Despite the convenience of streaming from the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, and Paramount+, physical media still serves a crucial purpose for cinephiles. Many beloved films aren’t streamable, like the 1978 Chevy Chase/Goldie Hawn classic “Foul Play,” which you can still rent from DVD Netflix. Whether you want to watch the original unaltered “Star Wars” trilogy or enjoy old home movies, converting your old VHS tapes to DVD and digital is a great idea. The easiest way to convert VHS to DVD is with a VCR/DVD recorder combo unit. Then, you can perform a VHS to digital transfer by ripping your DVDs. However, there are several other means of backing up VHS to digital and DVD with purpose-built kits or capture cards. Learn how to convert VHS to DVD and digital!
How to Convert VHS to DVD With a DVD Recorder VHS Combo
The simplest VHS to DVD converter is a DVD recorder VCR combo device. With a DVD recorder, you can transfer VHS tapes to DVDs easily and quickly. However, some tapes with copy protection won’t record properly, so you’ll have to circumvent that copy protection somehow.
If you’re wondering how to transfer VHS to DVD with a DVD recorder/VCR combo, here’s what you’ll need:
- DVD recorder VCR combo
- Blank DVDs
- Stack of VHS tapes
Once you’ve got what you need, here’s how to convert VHS to DVD:
- Plug in your DVD recorder VCR combo
First, plug in the power cable of your DVD VCR combo and connect your DVD/VCR to your TV or projector. I suggest using an HDMI cable if your VHS player/DVD recorder has one as you’ll enjoy the best-possible audiovisual quality. However, you can also use component, S-video, or RCA cables depending on your television’s inputs.
- Pop in a VHS tape
With your VCR plugged in and properly connected to your television set, turn it on and pop in a VHS tape.
- Be kind, rewind
After inserting a VHS tape into your VCR, I recommend fast forwarding from the beginning of the tape to the end, then rewinding all the way. If you weren’t kind and didn’t rewind, you might have to rewind to the beginning of the recorded material, fast forward to the end, then rewind again. Fast forwarding and rewinding can provide smoother playback for VHS tapes that sat for a while unplayed.
- Insert a blank DVD
With your tape aligned at the beginning of the material you want to record, pop in a blank DVD.
- Prepare your DVD for recording
Now, you’ll need to prepare your DVD for recording. You’ll need to select the quality (i.e., XP, SP, LP, EP, or SLP). XP provides the best video and sound quality but takes up more space on a disc, while SLP gives you the most space but offers the worst quality.
- Start the VHS to DVD transfer process
Once you’ve selected the correct disc recording settings, start the recording process. This varies by manufacturer, but on my Toshiba DVR620KU I simply pressed Dubbing to begin converting a VHS tape to DVD.
- Stop recording when desired
Recording can take a while, especially if you’re dubbing a feature-length film. That’s because the entire video must play in real-time as it records to a disc. You can simply wait for the tape to finish and recording will stop, or manually hit the Stop button after the credits finish, or once you’re done capturing a certain segment of a home video.
- Finalize the DVD disc
In order to play your freshly recorded DVD in another device like a 4K Blu-ray player or region-free Blu-ray player, you’ll need to finalize the disc. Again, the process varies, but on my Toshiba DVR620KU DVD recorder/VCR combo, I navigated to DVD Menu > Finalize. Before finalizing a disc, you might want to rename your title, add a menu, and add chapters.
You can take your finalized DVD and convert it to a digital copy using one of the best DVD rippers available, like DVDFab. Then, you can throw your digitized VHS tapes on a media server like Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin. Although dubbing from VHS to DVD should work fine for many VHS tapes, some movies and shows featured copy protection which prevents dubbing. For example, many Disney VHS tapes like my copy of “The Garbage Picking, Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon” won’t dub directly. As a workaround, you can hook up a second VCR to your DVD VCR combo, use a VHS digitization kit, or utilize a capture card.
Here’s how to transfer VHS to DVD with a second VCR for copy protected tapes:
- VCR inception: Connect a second VCR to your DVD recorder/VCR combo. You’ll accomplish this by running the video output (i.e., RCA jacks, component output, S-Video, etc.) from your VCR into your DVD/VCR combo’s video input.
- Pop a VHS tape into your second VHS player, fast forward to the end, then rewind to the beginning to work out any kinks in the tape.
- Insert a blank DVD into your DVD recorder.
- Prepare the disc and select your recording mode.
- Choose the correct input on the DVD/VCR combo and push play on the standalone VCR.
- Stop playback on both devices when finished.
- Finalize your disc, add title information, chapters, etc.
How to Digitize VHS Tapes With a VHS to Digital Converter
If you just want to digitize your VHS tapes, you can use a VHS to digital converter. I recommend the Roxio VHS to DVD 3 Plus kit, but Vidbox Video Conversion Suite, Dazzle DVD Recorder HD, Homestech VHS to DVD 7.0 Deluxe, and Diamond Multimedia One Touch VHS to DVD Video Capture are excellent options. Notably, VHS to digital converter kits are solid ways to backup old tapes that have copy protection.
Here’s how to convert VHS to DVD without another VCR:
- Install the VHS digitization companion software on your PC.
- Plug in your VCR and connect the video outputs to the video capture device included with your VHS to digital converter package.
- Pop in your tape, fast forward it to the end, and rewind it all the way to the beginning of the recorded content you want to transfer.
- Fire up the recording software on your PC, then press play on your VCR and hit record in the desktop software.
- Stop recording in the PC software and on your VCR once finished.
- Perform any post-processing, i.e. adding a title, chapter information, etc. then export to a digital file or burn it to a DVD.
If you need an all-in-one bundle, check out the JVC VCR VHS transfer package complete with a VCR, capture device, and HDMI converter.
How to Convert VCR to Digital With a Capture Card
While I recommend using a DVD VCR combo or VHS digitization bundle to copy VHS to DVD and digital, you can always use any capture card. My favorite capture cards include the ClonerAlliance FLint 4KP, ClonerAlliance Flint D4P, and AVerMedia GC512 Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus.
To copy VHS tapes to digital with a capture card:
- Install the recording software that came bundled with your capture card, or use a third-party option like Open Broadcaster Software (OBS).
- Connect your capture card to your PC to download any necessary drivers.
- Plug in your VCR’s power cable and connect the video output (HDMI, RCA, component, S-Video, etc.) to your video capture card.
- Turn on your VCR, pop in a tape, fast forward/rewind to work out any kinks.
- Press record in your desktop video capture software and hit play on your VCR.
- Stop recording on your capture software and VCR.
- Perform any video editing (i.e., add chapters, title information, etc.) then export to a video format of your preference or burn to a DVD.
VHS to Digital and DVD FAQs
You can convert VHS to DVD at home using a DVD recorder/VCR combo, VHS digitization kit like the Roxio VHS to DVD 3 Plus kit and Dazzle DVD Recorder HD, or a capture card.
Yes, it is worth it to convert VHS to DVD so you can save beloved home videos or backup rare and out-of-print movies and TV shows like the original unaltered “Star Wars” trilogy.
You can convert VHS to digital at home by using a DVD recorder/VCR combo to dub old tapes to DVD, then using a DVD ripper to digitize your DVD. Alternatively, you can transfer VHS tapes to digital using a bundle like the Roxio VHS to DVD 3 Plus kit or Dazzle DVD Recorder HD.
How to Copy Old VHS Tapes to DVD and Digital – Final Thoughts
Overall, transferring your old tapes to DVD and digital lets you preserve home videos and convert rare or out-of-print films and television shows. You can record VHS tapes to disc or digital using a DVD/VCR combo, purpose-built VHS digitization kit, or a basic video capture card. Once you’ve converted a bunch of tapes to DVD, check out the best 4K Blu-ray players and best region-free Blu-ray players for all of your physical media needs.
Your turn: How are you backing up old VHS tapes to DVD and digital?
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