VHS to PC

Soldato
Soldato
Joined
26 Oct 2013
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Location
Leicester
Hi all

I have lots of family videos on VHS I would like to rip onto my PC. I have a working VHS player. Is the best bet to buy one of these USB Composite video capture cards and get that directly onto my PC or is there a better way to do it?

Thanks
 
Associate
Joined
22 Jun 2018
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Doon the watah ... Scotland
Personally, I would say an internal card would be better than a USB device (for which you hear mixed reviews), but some of the USB ones are so cheap, there isn't mush to lose.

I have an Avermedia CE310B which I bought for exactly the same reason as you, and I've found it extremely reliable. I got it via AliExpress ( OCUK don't sell it, and not really available in the UK ). Whilst I haven't experienced other cards directly, I've been very very happy with the results. At ~£45 compared to cards much above £100, I think its been good value, and worked 100% with Windows 10.

I hit play on the VHS player, record button on the software and walk away, coming back hours later with a decent recorded file. Actually, better practice was to fast wind the tape to the end, note the time, then wind back to the start, adjust record time to the tape length, then start recording. That way you really can just walk away and leave it and when the tape ends, so does the recording automatically stop. (A benefit of this is that the tape then gets a full wind in both directions to ensure that its not sticking together at any point).

The other aspect is how good is the VHS player. If the tape plays with little wobbles down the vertical lines, then they'll be captured too. ( To counter this, you begin to get into potentially expensive players that have features which adjust the wobbles. )


Lastly ... its VHS ... do not expect amazing HD quality !!!. Your source is SD at best ... so cards that claim they can do 1080p are simply upscaling the SD footage.
 
Soldato
Soldato
OP
Joined
26 Oct 2013
Posts
9,747
Location
Leicester
Personally, I would say an internal card would be better than a USB device (for which you hear mixed reviews), but some of the USB ones are so cheap, there isn't mush to lose.

I have an Avermedia CE310B which I bought for exactly the same reason as you, and I've found it extremely reliable. I got it via AliExpress ( OCUK don't sell it, and not really available in the UK ). Whilst I haven't experienced other cards directly, I've been very very happy with the results. At ~£45 compared to cards much above £100, I think its been good value, and worked 100% with Windows 10.

I hit play on the VHS player, record button on the software and walk away, coming back hours later with a decent recorded file. Actually, better practice was to fast wind the tape to the end, note the time, then wind back to the start, adjust record time to the tape length, then start recording. That way you really can just walk away and leave it and when the tape ends, so does the recording automatically stop. (A benefit of this is that the tape then gets a full wind in both directions to ensure that its not sticking together at any point).

The other aspect is how good is the VHS player. If the tape plays with little wobbles down the vertical lines, then they'll be captured too. ( To counter this, you begin to get into potentially expensive players that have features which adjust the wobbles. )


Lastly ... its VHS ... do not expect amazing HD quality !!!. Your source is SD at best ... so cards that claim they can do 1080p are simply upscaling the SD footage.

Thank you. Yeah I understand it's VHS and camcorder footage from late 90s so not expecting much!! As long as it is watchable then not too bothered.

I will look at that avermedia thanks
 
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