Finding Out How to Convert VHS to CD

Most of us have a video library on VHS that’s now obsolete. Converting your video tapes to CD for play on your computer, or DVD for playing on a DVD player is a great way to keep getting use out of them without having to deal with a VHS player. However, paying a conversion service to do this for you can get pretty expensive unless you’re only doing one or two tapes. Fortunately, you can find out how to convert VHS to CD on your own, possibly saving some money and getting control over the process. The digital copy that results will be a lot easier to use.

Transferring VHS to CD or DVD Using a Computer

If you have a computer with a good video editing program and a CD/DVD burner and software, you can convert the data on your VCR tapes by running it through the computer. This requires having a large hard drive, however. Remember not to use this as a method for pirating videos you don’t already own. It’s just for backing up the ones you have on VHS but have a hard time playing.

A capture card is needed to transfer your old VHS tapes. Configure it to the highest resolution possible, and connect the VCR to the card. High resolution files are important so you’ll lose as little quality as possible. If you have an S-video cable and the capability, use this for connecting the machines. However, not all VCRs are able to do this. If yours isn’t, an RCA cable will work, too. You just might lose a little bit of quality in the playback.

Make a short practice recording before you do the real thing. Your tape should be in good shape, and everything configured correctly. You can’t get a recording that’s higher quality than the tape you’re playing from, so start with the best source material you can. Once you’re sure that you’ll be able to get a good recording, you can do it for real. Save the file to your hard drive, and edit it as you choose. As soon as you have a format you like, you’ll be able to use normal burning software to make a new disc with all your video on it.

If you’re converting VHS to CD, you may have to sacrifice some quality. That’s because there’s not as much space on a CD for data as there is on a DVD. For short episodes of TV shows, you might not have this problem. However, full length movies and longer shows require a choice. Either cut the video into several parts, spread over a number of CDs, or be willing to cope with video that doesn’t show the kind of detail the original tape did. If you burn to DVD, you won’t have this problem, but a DVD player is required to play the recording back. Unless you use special software, home burned DVDs may not play in a DVD player that’s not attached to a computer.