How to Copy a VHS to DVD

Wondering how to copy a VHS to DVD? If you're looking to upgrade your old video collection to the new DVD format, you have several options available to you, and some will be better than others depending on your budget.

A Combination DVD And VHS Player
The first option you have is to get a combination DVD and VHS player with DVD-burning capability. The combination deck allows you to play back and record in both formats. You can also play a VHS tape and record on the DVD deck. Some options available to you are the Sony RDR-VX560 DVD Recorder/VCR Combo, the Toshiba DVR620 DVD Recorder VCR Combination and the Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK DVD recorder/VCR Combo with HDMI. All of these support a variety of DVD formats and can be purchased at anywhere from $250 to $400.

Your Personal Computer
The other option available to you is to use your computer. This may be cheaper than buying a DVD/VHS player, depending on what capabilities your computer has. Obviously, your computer needs to have a DVD writer. Also, making your VHS tapes digital is going to take a computer with at least a 2.8 GHz CPU processor and 512 MB of RAM. Of course, when it comes to RAM, the more, the better. You'll also need video editing software and a USB hookup that connects to your VCR's audio and video outputs. The USB hookup should be available at an electronics store for relatively little money. Once you have this, it should be easy to use the software and upload the video. Beware: It might take a while. Once you have the digital file, you can use the editing software to burn DVDs.

Remember, it's illegal to distribute copies of copyrighted material. So make sure you're using DVD copying only for yourself or for converting your home VHS footage to DVD format. The penalty for bootlegging is a lot more than the price of a new DVD/VHS VCR.