Converting analogue Video to DVD

berliner

I taped loads of old cycle races on VHS analogue tapes.
Could someone recommend something that will convert them to my computer and allow me to edit and burn to DVD.
Windows Movie Maker seems to loose definition when I burn to DVD. I've looked a Pinnacle products- are they any good??
Also could I get a combined product that would enable me to record digital TV direct to my PC hard drive.
Thanks

solocp

I managed to convert all my camcorder tapes to DVD on a Vista equipped computer. I used Roxio software and it was fairly simple but took a long time. The editing though was long winded and I gave up, but I have little patience. I connected my camcorder via the leads that attach to the TV to the back of the computer. May have a go at VHS tapes next.

alfablue

I don't know if this will do the job for you, but I use Video ReDo TV Suite. It is very user friendly, is well priced, and is regularly updated free of charge. There is a free trial (though I think it won't actually burn DVD's in trial mode). I use it to convert files recorded on my Topfield PVR for burning to DVD, playing on PC or portable device, but I think it has more capabilities than that.

Eat My Dust

I've got a £30,000 DVD suite at work so don't have too many problems!

On a more informative note. You could always go and buy a DVD recorder. You can pick them up for about £100 now. The quality will be very good and you will get the bonus of being able to record TV straight to DVD.

sicknote

Eat My Dust wrote:

On a more informative note. You could always go and buy a DVD recorder. You can pick them up for about £100 now. The quality will be very good and you will get the bonus of being able to record TV straight to DVD.

This is what I did and if you look a round you can get them cheaper than £100.

Have a look on Ebuyer or Amazon for some good deals

pbracing

Does this mean a dvd recorder can record straight from an analogue source, ie 8mm?

redvee

Most will record from the scart input. The unit I got from Woolies(RIP) did so but the display went a nice rosé shade so I took it back. Doing it from VHS to DVD recorder then give you the easier option of editing on the PC.

berliner

I've burned some DVDs on my DVD+ recorder playing the tapes on a video by use of a scart lead but my PC with Vista won't reconise the format.
Would a DVD Video combined recorder, record as DVD-. and would my PC recognise the video source?

redvee

Might be the drive not working with + discs. Did you finalise the disc? The recording should be MPEG file type, download a different media player and give that a go such as VLC media player from Videolan.

Aggieboy

You could try a video grabber.

http://www.pvrempire.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=95

dazzawazza

MPEG2 can be viewed on some DVD players, but to play a DVD R on all players it has to be rendered into DVD format. I think it's PAL?? This can take a while on even fast PCs.
However, on a good set-up you should be able to record from analogue straight to DVD format.
I have digital TV on my PC, which can record to the hard disk as MPEG2. To view this downstairs on my TV I can't just burn straight to DVD. I have to render the file first, which was taking too long so I don't really bother anymore.