VHS To DVD

Now that both DVD burners and media have declined so much in price, it's the perfect time to begin archiving your old movies and transfer VHS to DVD. This is something that many people should consider, as DVD is a format that will last much longer than VHS. Over time--if handled properly--the quality of a DVD won't degrade the way that a VHS tape will after multiple viewings.

For around $100 or so, you can purchase a card that installs easily inside of your computer and allows you to connect a VCR to your PC. Most of these cards will come bundled with software to help you begin recording content from your VCR to the PC. From there, you can edit your videos by removing parts that aren't needed, and then save the files to your computer for burning.

When you copy VHS to DVD, you're in charge of how the final product turns out. Have birthday parties spread out over a number of VHS tapes? You can record them all to your computer, edit them, add in menus and chapter stops, and then burn all of the birthday footage to a single DVD. You can then toss out any old VHS tapes, and burn an extra copy of the DVD to hide away for safe keeping.

It's also recommended to copy VHS to DVD if you have an old, out of print tape that is no longer available to buy. If it's a movie or other program that you watch regularly, consistent play will degrade the quality of the tape, eventually rendering it unwatchable. By making a back-up copy of the VHS tape today, you're ensuring that you'll have a pristine copy of the tape tomorrow, and for the years to come.