Making a DVD from a VCR tape is simple. The three main pieces of equipment required are a VCR, a computer with a DVD burner, and an analog-to-digital video recorder. You also need an RCA cord, either a USB or firewire cord, and video editing software.
Important Notes
You can purchase an analog-to-digital video recorder for as little as $40. Another option is to use a camcorder, but only dated camcorders have the correct RCA jacks. The RCA cord should have red, yellow and white plugs on both ends. Check to see whether your VCR came with an RCA cable before you buy one. Make sure you buy a USB or firewire cable that matches up to the jacks (input ports) on the video recorder and your computer. For instance, if the video recorder and computer each have a USB jack, buy a cord that has USB plugs on both ends. If one device has only a USB jack and the other has only a firewire jack, find a cable with one end for USB and one end for firewire. Video editing software now comes standard on computers, iMovie on a Mac and Windows Movie Maker on a Windows XP or Vista PC.
The Connections
Connect the RCA cord from the VCR to the video recorder. Use the red, yellow and white "out" jacks on the VCR and the red, yellow and white "in" jacks on the video recorder. Connect the USB or firewire cable from the video recorder to your computer.
The Video
Open your video editing software. Start capturing video on the software and then press play on the VCR. The capturing will take as long as your VHS tape plays, because VHS can be played and recorded only in real time. Once you have captured all of the video, drag it into the "timeline" section. Now use the export option to burn the captured video onto a DVD. This DVD will play on any DVD player.
Tags: video recorder, editing software, yellow white, analog-to-digital video, analog-to-digital video recorder, both ends