How best to save VHS tapes to DVDs using a Mac ?

I'd love to bring one to You and so many more of the contributors - as this is a really interesting party. ;)

Yours Bengt W

Thank you, both. Very helpful.

Yes You observed rightly.

I use Mac OS X.6.9 - So there might well be problem with newer Mac OS;s

Yours Bengt W

I've just started converting a whole box of old tapes...

I have a little Elgato "EyeTV Hybrid" USB dongle that comes with SVideo, Composite, L/R audio, and antenna RF inputs. The EyeTV3 software allows live recording into MPEG-2 format with a couple (limited, but selectable) encoding rates. The "high (DVD 90 min)" setting gives 720x480, 29.97 fps, 6.0 MBS VBR (8 mbps max), IP frames with 48kHz audio at 384 kbps. It uses an AMD ATI Theater T507 demodulator / USB / Video controller and a NXP TDA18271C2 tuner chip for OTA HD TV reception if you have an antenna.

It also allows a "Live TV Buffer" feature that ues up to 1.5GB of RAM to off-set any recording lags due to disk I/O issues.

I haven't tried to see if FCPX or IMovie / IDVD will see the device and record directly. First tape will is being recorded using the EyeTV software just to kick the tires.

My deck is a consumer Philips VR960. nothing special... hooked up via SVideo and component audio.

recording on a 2011 MacBook Pro via USB2.

13 minutes == 725.4 MB recorded file.

Now being automatically exported into H.264 by the EyeTV software because I have the "Prepare all new recordings for iPhone/iPad" option checked in the preferences.

When it's done, I'll import the original recording into FCPX and see how it looks...

While it is true firewire is dropped from the latest Macs, a Thunderbolt/Firewire 800 adapter sorts out the issue.

This adapter allows a Mac to work as if it's plugged into a firewire port.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD464ZM/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapte r?fnode=51

Al

Just getting into this so I have the following: A (old) ADVC 300 - never used.

When I dug into the software for MAC I find it does not support the new Intel based computers. Did anyone different software to control the conversion?

I do have an option - I use Parallel for CAD and Quicken. Would this be a better way to get to a digital state for my tapes, using Windows 7. Have not gotting into details yet, the C300 seems to like the PC better as far as software support.

Any info would be greatly apppreciated, finally ready to get my family off my back about this project.

Tahnks in advance.