VCR to DVD

[green beret]

Hi all.

I need a couple of VCR tapes converted to DVD, for the sake of permanently preserving the footage. There is a local person who can do it but would probably report me to the police. A friend can also do it, but she too can't be trusted. So, I would like to know if an Aussie would like to help me out, I would pay for CD's etc, and the person would probably need some type of fake address, for their own safety. These videos are mostly pyro, but even that is enough to land me in serious trouble. So if anyone would like to help (I'm not really expecting anyone to) I would be very grateful.

Failing this, (and buying my own equipment) does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could get these copied without getting busted? Perhaps I could "persuade" someone to do it and keep their mouths shut, I dont know. Like I said, I'm not expecting anyone to do it for me, someone will undoubtedly flame me, but it cant hurt to try right?

Thanks all.

[metafractal]

I have a dvd burner, and I feel that I dont contribute enough to this forum. So, I would be happy to help. I am very busy for the next two weeks. But then, we can arrange something and I will burn your footage immediately. If there is any way that you can conceive of to confirm that I am not a cop, that does not endanger my safety, please suggest it and I will do so. I live in Victoria. In two weeks time expect an email. If you need them before then, I am afraid I cannot help you.

[nbk2000]

Why not buy a DVD burner, make the copies, then send it back for a refund claiming "incompatilble with my system"? ;)

[kingspaz]

nbk, thats a much better idea than the original. asking help from somebody here could turn bad. whos to say a pig whos a member here won't try and 'help'?

[Nihilist]

You could also make a VCD or SVCD, which both play in most DVD players(yes the formats vary considerably and some DVD players don't play a lot of them, I know), and all you need is a CD burner. Although, i'm not quite sure how you would plan on getting the VHS information onto your computer, since I think that requires some very special equipment.

[ALENGOSVIG1]

Dont you just need a video capture card?

[GibboNet]

Unfortunately, I still don't have my DVD burner, though I can now get one at $350 AUD. I could put it to VCD / SVCD, but I don't have a capture card. If you have the money, get a capture card. If you don't, save up $150 and buy a VCR connector. it plugs into a USB port, and allows you to then connect your VCR / TV to the computer for capture. Like I said, they're only $150, so if you shop around, you'll get it for $100 or less.

I've always wanted one, so I'll look at buying one. If I can, then i would be happy to convert the tapes to SVCD for you. (I dislike VCD, not good enough quality) SVCD plays on nearly all DVD players nowadays, and is very good quality.

Maybe use NBK's method to get access to a DVD burner instead. Actually, you might be lucky enough to find a local computer club that offers loan of an external DVD burner... They do that near here for CD burners etc. I might enquire whether they now have DVD or capture devices, in which case I may be able to help.

[green beret]

Thanks very much guys! I will look forwrard to your email metafractal, I still dont know if I will go through with personal contact from a forumite, but still email me anyhow.

I like your idea nbk, I had considered that but realised I would need a capture card etc, which is what my untrustworhty friend has. Maybe I'll just save up or scam it somehow, I'm in no hurry really, but theres high humidity where I live, which causes tapes to go mouldy over time. It also makes it hard when working with AN.

I'll see what I can do, but Gibbonet, could you stay in touch anyway.

Cheers all, I appreciate your help.:)

[nbk2000]

There's a paradox here:

The Freman have a saying that "You should not keep company with those you would not want to die with".

Machiavellian thinking says that "No one can be trusted, especially friends".

But, being humans, we can resolve paradoxes. The solution is thus;

Since you can't trust anyone, don't, but don't let them know this. Instead, let them think that you are their friend, when you're simply using them for your own ends. :)

Though, really, if you can't trust them enough not to rat you out for pyro tapes, than you should cut them lose, because RTPB "Known Losers" says that rats (and potential rats) are known losers, thus sure to bring you down. :(

Anyhows, what's to say you can't get the videocard at the same time (but different place ;)) as the DVD drive? In fact, if you already have a CD burner, you don't need the DVD, just the capture card. Capture the video to an MPG file, apply DIVX or RM compression, and burn to CD. :)

Wetware should be able to out-think hardware, don't you think? ;)

[J]

A TV card works fine for capturing video using the composite video input. You can pick these up secondhand for £10 or so. If you want to capture to MPEG2 (SVCD/DVD) then you'll want one with an S-Video input, which will cost you a bit more. But if you only have standard VHS tapes, there's not much point.

[T_Pyro]

If you have any Display card that has an s-video input port, you could connect it to your VCR to record the Tapes digitally on your comp. If you have a Riva TNT / TNT2 / GeForce / GeForce2/ Geforce 3 card with an s-video input, you can use the Asus live video utility to record from the s-video input.

[metafractal]

Green Beret, what email adress might I contact you on?

[metafractal]

Sorry, I hate to double post, but are you around Green Beret? I need an email adress with which I can contact you to arrange this!

[Rhadon]

Metafractal, why don't you email him here (http://www.roguesci.org/theforum/member.php?action=mailform&userid=260)?

[darkdontay]

You might try anfd find some local computer gaming stores, ones that have game station rooms, usualy ran by pipmle faced 13 years olds.. anyways all the ones around here have atleast one staion hooked up to a TV screen for thier CS gaming nights and what have you.. I have manged to get alot of stuff doen over their by just asking and offering a couple dollars (700+kbps, and a Burner (1$ a CD) have managed to start stocking up my archive of information and software)

Anyways point being usualy if you look hard enough you can find the things you need around town and people will to help 9By tuning around) if you give the a buck or two.

++++++++++++++++++

This is your post on drugs.

Any questions? ;)

NBK

[jelly]

I agree with Nihilist.

I have converted all of my s-vhs cassettes to the VCD (video-CD) format with this stuff:

1. a cheap old GForce graphics card with s-video input

2. the freeware capture program VirtualDub

3. the freeware AVI-to-VCD converter TMPEnc.

You can burn the VCD movies onto cheap CD-Rs and play them on most DVD players.


Do you know the movie "hollow man"?
I have captured the nice flame thrower/fire extinguisher scene via my graphics card and then ripped some pictures to show the quality you can get with this cheap method.

Since "hollow man" is an action movie, you'll see some motion blur :) The pics are in raw format... not manipulated in contrast, brightness, colour, gamma etc.

Fire Extinguisher From Hell (http://jellybelly84.tripod.com/flames) :D

[nbk2000]

My favorite scene in that movie was when he went invisible and was groping the redheads boob. The way the titty was moving around was very interesting. ;)

If you could could do a screen capture of that, that'd be worth downloading. :D

[jelly]

Load the animated .GIF completely and enjoy the endless groping :D

Tits for NBK2000 only!!! (http://jellybelly84.tripod.com/tits)