I am often asked about transferring VHS or another format to MP4. Since my typical transfer job for a customer is usually to convert a lot of videos to either DVD or USB, I need to carefully consider the most efficient way to do this. One approach is to use a simple interface between the VHS deck and my computer. A device like the”Video 2 PC” converter from Ion enables you to bring the tape into your computer. But you can only do one at a time. Some of the tapes, however, are six hours long. That’s too long to tie up a computer.
It’s possible to have several VCRs feeding the same computer at the same time. But this requires a multi-stream capture card. These can get pricey. Here are a few if you are interested: SlingStudio Hub $999 10 which offers simultaneous inputs at up to 1080p30. The Osprey 845 and 460 are about $2000 each and they are all good at converting videos to mp4. And keep in mind that VHS VCRs have RCA connectors.
Here’s what I do and why. I first make a DVD from the VHS. With 4 decks and 4 burners I can do 4 tapes at a time. Then I convert the DVDs to MP4 one at a time. These take from a couple minutes up to 10 minutes each. Even when there is a 6 hour tape using one VCR and one DVD burner, the other three keep working.
I use a free program called VidCoder to convert the DVD to MP4. This program is for Windows only, but it is based on Handbrake which is available for Mac as well as PC. This is much more profitable than using a computer card. I doubt that the cards are available for Mac. If the client wants both a DVD and a USB, we’re all set. Otherwise I keep the DVDs for a week, then throw them away. Converting videos to mp4 must be a capability in a video transfer business.
For more information on the transfer business see Start Your Own Video Transfer Business. Or if you want us to transfer your media, see We Transfer Your Videos, Films, Slides and more.
Given the degree of compression required to fit a 6 (or 8!) hour tape on a 4.7 GB DVD, you’re taking a poor quality video and making it worse.
Yes, Ty the 6 hour tapes look pretty bad. I put them on two DVDs to preserve what quality I can. To the naked eye the DVD looks as good or better than the tape. Some of the 2 hour tapes I get look surprisingly good.
DVD quality is not only dependent on length (compression) but input quality (garbage in-garbage out theorem). VHS tapes produce a poorer quality than DV tapes, so you can compress the video from DV sources more and still maintain reasonable quality.
I will only put 2 hours of a VHS tape recorded in SLP speed on a DVD, anything greater than that looks like garbage and I won’t put my name on it.
Another piece of gear that I use to convert video tape to digital without a computer is using a Star Tech USB2HDCAPS digital recorder ($199 list). Takes an analog or HDMI in and records video to a SD card in H.264 format. This also can send video to your network or USB as well as a streaming encoder. I’ve used it with a HD video camera that that tape transport died using the HDMI output on the camera. Nice piece of gear to have around.