a composite signal would do.
    Using a different or newer NLE won't make any difference.  It's the capture codec you choose that can make a difference.  Most people would use DV NTSC (or PAL, depending on your country) since VHS resolution is only about 240 lines.
    -DH

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