best way to put VHS onto dvd?

[ZmarkZ]

i want to burn my wedding video and honeymoon video that is currently on VHS onto DVD. thinking my wifey will dig it for a present. can you somehow connect a VCR into a mac and burn it that way? or should i buy a vcr/dvd burner from walmart, use it and than return it? or do you pay someone to do it (if that's the case, i might as well buy one of those things from walmart)

[OhioYJ]

or should i buy a vcr/dvd burner from walmart, use it and than return it?

Don't be one of those people.......

I personally use a TV Tuner card in my PC, hook the VCR to my PC record it that way, then burn it to DVD. The linux programs I use probably won't help you out much, I can come up with some Windows programs if that would help, but don't know anything about macs.

[ZmarkZ]

that makes 2 of us...i heard if i get a newer type camcorder, i could use it as a medium as it may have input jacks...to connect the vcr to the puter

how much is a tv tuner card? i really won't do the walmart scam anymore, used to but trying to grow up a little..and still think about it jk

[OhioYJ]

You can get them under $20 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815276002), Hauppauge, is one of the nicer brands that professionals, and serious hobbyist use, but they tend to be closer to $50 (and go up from there). But again that's PC stuff, don't know about Macs. (Not sure of what supports mac?)

There are also USB converters that you can plugs a VCRs RCA jacks into, then the USB plug into your PC (didn't see any for mac, just PC), and record the video from there, I found these from $40. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815306013) PCI versions of this starting at $10 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100120)

With the TV Tuner cards anything that has actual hardware encoding will greatly speed up the process, and help ensure the audio/video stays in sync without any hassles.

$150 for one that does VHS to DVD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882204005) - I found others that where down around $115 without the built in VCR.

.i heard if i get a newer type camcorder, i could use it as a medium as it may have input jacks...to connect the vcr to the puter

That is true.

[OhioYJ]

Well I was hoping someone else would speak up, I know how I've done it in the past, but I haven't done it enough to be able to tell you which way is best.

[loaf]

Can we assume that you're running OS X?

Also, is it an Intel Mac or still PowerPC?

And Ohio, thank you for calling it a mac and not a MAC. :)

[Jason J Crawford]

Can we assume that you're running OS X?

Also, is it an Intel Mac or still PowerPC?

And Ohio, thank you for calling it a mac and not a MAC. :)

I've been wanting to do this too. I'm still running a WOPR though. Anywho...Saw this little gizmo today in the Aldi ad:
http://www.aldifoods.com/us/html/offers/2867_6354_ENU_HTML.htm

For $24, it might be worth a shot.

http://www.imsai.net/New-WOPR-1.jpg

[CMSurfer]

I have one of the USB devices and it works ok. What you basically do is hook up the VCR to the RCA to USB device and then stream the video to the PC. From there you can use whatever video editing app to convert that to a DVD. It's not hard, just time consuming. I don't use a mac, so I have no idea what's available for them.

IMO, a standalone DVD recorder/player would be your best bet. Maybe it will give you a reason to upgrade your DVD player ;) It sounds like this is going to be a one time deal, right? Have you looked into prices of getting it done?