Posted by Bruce Esquibel on 10/11/06 14:53

Cdrmac <cdrmac@fastmail.fm> wrote:

: What do I need to attach to my G5 Macintosh to input my VHS tapes so I
: can convert them to DVD?


Giving up any social life and getting a script for tranquilizers is a good
start.

After that, the hardware would be something like an ADS Pyro A/V Link or
similar. That'll convert either the svhs or composite video to firewire.

After than, things start to fall apart rapidly.

You'll need to round up capture and editing software, which to date, Final
Cut Pro is about the best. There are a number of capture programs including
freeware, but FCP is the best handling dropped frames from tracking problems
or even commercial breaks edited out on the tape (if it was recorded on a
machine with a flying erase head this isn't an issue).

If the capture goes ok, you'll be left with a 13GB per hour file that'll
need to be compressed into the dvd format. Although FCP has internal
compressors and I think can be fed into Quicktime (pro version can also take
the digital file in directly), Toast is another option but either way you'll
need Toast to generate the menus and do the final burn.

I don't have anything against Macs, use them at home and at work but the
point I'm trying to make is, it's a time consuming, steep learning curve
process which also costs a small fortune (FCP Pro is over a grand) and
probably better served by getting one of those DVD/vhs recorders and let it
do all the dirty work.

Of course they don't have the flexibility outside of primative editing
capabilities but the ones with the built in hard drives (vhs->hd->dvd)
aren't too bad.

All I'm saying is, if this is just one of those "i want to get rid of my vhs
tapes" for no other reason than to get rid of them, look into buying an
external dvd recorder with transfer capabilites. If it's a project to edit,
clean up and customize, go the manual route.

Although the G5 is well suited for the task, keep in mind you aren't going
to be using it while capturing stuff in the background. A six hour vhs tape
is going to take six hours to capture. The compression is easily done in the
background but may take an equal to greater than time to finish. Unless the
machine is dedicated to task, you are just shooting yourself in the foot.

-bruce
bje@ripco.com

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