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MrMoo123

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Transfering VHS tapes onto my PC

This should be easy - but it's not!
Basically, i've got lots of old home movies of trips abroad etc.  that are curently stored on VHS tapes and i'd quite like to transfer to DVD.  Burning DVD's isn't a problem, but how do I actually get the footage onto my PC?  
What would be great is a SCART to USB connector - but a search on the web reveals that such a device does not exist! Or does it?
I'd quite like to do this spending as little as posible, so is there a solution without buying some sort of video capture card that I can plug my VHS video recorder into or will I have to buy one?
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zvitam
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You must get a TV-Tuner Card, or if your Camcoder have firewire connection you will have to buy an IEEE 1394 interface card (if your computer does'nt have one yet)

you may find various solutions at the following site:

www.pricewatch.com

Go to Computers->Cards - Capture
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Cyber-Dude

OR
If you have a display adapter that supports DVI you may use that without the need of purchasing extra cards:

If you wish to play high quality games along with digital video editing, purchase a standart graphical accellerator (i.e. nVidia GeForce FX5200 along with DVI support, aka VIVO (Video In and Video Out)), connect your VHS video to the s. Video connector in the card and the audio to the sound card and there you have it;
Cheap, high quality and muti-usage.

Here are few display adapters supporting such an architecture:
1. Asus made, nVidia based:
http://www.asus.com/products/vga/v9520vs/overview.htm
2. Palit made, ATI based:
http://www.palit.com.tw/en/products/vga_9600pro.html

Cyber
Hi...

Get a capture card. Then connect the S-Video of your VHS player to the capture card in your PC.
I know there are capture cards that have a sound jack cable to connect to a R-L RCA jack to your PC sound port.

Then use Ulead or Pinnacle software for video editing and capturing.

You can also use Dazzle card and software. =)

Regards.
ADS USB Instant Video CD (USBAV-190)

Inputs
Front:
- RCA (composite)
- S-SVHS (Y/C)
- Right and Left Audio In

Video Capture:
640 x 480 @ 15-20 fps
VCD MPEG-1 352 x 288 @30 fps (PAL)
VCD MPEG 1 352 x 240 NTSC
Connection to PC: USB 1.0

Keep in mind that you will not HAVE to use the software provided(Ulead). What I do is capture the video to my hard disk and then burn to DVD using Nero.

http://www.meritline.com/adsusbinvidi.html
  I have one of these, it does the trick quite well. Its also cheaper than the DVD version considering when you use 3rd party software.
I have two solutions on my computer. I use a V-Stream "xpert dvd maker" which plugs into the usb (2.0) port under XP or w2000. The other end has s-video and composite. I also have a V-stream video capture card inside the PC. This has s-video, composite and firewire for DV video cameras. Both items were very cheap.

The real problem, as you have tried to find, is to get a scart to s-video cable. There are lots of s-video to scart cables such as for a PS2, but most are only one way. You have to look for 2-way ones. I got mine from www.maplin.co.uk (not the easiest of sites to navigate) since the high street shops have no idea.
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ScrufFD - this product looks promising and i've just found it on Amazon.co.uk so it will ship to the UK.  Can I just confirm that I can plug either my analaogue camcorder (via S-Video) and my VHS video directly into this unit and it will do the trick?  Also, will it record the audio too?  I have used something similar before and for some reason I seem to remember only video coming through via S-Video and no sound.

tpilg - this also sounds promising.  Where did you get the V-Stream xpert dvd maker from, and do you know of anywhere that I can take a closer look?

Thanks
Mr.Moo,

You unfortunately can't record audio through an S-video cable; S-video is only for video.  You can use RCA style wires though, from your VCR to the ADS unit however.  If you are looking for high quality sound with your recordings, I would recommend bypassing the ADS unit and using your "line-in" on your soundcard if you have it.  That was the solution that worked best for me, and I hope that helps you out.  I was also thinking, (if your VCR doesn't have RCA jacks) if you have the VCR hooked up to your TV, you could use the RCA line out jacks to plug into the ADS unit also.  (If your TV has RCA plugs). That may work...
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tpilg

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Thanks, i'm going to give the V-stream thing ago, seems to be the closest thing to the device I am looking for...