What is the cheapest and best way to transfer A/V from VHS to computer?

November 3, 2004 3:40 PM

What is the highest quality, cheapest method/software/hardware for transferring audio and video from a VHS tape to my computer?

I've tried a few tricks with my USB TV tuner card but it doesn't really give me much quality in terms of sound.

posted by Slimemonster to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

I've had good luck with a sony A/D converter, although it's firewire (there are still some USB ones but USB 2 would be better). Here's a list of some of the other manufacturers of these converters.
posted by milovoo at 3:53 PM on November 3, 2004

Slime; please pick one...

I can give recommendations on highest quality....but cheapest is the other side of life.

Pick one.
posted by filmgeek at 4:20 PM on November 3, 2004

You should be able to capture video from the USB tuner device and audio through you're PC's audio card (or on-board audio). Might boost the quality.
posted by krisjohn at 4:22 PM on November 3, 2004

Response by poster: If I have to pick one, it'd be cheapest, but some good combination of quality and price would be welcome too.
posted by Slimemonster at 5:10 PM on November 3, 2004

If you want a really high quality conversion for a single tape, you could have a professional video house do it. I think the Dazzle DVC bridge is the cheapest, but I've never used it, but there are probably plenty of reviews on the net.
posted by milovoo at 9:13 PM on November 3, 2004

If you want cheap and decent, and don't mind redoing your work due to multiple problems (which you will slowly work your way through), a Bt 848 based video capture card can't be beat.

The usual problems:

- A/V desynch
- Bad drivers crashing the computer
- Bus contention
- Dropped frames

The second two can be fixed by using generic third-party drivers and by making sure you get the fastest hard drive you can get your hands on and the most CPU you can afford.

The first one, well, you just deal with. Try AVI_IO if you find it's a big problem. It helps.

[Remember, the rule is cheapest, fastest, and best quality. Pick 2.]
posted by shepd at 9:59 PM on November 3, 2004

The easiest way that gives good quality reliably is a stereo component style DVD recorder / VHS player. Just one button press to copy a tape onto a DVD.

But it's still about $300 for one of these. So definitely not the cheapest option.
posted by smackfu at 10:20 PM on November 3, 2004

VHS is severly limited. in other words, you're starting with pretty bad video to begin with.

At the affordability counter: An analog to DV bridge - they run less than $300. Canopus makes one, Sony makes one (look at ebay). Stay away from the dazzle

The problem with this is that DV (firewire) is 5:1 compression.

When we get into the serious mode for better quality the price really jumps up - you need a deck with component outputs, a card that can handle such, and fast drives.

Software wise? Avid makes free DV editing software.
Avid Free DV


Good Luck
posted by filmgeek at 6:12 AM on November 4, 2004