HT202214: iMac (Mid 2011): External features, ports, and connectors

Learn about iMac (Mid 2011): External features, ports, and connectors
iGwyn

Q: I have just bought an iMac. I have some video cassette tapes from about 20yrs ago - am I able to transfer from the VCR into my iMac? How do I do it?

I have just bought my first iMac. Superb - even though I'm only scratching the surface of what it can do at this stage. Is it possible to record stuff from a VCR (yes - a VCR!) onto the Mac? I've got some family videos from 20 years ago I need to get on DVD's eventually - but fiorst need to get them tranfered onto the Mac. If it possible - how do I do it?

 

Thanks for the help

 

iGwyn

iMac

Posted on Apr 19, 2012 5:42 AM

Close

Q: I have just bought an iMac. I have some video cassette tapes from about 20yrs ago - am I able to transfer from the VCR into my iMa ... more

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Mike Sombrio,Solvedanswer

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Apr 19, 2012 5:49 AM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (17,234 points)
    Apple Watch
    Apr 19, 2012 5:49 AM in response to iGwyn

    You'll need additional hardware in order to digitize the analog signal from the VCR, I use this one

    http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc110

    ElGato also makes some popular products but I'm not familiar with them.

  • by iGwyn,

    iGwyn iGwyn Apr 19, 2012 5:58 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 19, 2012 5:58 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    Thanks for that Mike - I've sourced a supplier here in the Uk so will look at cost.

     

    Appreciate your help,

     

    iGwyn

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Apr 19, 2012 6:43 AM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (17,234 points)
    Apple Watch
    Apr 19, 2012 6:43 AM in response to iGwyn

    You're welcome. You can't go wrong with the ADVC 110, but make sure you look at Elgatos products also, they may have something that works well for less money. Good luck, and enjoy converting your tapes, but don't wait much longer....20 year old tapes are in danger of degrading really fast.

  • by Eric Fauque,Helpful

    Eric Fauque Eric Fauque Apr 19, 2012 7:31 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 3 (989 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 19, 2012 7:31 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    The Elgato video capture works very well and is not very expensive at 99$

  • by noondaywitch,Helpful

    noondaywitch noondaywitch Apr 19, 2012 9:52 AM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (8,147 points)
    Apr 19, 2012 9:52 AM in response to iGwyn

    I second the Elgato. got one just a month ago and it's pretty easy. £79.82 from Amazon.

  • by iGwyn,

    iGwyn iGwyn May 5, 2012 4:39 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 5, 2012 4:39 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    Mike - thanks for the advice on the Elgato - bought one from Amazon & working very well. Shows up limitations of video cameras from 25yrs ago unfortunately!

     

    Can I ask you some advice please? I have burned the recording from the Mac onto a DVD. Plays well on the Mac, but can't get the DVD to play on a normal DVD player through the TV. What am I missing? Is there a special way of burning off the Mac onto the DVD or something?

     

    Appreciate any help.

     

    iGwyn

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio May 5, 2012 10:51 AM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (17,234 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 5, 2012 10:51 AM in response to iGwyn

    Are you using iDVD or something else to burn? Are you using DVD-R discs? Most dvd players don't like +R discs and some older players won't play computer burned discs regardless of what you use. Let me know what you're using.

  • by iGwyn,

    iGwyn iGwyn May 8, 2012 10:19 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 8, 2012 10:19 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    Thanks for the reply Mike. They are DVD+R discs. What would you advise?

     

    iGwyn

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio May 8, 2012 3:10 PM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (17,234 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 8, 2012 3:10 PM in response to iGwyn

    DVD-r for sure. I've successfully used Maxell, Sony and Taiyo Uden discs. Maxell by far are my favorite.

  • by iGwyn,

    iGwyn iGwyn May 8, 2012 10:52 PM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 8, 2012 10:52 PM in response to Mike Sombrio

    Thanks for your help Mike.

     

    Gwyn

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio May 9, 2012 6:32 AM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (17,234 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 9, 2012 6:32 AM in response to iGwyn

    One last thing...I almost forgot. In iDVD click on Project>Project Info and in the window that opens you'll want to make sure that the video mode is set to the correct setting, for USA use NTSC. You can also set the aspect ratio, encoding quality (I use High Quality) and name your Disc.

  • by noondaywitch,

    noondaywitch noondaywitch May 9, 2012 7:07 AM in response to iGwyn
    Level 6 (8,147 points)
    May 9, 2012 7:07 AM in response to iGwyn

    For the UK the setting is PAL.

  • by Ziatron,

    Ziatron Ziatron May 9, 2012 8:49 PM in response to iGwyn
    Level 4 (3,930 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 9, 2012 8:49 PM in response to iGwyn

    I recommend the Grassvalley ADVC300.  (Superior quality results compared to Elgato)

     

    I've played around with countless other conversion systems, ranging in price from $79 to $399. Short verison, this is the ONLY unit to own. No dropped frames at all, even with questionable quality tapes, no jitter, great color, excellent sound quality. Zero setup with iMovie 06 and iDVD 09/11.

     

    This is a prosumer deck. The time code function is alone worth the price if you have old analog footage. Absolutely NO "Out Of Sync" audio.

     

    ADVC300 is for anyone who wants to do editing and is concerned about quality of color and speed, for the novice it is an incredible gizmo that will restore VHS tapes to a state close to the original fixing midtones, highlights and shadows on the fly. Not only can you simply convert analog to digital you can actually manipulate the signal going in (if you want to).

     

    A bit pricey but it WORKS.

     

    http://www.videoguys.com/Item/Grass+Valley+ADVC300/035303230363.aspx

    Is it possible to record stuff from a VCR (yes - a VCR!)

     

    Yes, it's very common. It's done every day.

     

    I would use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09/11, why?

     

    iMovie 09/11 uses 'single field processing' meaning every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage. iMovie 06 uses ALL of the image to form the video.

     

    Your primary workflow is editing DV clips and making DVDs, iMovie '06 is better suited. Your movie will arrive at iDVD in DV format, which is an ideal match for making a DVD: same resolution, same pixels aspect ratio, and original quality. If you share your movie from iMovie 09/11, it gets re-rendered at 640x480 or less, and then iDVD upscales it back to 720x480. The end result is obviously not as good.

     

    iMovie 06 and iDVD 09/11 is a "lossless" combination.

     

    I would recommend Taiyo Yuden DVD+Rs.  These are made in Japan, not China.  (I get excellent results using iMovie 06 with iDVD 11.)

     

    http://www.supermediastore.com/product/u/taiyo-yuden-silver-thermal-8x-dvd-plus- r-media-100

     

    I have found DVD+R to be more reliable than DVD-R. The only disadvantage to DVD+R is that DVD players manufacture before 2003 may not play them.

     

    DVD+R disks are better than DVD-R disks because of the increased error correction technique used in the newer +R  standard.

     

    I am ONLY a customer to the links above.