New Year's Resolution #1 - Get rid of boxes of old video tapes:
Converting VHS tapes to DVD using Canopus ADVC-100
[posted 02/02/07]

Way back when I first arrived in the States, I could barely speak a work of English. So I figured watching American TV would be a good way to learn the language. So I started watching A LOT of TV. Often, I would record many of the programs so I could review them later on to make sure I understood everything right. Before I knew it, recording TV shows became a habit and, fast forward to the present day, I have in my "closet" (read bedroom) a whole bunch of boxes filled with VHS tapes. I figure I have about 4-5 boxes of the ones you see in the photos, which I guess to be well over 100 tapes. Recorded on them are a wide range of programs from sitcoms, dramas, documentaries, sport events, music programs, and the odd Japanese language show.

A few years back, I decided I needed to deal with this tape collection. It'd just be easy to throw them out or record over them, but after examining a few of them I realized they were worth preserving for the nostalgia factor. So I did some research on the 'Net and purchased the Canopus ADVC-100 DV encoder. It's a box that connects between the VCR and the PC's DV/Firewire port. I just pop in a VHS tape into the VCR and hit play, and start capturing on the PC using a program called Scenalyzer Live. Saved to the hard drive is a huge DV video file which I then convert to Mpeg-1/Mpeg-2, and then burn to DVD. Since not everything is worth saving on the tapes, I figure I could generally fit in about 2-4 video tapes on one DVD disc. The main selling point of the Canopus over typical video capture cards is that the encoder is supposed to be better than most in dealing with analog composite video, and it has nearly flawless audio sync with video. It can supposedly encode continuously for hours without getting the "foreign movie/voiceover" effect with the audio.

I first managed to convert the oldest video tape in my collection - a tape from 1989(!) containing some music videos and music programs. Talk about a blast from the past... it was quite odd to go back and see TV shows from that far back. Anyhow, I think typically it is said that VHS tapes last only about ten years. But this tape, given its age, was in a surprisingly good condition and quite playable (thanks to it being kept in box storage deep inside the closet all these years). So I now have this vintage archival footage saved for posterity on to a DVD disc. I even uploaded a few clips to YouTube, which got pretty good reception from those interested in this kind of stuff for being rare to find in this day and age.

One drawback to all of this is that it is very time and PC resource intensive. To encode an entire standard 5 hr. tape, you have to play the video through the encoder for the 5 hrs. (no fast-forwarding). Plus, because my home PC is ANCIENT, it takes about 8 hrs. to convert 1 hr. of the raw DV file into the playable Mpeg-1 format. Not to mention all the time needed to preview and catalog each and every tape, creating the chapters and burning to DVD, and backing up the Mpeg data files to another DVD. I soon realized this was not something that was going to get done fast, and by then I had started school and I had to use the PC for that purpose, so the project stalled and was put in the back burner for the next two years.

So, with school all done and the new year already a month old, I am looking to revive this pet project. Although I got that one tape from the late '80s converted, I have tons from the early '90s that need quick attention. It is literally a race against time. I will keep you posted on my (any) progress...