Moving home movies to dvd

[The Disney Bunch]

I have a whole bunch of 8mm home movies and VHS home movies that I would like to move to DVD's. Has anyone done this? Can anyone tell me how I would go about doing this? What equipment if required? It is a huge understaking but I would like to have them saved onto DVD's. (especially my Disney trips!)Thanks for anyone's guidance!

 

[dbal]

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you - but I'm interested myself, so I will give you a bump


- Deb

 

[igitur]

my husband is actually getting into doing this on his own as a business. He's been transferring movies for friends and family. I'll have him PM you.

Deb

 

[KaitlinsMom]

You can buy software and a DVD burner for your computer - You upload the movies onto your computer, then you can burn them on a DVD - With software, you can even do editing as well! It's pretty cool!

Karen

 

[ibleedblue]

This can actually be much easier than downloading to a computer and then burning to DVD. You can buy (or rent) a combo VCR player/DVD burner that will burn your VHS tapes to DVD as they play. You can also hook the 8mm camcorder up to the inputs on the VCR and have the DVD recorder capture that image as well. Here's a link to an example VCR/DVD burner. They are pretty expensive to buy, but can be rented for about $65 per week where I'm at. I have a friend who's doing this now.

The other way would be to buy or rent a digital MiniDV camcorder that allows analog to digital pass through such as a Sony DCR-HC30. With this way, you'd hook your VCR up to the camcorder via composite cables and record the playback from the VCR on to a MiniDV camcorder tape. Then you can transfer the tape to the computer and burn to DVD from there. Some camcorders do an analog to digital pass through on the fly without having to first record to tape (the Sony referenced above is one). If you had a camcorder like this, you could send the video straight to the hard drive without taping it again first.

Hopefully this wasn't too confusing.

 

[MOMO2DK]

This is a good topic to bring up. Especially for all of us WDW lovers who have miles and boxes of movies and pics.

I actually have a Sony Mini-DV recorder. I also upgraded my computer so that I could make dvd's from my camcorder, by adding memory, processor speed, a burner drive and software.

Of course my first attempt took many hours of editing and didn't work. Eventually I've gotten capable at downloaded the mini-DV recording to my hard drive, editing with titles and transitions (music is for another rainy day), but I must say my final DVD, when played in my tv's dvd player is not as clear and crisp as I would of hoped.

Anyhow, I would explain in further detail the process of editing etc..., if anyone wants to PM me.

Otherwise, if anyone could tell me what is happening that I am not getting a clear crisp DVD recording, all help would be greatly appreciated!!!
(I wonder if it's my recording speed?)

 

[ibleedblue]

Otherwise, if anyone could tell me what is happening that I am not getting a clear crisp DVD recording, all help would be greatly appreciated!!!
(I wonder if it's my recording speed?)

I can't say for sure, but I'd be willing to bet it has to do with your MPEG encoder for the editing software. The final video product is only as good as the encoder you use. I don't know what editing software you're using, but there's lots of help available at videohelp.com and the digital video fourms. You could spend hours looking around in those site. More sites are available, but I only have these two bookmarked. I'm using TMPGEnc to author the DVD's and it seems to do really well. I've only burned two test DVDs so far, but I've got no complaints.

 

[NMW]

Grocery stores that have good photo depts (like Wegmans), CVS, Walgreens will all do this for you. They send the tape to the Kodak lab and it is transfered onto DVD. They actualy come out very nice in a real DVD case labeled however you want. Both the case and the DVD can say whatever you want. I think I paid $30 a tape (they can be any kind of tapes: VHS, 8MM, mini ones). It took about 2 weeks until they store called me and told me they were back. Other places with photo labs (like Walmart and Target) probably do this also.

 

[maryisme]

Hi,

My husband burns our home movies that are on VHS to DVD. He has plugged in our VCR to our PC. I am pretty sure he bought dazzle which is what is allowing him to plug the vcr into our pc. He captures the movie and then burns it. They have come really nice. If you need more info I can ask him.

Mary

 

[Onceler]

Otherwise, if anyone could tell me what is happening that I am not getting a clear crisp DVD recording, all help would be greatly appreciated!!!
(I wonder if it's my recording speed?)

ibleedblue is correct about the encoder. That can make a big difference in the quality. Something else that makes a big difference is the length of the video that you output. Some DVD software will let you put several hours onto a DVD. But they don't tell you that the software will reduce the quality of the video in order to squeeze everything onto the disk. With the software that I use everything looks good if I keep the video length to 90 minutes or less.

What software are you using to edit the movies and burn the DVDs? I use iMovie and iDVD on the Macintosh to create my DVDs. The software is very easy to use and the results are great.

 

[MOMO2DK]

thanks to everyone for their advice and maybe my issue will help others.

For downloading to the dvd disc I use Nero 6. I also have sony my DVD and windows movie maker 2.

If anyone can help further knowing the software, my families memories would be forever thankful to you for generations to come

Also, since this encrypting term is new to me- any further explanation would help me.
thanks in advance!!!!

 

[WDWorld2003]

We just purchased a Sharp DVD/VCR recorder and there is a dubbing mode where you can put the VCR tape in and transfer it to a DVD. You do have to finalize the DVD to view it on other DVD players. We purchased it at Best Buy for around $250.00 after coupons, etc. So far we're happy with it..... You do have to make sure you buy DVD-R or DVD-RW not DVD+R or DVD+RW discs for this player. I'm not sure how you would transfer 8mm movies though..... maybe you could get an adapter. I have not tried editing yet.....