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Record from VCR to USB hard drive

  • 08-03-2012 8:17pm
    #1
    lukin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,113 ✭✭✭


    I have searched boards for threads with this question in it but didn't find any.
    I have a load of old VHS tapes that I want to transfer to digital format before they become unplayable.
    At the moment I am doing it by playing the tapes on a VCR with it's video out lead to a DVD Recorder and recording to DVD-R's.
    This is quite time-consuming because I have to change the DVD disc every two hours when it fills up and I have to finalise the DVD.
    I want to hook an external hard drive to the VCR, play the tapes continuously (put one in, take the other one out) and let the hard drive fill up.
    It would require either
    1. A HDD that can be read from a PC (the recorded VHS would have to be in MPEG or VOB format)
    2. A USB driven external hard drive that contains a scart/composite input to record fom the Video Recorder

    I know I could use a capture card on my PC but I have to keep an eye on the tapes while they are recording in case the tracking goes off and it is easier to do this while watching TV on another channel rather than sitting for hours in front of my PC (which is in a different room)


Comments

  • #2
    freeluas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 ✭freeluas


    lukin wrote: »
    I have searched boards for threads with this question in it but didn't find any.
    I have a load of old VHS tapes that I want to transfer to digital format before they become unplayable.
    At the moment I am doing it by playing the tapes on a VCR with it's video out lead to a DVD Recorder and recording to DVD-R's.
    This is quite time-consuming because I have to change the DVD disc every two hours when it fills up and I have to finalise the DVD.
    I want to hook an external hard drive to the VCR, play the tapes continuously (put one in, take the other one out) and let the hard drive fill up.
    It would require either
    1. A HDD that can be read from a PC (the recorded VHS would have to be in MPEG or VOB format)
    2. A USB driven external hard drive that contains a scart/composite input to record fom the Video Recorder

    I know I could use a capture card on my PC but I have to keep an eye on the tapes while they are recording in case the tracking goes off and it is easier to do this while watching TV on another channel rather than sitting for hours in front of my PC (which is in a different room)

    If they still sell them you could go for a HD recorder/DVD player. however I am not sure if you are digitising them that way. You could buy one of those cheap USB Sticks or the slightly dearer 'Elgato Video Capture' USB . Basically it takes the Output from a VCR, Scart or the 2 coloured leads and the other end is a USB which goes into your PC and the analogue signal is 'digitised'. Main problem is space on a computer. 1 hour of Video is about 1 Gb of space. The tracking is usually only a problem if you are not using SCARt lead. Check out the Elgato V C on YouTube.com You can get several demonstrations to see if its what you need.


  • #3
    ZENER
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭ZENER


    Something like this maybe ?
    The tracking is usually only a problem if you are not using SCARt lead.
    How do you figure that ?

    Ken


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