christopherfromwhippany

Q: VHS Converter Recommendation?

Hey peeps...I need to get video off of VHS to my Mac, and all I see is VHS to DVD converters without any one of them exactly explaining what format it converts the VHS to.  I don't want to go buy one and it only convert VHS to DVD without any way for me to edit; I need to edit it preferably with Final Cut X.  Recommendations?

Posted on Aug 19, 2014 2:48 PM

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Q: VHS Converter Recommendation?

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  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Aug 19, 2014 3:07 PM in response to christopherfromwhippany
    Level 9 (61,185 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 19, 2014 3:07 PM in response to christopherfromwhippany

    The equipment to do this properly for a one-off conversion is too expensive to be practical.

     

    Look for a local service that will do the conversion for you with equipment they paid for years ago.

  • by kaz-k,

    kaz-k kaz-k Aug 19, 2014 9:00 PM in response to christopherfromwhippany
    Level 5 (5,872 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 19, 2014 9:00 PM in response to christopherfromwhippany

    I got EasyCap and free app EasyCapViewer2 combination to convert VHS Video to .Mov files.

  • by Gerald Gifford,

    Gerald Gifford Gerald Gifford Aug 19, 2014 10:14 PM in response to christopherfromwhippany
    Level 1 (72 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 19, 2014 10:14 PM in response to christopherfromwhippany

    I'm not a peep (sounds like a newly hatched chicken), but...

    Depending on availability there could be a free solution... (borrow from friends or relatives?)

     

    1. VHS player with component out

    2. Digital camcorder with RCA component input and Firewire (maybe USB) output (I use a Sony DCR-TRV340)

    3. iMovie (Maybe Final Cut though I have never used it this way)

    4. To be precise you must have the VCR player, camcorder, and Mac connected and working in unison. This is where my memory is a bit fuzzy. I don't remember whether you can simply play the data through the camcorder or if you have to put it in recording mode, or ?. Experiment a little. I've done this many times, but haven't digitized any video for several years since I converted some of my VHS tapes and old analog camcorder tapes.

    5. Edit in iMovie or Final Cut.

    6. Use iDVD. If you don't have a copy scrounge a boxed copy of iLife '08, '09 or '11 with iDVD (Then upgrade via software update to the latest version (v.7.1.2.)) (Or, 3rd party DVD creation software.) to create a DVD.

     

    I would think Googling this method will give you some insight I've forgotten.

     

    Good luck,

    Jerry