There is no easier way to digitise home video to playback on your computer, to sync with an iPad or iPhone, to edit in iMovie or Windows Live Movie Maker, or to upload to YouTube. Elgato Video Capture comes with Elgato Video Capture software for Mac and Windows. Mac catalina app store. Put Family Memories on your computer. Transferring files from your camera to PC/Mac clears up space on your digital camera for recording more videos, and it also enables you to edit the videos on your PC/Mac through various installed software. Additionally, when you transfer videos from camcorder to laptop, you also make them safe and secure.
Memories fade over time and some are easily lost forever, especially if they're stored on old VHS tapes. This is my guide on how to transfer your VHS tapes to your Mac, so you can store them for the future.
When I came home for Christmas eight years ago in 2010, my parents had organized all of their old VHS tapes from when I was a kid. When we watched some of them, I realized that these tapes needed to be transfered to digital form before they deteriorated further.
I took me seven years, but last year I decided to finally transfer these tapes to digital form as a Christmas gift to my parents.
This is how I did it, step by step.
1. Getting the equipment
Transferring VHS tapes to a computer requires getting some equipment.
Luckily, my parents had already done a lot of the hard work by having not one but two VHS players in great shape (one broke down and we had to repair it for $72, but that's another story).
This is the equipment I used (excluding my Macbook):
VHS player
VHS players are easily found on websites like Ebay, unless you already have one laying around. If not, perhaps you know someone you can borrow one from.
VHS-C cassettes
Chances are your old VHS cassettes are of the smaller VHS-C format. These types of cassettes were introduced in 1982 and were primarily used in consumer-grade camcorders. They need a VHS-C adapter to be played on a VHS player.
VHS-C adapter
A VHS-C adapter is basically a battery-driven hollow VHS cassette in which you insert a smaller VHS-C cassette.
You insert it in your VHS player and play it like a regular cassette. You can buy these adapters on websites like Amazon.
Video capture dongle
There are lots of different video capture dongles available today. What they do is that they transfer the analog signal from the VHS player to a digital one that your computer can process.
The dongles are always bundled with some video capture software (right?) for recording the video feed and saving it as a video file.
I used Plexgear Moviesaver 600 from the Swedish company Kjell & Company. It works for both macOS and Windows and cost me about $50 (400 sek).
The bundled video capture software Empia (for macOS) is somewhat buggy and not that well designed, bit it is simple and does what it has to.
SCART to RCA cable
The Plexgear video capture dongle connects to your computer through one of its USB ports. However, it needs another cable to connect to your VHS player.
I connected it to my parents' VHS player using a brand new SCART to RCA cable that cost me about $24 (200 sek).
No TV?
Nope, with this setup the video feed will be displayed on your computer screen with the bundled video capture software.
2. Connecting the equipment
Once you've got all the hardware, the setup is quite simple as you can see in the image below.
Kjell & Company has also put together this product video (in Swedish) on how to connect their video capture dongle to your computer.
When I first connected the dongle to the VHS player, I ran into some trouble. I had used an old SCART connector that didn't work. I don't know why, but it had only eight pins. The new one I bought worked fine and it had 20 pins. Coincidence?
3. Transferring the VHS tapes
When you transfer a tape, it's being recorded as it's being played. If a tape contains 30 minutes of footage, the transfer will take 30 minutes. Each transferred tape will then be saved as its own video file.
For using the video capture software Empia that is bundled with the Plexgear dongle, I have the following advice:
- Remember to set the input video source to composite video or S-Video depending on which one you're using.
- Set a long time limit (you have to set one) if you don't know how much footage a VHS tape contains.
- Start by recording just a few seconds of video to make sure audio is being recorded and that everything is working.
4. Compressing the video files
After transferring the first tape, the file size ended up being much larger than I expected. A recording of just around 30 minutes weighed 1.5 GB. Another tape with a runtime of two hours and six minutes took up a whooping 25 GB. I needed to compress these files.
Analog Video Capture Mac
Luckily, two friends of mine with lots of experience in video editing recommended the free video converter application Handbrake (available for macOS, Windows and Ubuntu).
Handbrake worked wonders and shrunk the 30 minute recording from 1.5 GB to 450 MB. The 25 GB recording was shrunk to just 1.5 GB. Quality stayed the same, nice!
5. Storing the video files
When it comes to storing the video files, I'd recommend storing them on as many places as possible. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. I store them on:
- My Macbook
- My Time Machine backup hard drive
- My iCloud account
- A USB memory stick
My dad also stores the video files like this. I was going to store them on my Dropbox account too, but I didn't have enough space.
Do not just burn the video files on DVDs. These DVDs will deteriorate just like your old VHS tapes.
6. Editing the video files
After transferring, compressing and storing your video files you might want to edit them. Several of my video files contained long moments with just a blank screen before the next segment.
When I find the time, I'll delete these moments using iMovie on macOS. If you're using Windows, the software Windows Movie Maker will probably be suitable.
Wrapping up
Transferring old VHS tapes to digital form is time-consuming, but very rewarding. It might be technically tricky and expensive, but once you've done it the video will be there forever (if you store it well).
Some memories will surprise you, many will make you smile and others will be bittersweet to watch.
Here is a short video clip from July 7, 1994 of my little bunny rabbit Snuffe. He turned eleven years old before he passed away in the Summer of 2004. I still miss him from time to time.
Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comment section.
/Alex
To find the best VHS to Digital converter for Mac you've to search a lot and especially when you paying an amount for VHS to DVD converter. We here to help you out, In this article, we have gathered some of the best VHS converters that help you out for converting your parents VHS tapes to digital files.
1Digitize Video Mac Tutorial
Luckily, two friends of mine with lots of experience in video editing recommended the free video converter application Handbrake (available for macOS, Windows and Ubuntu).
Handbrake worked wonders and shrunk the 30 minute recording from 1.5 GB to 450 MB. The 25 GB recording was shrunk to just 1.5 GB. Quality stayed the same, nice!
5. Storing the video files
When it comes to storing the video files, I'd recommend storing them on as many places as possible. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. I store them on:
- My Macbook
- My Time Machine backup hard drive
- My iCloud account
- A USB memory stick
My dad also stores the video files like this. I was going to store them on my Dropbox account too, but I didn't have enough space.
Do not just burn the video files on DVDs. These DVDs will deteriorate just like your old VHS tapes.
6. Editing the video files
After transferring, compressing and storing your video files you might want to edit them. Several of my video files contained long moments with just a blank screen before the next segment.
When I find the time, I'll delete these moments using iMovie on macOS. If you're using Windows, the software Windows Movie Maker will probably be suitable.
Wrapping up
Transferring old VHS tapes to digital form is time-consuming, but very rewarding. It might be technically tricky and expensive, but once you've done it the video will be there forever (if you store it well).
Some memories will surprise you, many will make you smile and others will be bittersweet to watch.
Here is a short video clip from July 7, 1994 of my little bunny rabbit Snuffe. He turned eleven years old before he passed away in the Summer of 2004. I still miss him from time to time.
Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comment section.
/Alex
To find the best VHS to Digital converter for Mac you've to search a lot and especially when you paying an amount for VHS to DVD converter. We here to help you out, In this article, we have gathered some of the best VHS converters that help you out for converting your parents VHS tapes to digital files.
1Digitize Video Mac Tutorial
Best VHS To DVD Converter For MacAs we know new technology digital world that helps us to get videos to our computer. However, in this, we have forgotten about VHS tapes. I've also found my parents wedding VHS tapes to secure them I've paid lots of amounts to convert them into digital videos.
Here, In this article, I will show you some of the converters that help you out for converting VHS tapes to DVD or digital videos. That helps you to transfer VHS to DVD converting videos tapes to DVD is a great deal. Check our list of VHS to DVD converters.
5 Affordable Video Tapes Converters For Mac
1 # VIDBOX Video Conversion For Mac (2020)
This an awesome videotapes converter device for Mac users. Using this device· you can easily convert 8mm tapes, VHS tapes and Beta and other tapes to more reliable formate like DVD or other digital files. Mac repair virus.
Vidbox supports both platforms PC and Mac computers. However, the device is specially designed for Mac. The software delivers when it comes to integrating your converting video tapes into your iTunes library. With smooth integration with iMovie allows you to make changes into the captured videos tapes.
2 # ClearClick Video to Digital Converter 2.0 (Second Generation)
It's an affordable price videotapes converter for VHS, 8mm, camcorders, hi8 along with gaming systems. One of the best thing for converting video tapes to DVD or any other format you don't require any software or computer device. You can easily convert any VHS tapes to DVD all your converted videos will directly go to 4 GB memory card from which you can transfer them to your Mac or PC or any other device.
However, After converting VHS videos to transfer them into smartphone, tablet or web formats the device required Prism Video Converter software. In it, you also get free USA Tech support along with the 1-year warranty.
3 # Roixo Easy VHS TO DVD 3 Plus
Roxio Easy is totally designed for converting VHS to DVD for Mac along with other digital formats like 8mm, Hi8, and Videos8 tapes. This device supports various platforms of Mac OS some of our Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and many more.
The main purpose of this device is to capture video from analog sources and preserve it by converting to digital formats to burn to disc or DVD through Macbook. You can also create your own movies through iMovie to edit capture videos and add video effects and much more. You can also watch your capture videos on iPhone, Smartphone, Sony PSP, and iPod.
4 # Diamond Multimedia VC500MAC USB 2.0 One Touch
Diamond Multimedia converter is a one-touch video capture device for Mac OS. With the help of this device, you can easily capture VHS videotapes to digital format and save on your computer. Its 3 steps video capture device. First install the device, secondly, just plug it in your Mac OS and in last connect the video cables to your source and install the Empia Capture program.
This device supports Mac OS 10.9 and later version its also compatible with iMovie to edit capture videotapes before saving them in your Mac. With USA technical support along with one year warranty.
5 # Video Capture Converter
The video capture converter is the smallest device for converting VHS to DVD or digital files. The device comes with a small cable box that plug-in into Mac along with other devices for converting videos in another format.
Using this device you capture high quilty videos and audio files direct by USB interface with PSP or other devices. It's simple process first capture videos into your computer or Mac OS and then through using software burn the VHS to digital format.
