Hiya.

If I want to :

1 be able to transfer records and cassettes onto cd
2 transfer beta video onto dvd
3 transfer vhs video to dvd
4 do screen capture pics from video

What do I actually need installed in my puter ? (or near my puter if they are external things)

I know my first purchase needs to be a dvd burner as I only have a cd burner at the moment.

And what type of cable would go between the vcr and the puter ?

And will I have trouble finding that cable - to fit the 1984 beta player ?

Any help greatfully appreciated.  (preferable in plain english as I get lost around techie talk) !!

thanks in advance

The only think I can help you with is transferring VHS to DVD. We have a DVD recorder hooked up to the VCR and we have been transferring many of our VHS to DVD (in fact, that is what Carlos is doing at this very moment.). DVD recorders have gone down in price so it may not be TOO expensive right now. Or you can wait a bit until the price goes down even further.



Cat

Hiya.

If I want to :

1 be able to transfer records and cassettes onto cd

What do I actually need installed in my puter ? (or near my puter if they are external things)



Hi BMG...

Let's see if my woefully inadequate comp knowledge does the trick on this...

First thing you need to do is get the record/tape onto your computer's hard drive - to do this you'll need an adapter lead...

I think that all phono equipment is standard across-the-board stuff these days, so get yourself a lead with two phono plugs (sometimes called RCA or 'clinch' plugs - they'll be the same things that connect your hi-fi together) which are joined (via the lead) to ONE 3.5mm stereo jack plug...this jack plug fits into the 'input' hole on your soundcard...

With tapes, you can run it straight to the computer, but with the turntable you'll have to run it via your amplifier...

Now you'll need some kind of audio recorder - I think Windows comes equipped with one, it's very basic but it should do the job...

Click on Start/Programs/Accessories/Entertainment and Sound Recorder should appear - click on that, and away yer go...

It should record audio stuff as .wav files, which you can then burn straight onto your CD - if you're getting a new DVD recorder, the package that comes with it may have some snazzy software that'll make this job child's play, even for idiots like me...!

Hope that helps in some way, hopefully I've avoided anything too technical...

Thanks Paul - will write that down and go shopping !!

Cat - dvd recorders with hard drives start at $1300 here !!  Thats why I figured it would be cheaper to do stuff via my puter.

Click on Start/Programs/Accessories/Entertainment and Sound Recorder should appear - click on that, and away yer go...



Microsoft's Sound Recorder.
Take a look at this, it's pretty clever...

http://members.chello.nl/rwestdorp/fun/soundrecorder.swf

:o
:)

(Someone on another message board found it. How they did I do not know)

Cat - dvd recorders with hard drives start at $1300 here !!  Thats why I figured it would be cheaper to do stuff via my puter.



Oh. That is a bit steep. We bought ours for about $300 but I don't know if it has a hard drive. 



Cat

Oh. That is a bit steep. We bought ours for about $300 but I don't know if it has a hard drive. 

Cat


They have only just recently dropped from their into the market price of about $6000 - which is when my friends bought theirs !  I never buy anything new on the market - I research and watch the pricing for years !

There are a few "generic" brand dvd recorders out at the moment for $6-700 but they dont have a hard drive so I dont see the point of wasting money on them yet.  I will just keep watching the $1300 one I want - it will eventually drop !!!

They have only just recently dropped from their into the market price of about $6000 - which is when my friends bought theirs !  I never buy anything new on the market - I research and watch the pricing for years !

There are a few "generic" brand dvd recorders out at the moment for $6-700 but they dont have a hard drive so I dont see the point of wasting money on them yet.  I will just keep watching the $1300 one I want - it will eventually drop !!!



That's what we did. I think we waiting a few years-and yes, we did buy a generic brand. The dvd/recorder works pretty good but the same brand for just a dvd player really sucks. It was only like $30. I really think we should replace it but Hubby thinks it is fine.  ::)



Cat