Re: Convert VHS home movies to DVD using freeware on a Windows PC

"Tia B. McMahon" <mcmahon4@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Can I simply convert home VHS tapes & 8mm & DV home movies to DVD with
freeware?

A few years ago, I converted a VHS tape to DVD using a horrendously
difficult and long process that took days - but worked. Is there a better
(freeware?) method today?

Here's what I did then.
* I played the tape in my VHS machine
* The VHS player analog out (red/white/yellow) went to my dv camcorder
* The firewire out of the camcorder went into my 1.2 Ghz PC
* Pinnacle Studio 9 created a huuuuuuuge avi file (17Gbytes/hour)
* Pinnacle Studio 9 allowed me to edit scenes, add menus, etc.
* Pinnacle Studio 9 converted to an MPEG file
* Pinnacle Studio 9 authored a DVD image (VIDEO_TS) directory
* My DVD burner program burned the DVD

The problem with this method was time. The DVD conversion step alone took
10 hours for a full 34Gbyte avi file of my home movie, so I gave up after
just converting a couple of VHS movies.

Is the state of affairs in freeware & computing better nowadays?
That is, can I simplify this horrendously long and complex task nowadays?
I know I have to start with a huge AVI file but can I simplify the rest of
the steps.

a) If I don't wish to edit, is there freeware that can convert the incoming
AVI file to DVD in a single pass?

b) If I wish to edit, is there newer freeware that replaces my old Pinnacle
Studio 9?

c) If I buy a VHS/DVD dual unit, how does it know how LARGE the incoming
data is (I don't get how it knows how much to compress if it does it in
real time).

Please help me!

I purchased one of these DVD Recorders at Walmart about a year ago for
less than $100. It has been working perfectly.

http://www.hometechanswers.com/codefreedvd/ch-dvr1600.html

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/cyberhome-ch-dvr-1600/5507

After I have the video on DVD I can rip it and do whatever I like.

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