VCR -> DVD via Mac?

I have a few old video tapes I would like to convert to DVD.  I
have a fairly new VCR, a powerbook G4 running the latest version of
panther, and a recent LaCie DVD burner and Toast. Can I use these
things, with not too much else, for the task? Any info on how to
proceed much appreciated.

(I don't have a lot to convert and don't plan to do any serious
editing or retouching or anything like that, so don't need the most
high powered way to do it.)

Thanks,
CS

In article <d5_1d.49174$wu.12619@okepread04>, Chris Swoyer
<fswoyer@cox.net> wrote:

> I have a few old video tapes I would like to convert to DVD.  I
> have a fairly new VCR, a powerbook G4 running the latest version of
> panther, and a recent LaCie DVD burner and Toast. Can I use these
> things, with not too much else, for the task? Any info on how to
> proceed much appreciated.
>
> (I don't have a lot to convert and don't plan to do any serious
> editing or retouching or anything like that, so don't need the most
> high powered way to do it.)
>
> Thanks,

Assuming you have some way to get them onto your Mac, there's no
problem. However, the conversion to digital form is a bottleneck for
most and requires additional software and possibly hardware.

EyeTV (El Gato), Formac, Canopus, and others provide hardware solutions
for the media conversion at prices ranging from about $130 up. Once you
have the content on your Mac, you can just burn the DVDs in Toast.

--
Spenser

It sounds like my question should have been about the best way
to get the videos onto my Mac.

Thanks
CS

"sbt" <dogbreath@chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote in message
 news:150920041004460184%dogbreath@chasea
bone.com.invalid...
> In article <d5_1d.49174$wu.12619@okepread04>, Chris Swoyer
> <fswoyer@cox.net> wrote:
> 
>
> Assuming you have some way to get them onto your Mac, there's no
> problem. However, the conversion to digital form is a bottleneck for
> most and requires additional software and possibly hardware.
>
> EyeTV (El Gato), Formac, Canopus, and others provide hardware solutions
> for the media conversion at prices ranging from about $130 up. Once you
> have the content on your Mac, you can just burn the DVDs in Toast.
>
> --
> Spenser

Use S Video if possible. Connect the VCR to a digital camcorder then the
comcorder to the Mac via firewire. If you only have a few, you can probably
borrow a digital camcorder.

"Chris Swoyer" <fswoyer@cox.net> wrote in message
news:LF_1d.49176$wu.45462@okepread04...
> It sounds like my question should have been about the best way
> to get the videos onto my Mac.
>
> Thanks
> CS
>
> "sbt" <dogbreath@chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote in message
>  news:150920041004460184%dogbreath@chasea
bone.com.invalid... 
>
>

In article <d5_1d.49174$wu.12619@okepread04>,
Chris Swoyer <fswoyer@cox.net> wrote:
>I have a few old video tapes I would like to convert to DVD.  I
>have a fairly new VCR, a powerbook G4 running the latest version of
>panther, and a recent LaCie DVD burner and Toast.

I don't think you need any other software besides Toast, assuming it's
version 6 or above.  I use iMovie/iDVD myself, but browsing through the
Toast help files seems to indicate that it's pretty simple.

Your big hurdle is converting the analog video from your VCR into a
digital format that Toast can import.  You need hardware for this:  either
a digital camcorder that has "pass-through" capability and a FireWire
connection (for the Mac), or a standalone converter box like the Canopus
ADVC-100 or -55 which will set you back a few hundred dollars.

I had a lot of tapes to digitize (still not finished yet!) so I got a
Canopus and have been happy with it.  Since you don't have many tapes,
your best bet is probably to borrow a suitable camcorder from a friend.

--
Jon Bell <jtbellm4h@presby.edu>                     Presbyterian College
Dept. of Physics and Computer Science        Clinton, South Carolina USA

> "Chris Swoyer" <fswoyer@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:LF_1d.49176$wu.45462@okepread04... 

a comprehensive procedure is published at macworld.com

the url is http://www.macworld.com/2004/05/features/fromvhstodvd/
my apology if you already came across the article and did not suit your
need.

In article <cianku$be5$1@jtbell.presby.edu>, Jon Bell
<jtbellj3p@presby.edu> wrote:

> In article <d5_1d.49174$wu.12619@okepread04>,
> Chris Swoyer <fswoyer@cox.net> wrote: 
>
> I don't think you need any other software besides Toast, assuming it's
> version 6 or above.  I use iMovie/iDVD myself, but browsing through the
> Toast help files seems to indicate that it's pretty simple.

if it's a straight video to disk conversion, then yes you could use
Toast.

but if you need to do any kind of editing or want menus etc then you
will need other equipment.

imovie can be used for the import. prep the video then export into iDVD
if you have it and set up your disk.

or you can export at full quality to mov. use something like ffmpeg to
convert the mov to a SVCD with DVD spec audio. and then Sizzle or
similar to set up the disk.

as for getting the stuff into your computer. you'll need either a
digital camcorder that will let you hook up the VCR via S-Video or RCA
hookup (that's the yellow/white/red cables) and passthrough the camera
or a converter box. I"m still using my old Sony Media box to do RCA
from my VCR into my computer (via firewire). works great. you can pick
up a sony on ebay for under $100 if you are careful. the actual name of
the box is "Sony I LINK_DVMC-DA2 Media Converter". I found several
auctions just by searching "sony converter"

Jeffrey <Jeffrey@nospam.com> wrote:

> a comprehensive procedure is published at macworld.com
> the url is http://www.macworld.com/2004/05/features/fromvhstodvd/

Nice article.  I'm in a similar situation to the original poster and
would like to transfer some video tape to DVD.  In the article, the
author suggests the Datavideo DAC-100 firewire device to facilitate the
A/D conversion.  Has anyone else used this device and would recommend
it?

Several years ago I did some experiments with trying to transfer some VHS
tapes via a PC with an ATi capture card.  I had numerous problems with
the audio getting out of sync from the video after about 10-15 minutes.
In the end I gave up the project because I couldn't solve the audio sync
problems.  Would I run into similar difficulties using the DAC-100 and
capturing to a G4 Powerbook (1Ghz with 1G of RAM)?