Before the advent of DVD, and the many advances in the quality and size of digital video formats, those of us who wanted to capture those special days such as weddings, vacations, or just our pets or children playing around resorted to what was available at the time: analog video. Maybe we used a VHS camcorder, or an 8mm one, the fact is that the video was captured in a format that loses quality over repeated viewings, is prone to be damaged by a faulty mechanism that may get the tape stuck, and that many people may not even have the proper playback device to watch it. We could always carry the VHS to our in-law's place in order to show them some of our videos, but really, why not do better in this digital age?
In this article, I'll show you how easy it is to take one of those treasured videos and convert it into a format that will not degrade in quality over time, will yield perfect copies every time you transfer it to a new device, and that will allow you to edit it easily in video applications. Then, well, you may do whatever you wish with it, and may even save some space as you slowly start getting rid of bulky collections of old VHS-C, VHS, and 8mm tapes.
I'm not going to lie here. If you want to convert your videos from an analog into a digital format, you will need the proper tools to do so. And not all of them are software applications. These are the tools that you will need for the job:
- Analog Player: Simple enough. If your video comes from a VHS-C tape, then you will need a VHS-C camera with proper RCA video and audio outputs, or a VHS player with RCA audio and video outputs and a VHS-C to VHS converter. If the video is from an 8mm tape, then you will need an 8mm camera with RCA outputs.
- Digital Video Converter: This is an aditional piece of hardware that you will need to acquire in order to capture the video. Basically, PC's lack video inputs in order to receive the video and audio signals from a VHS or the like, so you will need this item in order to plug in your RCA cables from the analog source and route it to your PC. There are many such devices to choose from, from low end USB devices you will easily find at any local computer hardware store, to really high-end, specialized devices you may only acquire from specialty suppliers. You can even use a Mini DV camera if it has analog pass-through capabilities. Personally, I prefer Canopus devices as I've always managed to keep perfect video and audio sync when using them, but this will really depend on what you have available and your budget for the project.
- Windows Movie Maker: Naturally, there are countless other software utilities you can use for this, but since this one's free, and anyone using a modern version of Windows should have this, it's the one I will use in this article.
- Analog Video: You need your analog video before you are able to convert it.
- Storage Space: I mean in the Gigabytes. Many of them. Preferrably to a different hard drive than the one that houses your operating system. Digital video takes an awful lot of storage space, so be sure to provide it.