With fresh technologies coming out what seems to be everyday, older technologies are being tossed to make room for the new. Since the invention of the DVD, VHS cassettes have disappeared from store shelves. DVDs introduced a better picture quality while maintaining a longer lasting media solution than VHS. The conversion from analog television to digital has made recording television on a VHS tape obsolete. This tutorial will show make a VHS to digital DVD conversion using a simple method.
DVD/VHS Recorder
The simplest method is to purchase a DVD/VHS recorder with dubbing features. This will make direct copies of your VHS collection and allow them to be transferred to digital DVDs with ease.
You will first need a DVD/VHS recorder and blank media. Newer DVD/VHS recorders have a dubbing function built right in. Choosing the right recorder will make the conversion less of a headache.
What type of display will you be using in conjunction with the recorder? LCD and plasma HDTVs are gaining popularity. Lower prices and better picture make these types of displays obtainable even on a budget. If you don't currently have an HDTV it is likely that your next television purchase will be one.
This is vital to deciding what type of DVD/VHS recorder you will buy. It is always wise to purchase new electronics with the future in mind.
Newer DVD/VHS recorders have HDMI up-conversion which will take a lower resolution picture and upscale it to high definition resolutions improving overall picture quality. It is recommended to purchase a recorder with this function to avoid having to buy a new one once you purchase a new television.
Next you will need blank media/burnable DVDs. The most widely used format is DVD-R. Using this type of blank DVD will ensure playability on most DVD players. Another recommended format is DVD-RW. These blank DVDs allow one to record and rerecord over and over again.
Making the Conversion
Once you have purchased a DVD/VHS recorder and some blank media, you are ready to begin.
Insert the VHS tape that you want dubbed into the player. Open up the DVD tray and place a blank DVD into the drive and close it. Most DVD/VHS recorders have a one-touch dubbing function built in. If yours happens to have this feature, press the one-touch dubbing button. Wait for the recorder to finish the dub, finalize the disk and you are done.
Press the "Play" button on the DVD side to see if the conversion was successful. Next, you might want to remove the disk to see if it will work in other DVD players around the house. If it doesn't, try switching from DVD-R to DVD+R.
Tags: blank media, recorders have, better picture, dubbing function, dubbing function built, function built