How to Transfer 8mm and Hi8 Video Tapes to DVD or VHS

Connect the VHS or camcorder to the recorder via RCA, S-Video, or Firewire. With a DVD recorder, you don’t have a lot of flexibility as far as menus, buttons and chapter settings, but it’s the fastest and easiest way to convert VHS to DVD. Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the most out of your technology. Under the “Sources” panel on the bottom, click the plus sign and choose “Video Capture Device” from the list.

Whether you’re trying to delete the profile from a PC or a mobile device, this is what you need to do. Unfortunately, if you want to preserve that digital information , you’ll need some very specific products. As with the previous method, we suggest giving your tape and VCR a look-over to make sure each is clean. Particles on the tape can cause blemishes in the video during the transfer, while dirty heads can ruin the entire project. You’ll want to start the DVD recorder first so you don’t cut off the beginning of the video. DVD recorders cost between $100-$200 at major electronic stores or online. You can also usually find one between $50-$75 in good condition on Ebay.

Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles.

Premium Film Transfer Service

If you’re persistent, though, you’ll land a VCR that works well enough to play, rewind and eject tapes. If you have an iPhone, you can use iCloud Drive to store the video and then access it via the Files app.

What is the best VHS-to-DVD converter to buy?

It allows you to pop in a VHS , insert a DVD-R disc, and press record to dub the video over. There’s a lot of waiting involved, but it isn’t a ton of active work, and it’s much cheaper than using a professional service if you have a lot of tapes. The marketplace is where enthusiasts find the movies streaming services don’t offer. Option 3 — Take your tapes to a video duplicator and have them transferred to DVD professionally . Have the service make a DVD copy of one or two of your tapes.

This article outlines two methods to do so—both produce the same quality video. The first method involves using a standalone DVD recorder. The second method involves using your computer and an analog-to-digital video converter to convert your VHS tapes to MPEG files and then burn them to DVDs. Costco offers video transfer services for club members that give you the option of converting VHS to DVD, a USB thumb drive, or both. Popular stores that convert VHS and other videotape formats to DVD and digital are Costco, Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS.

The Video Converter

Read more about vhs to dvd here.