How to digitize a videotape: step by step instructions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Save dear memories so as not to lose them forever.

1. Prepare everything you need

Here's what we need:

• video cassette;
• playback device (video player, camera);
• capture device (USB adapter, capture card, TV tuner);
• cables (RCA, S ‑ Video, FireWire, USB);
• a computer;
• special software.

With videotapes everything is clear: you have to work with what you have. Any equipment capable of playing a cassette of the required format can be used as a playback device. Most often it is a VHS video player, less often a camcorder.

A little more complicated with the capture device. In fact, any piece of hardware that adds a video input to the computer is suitable: a connector on a video card (available only in very old models), a specialized capture card or TV tuner with PCI interfaces, as well as a USB adapter for video capture. The last option is the simplest and most accessible. You can buy this adapter at or from your local retailer.

Finally, you need cables to connect all of these devices to your PC. Well, the computer itself with a couple of programs for capturing and processing video.

2. Determine the type of cassette

Although tape is used as a medium, not all videotapes are created equal. Their differences lie not only in size and format, but also in the type of recording. All cassettes can be divided into two categories, which are fundamentally different from each other: digital and analog.

The former are much more progressive, and the process of transferring content from them is more like copying files. The latter will have to tinker with in order to convert the analog signal into a digital video stream. Digital cassettes include Digital8 and miniDV cassettes. For analog - cassettes VHS, VHS ‑ C, Video8, Hi8.

• VHS - the most widespread format, for many it is identified with the very concept of "videotape". Cameras of this format existed, but were rare. Therefore, films were usually sold on such media and home video recorded from cameras was stored.
• VHS ‑ C - the same VHS-cassettes, but reduced in size, which were used in portable cameras. Due to the coincidence of the tape width, they could be played in ordinary VHS-players through a special adapter.
• Video8 - analog video cassettes with 8 mm tape for household cameras. They were more compact and surpassed VHS in video and sound quality.
• Hi8 - an improved version of the previous format, which made it possible to achieve increased clarity for better recording.
• Digital8 - fully digital format with recording on conventional Hi8 cassettes. Required an increase in tape speed, due to which less content was placed on the videotape.
• miniDV - a more modern digital format used in consumer and professional cameras. Provided the highest quality possible among videotapes.

3. Find the original recordings

This is pretty obvious advice, but many do not understand its importance. Unlike digital media, analogue media quality degrades significantly with every copy. Therefore, it is in your best interest to use the original or the first copy of the recording.

Ideally, a tape from the camera. If not, then it is advisable to find the best copy. For example, if you have a duplicate of a video of a family holiday that a relative made for you, then to digitize it, it is better to ask him for the cassette. Your copy is most likely from a copy and will be of inferior quality.

If you have cassettes from cameras and VHS re-recorded from them, it is also better to get confused and find a camera to digitize directly from it. The above does not apply to digital cassettes Digital8 and miniDV. In addition, they are often originals.

4. Prepare the playback device

Most of those who are faced with digitization mistakenly believe that nowadays the recording quality can be easily improved on a computer using filters and various settings. Unfortunately, this is not so. It is really possible to remove noise and interference, but for an acceptable result you need to do all this manually and for individual video fragments. There is no button "Make it beautiful" and cannot be.

Video quality is affected the most by the playback device, not the capture card or software, as you might think. After all, whatever signal will be fed to the computer, it will remain so. That is why it is important to use a good video player with four or six heads and, for compact cassettes, a camcorder. And preferably the one on which the recording was made.

If the device is faulty or there are doubts about its quality, it is better not to risk it and look for a replacement from friends or on ad sites. Fortunately, the old technique is now of little interest to anyone and is worth a penny.

5. Clear the video heads

The video heads that read the signal from the magnetic tape of the cassette become dirty over time, which leads to the appearance of noise and deterioration in the quality of playback, and therefore recording. Before starting digitizing, as well as after processing 10-15 cassettes, it is imperative to clean their heads.

This procedure is simple and within the power of any more or less technically savvy person. A detailed process can be found on YouTube, but we will give a short sequence of actions.

With the video player unplugged, remove the top cover. It is usually attached with two or three screws at the back. If there is a lot of dust inside, remove it with a vacuum cleaner, but proceed carefully so as not to damage parts and mechanisms.

Then fold a blank sheet of office paper several times, dampen it in isopropyl alcohol. Use it to wipe the drum and video heads (do not touch them with your hands), as well as the sound and erase heads, rubber roller and plastic sleeves.

The same applies to video cameras. Inside they have exactly the same mechanism, only in miniature. To access the video head, open the cassette compartment and remove it, then turn off the power or remove the battery.

You won't be able to use paper for cleaning due to the limited space, so you will have to use cotton swabs. They leave lint when pressed hard, so be careful.

6. Decide on the type of connection

VHS, VHS ‑ C, Video8, Hi8

Most likely, there won't be much choice and you will have to deal with the composite output on your player or camera. It is called RCA, but more commonly known as the "tulip" or "bell". In some models, there is a SCART connector, which will need to be connected to a capture device via a SCART → RCA adapter.

Expensive video players sometimes also have an S ‑ Video output, which offers better picture quality due to the separate transmission of the luminance and chrominance signals. If possible, you should prefer it for the best result.

Digital8, miniDV

Digital cameras with data cassettes also have composite video outputs (RCA) for connecting to TV and video equipment. However, to get the best possible quality of digitizing, it is better to use not them, but USB or FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 and i. LINK). The latter immediately transmit a digital video stream without conversion, which entails the appearance of noise and distortion.

7. Connect the equipment

VHS, VHS ‑ C, Video8, Hi8

Nothing complicated, you just need to make a chain: playback device → capture device → computer. To do this, connect S ‑ Video or RCA cables to the outputs (OUT) of the video player or camera and connect them to the inputs (IN) on the adapter, capture card or TV tuner.

If you are using a USB capture card, insert it into a computer port. Also, do not forget to connect the video player to the network and the camera to the power adapter.

Digital8, miniDV

It's even easier with digital sources. Simply connect the camera to your computer using a USB or FireWire (IEEE 1394, i. LINK) cable. Problems can arise only with the latter: this interface is already outdated and unavailable on modern PCs - in this case, you will have to use some kind of adapter to connect.

8. Install drivers and software

The first step is to install the drivers for the capture device, which are usually included in the kit. If they are not there, or they are on a DVD that cannot be read due to the lack of a drive, download the drivers from the manufacturer's website. Sometimes the necessary elements are already included in the OS and their installation is not required - the adapter starts working immediately after connection.

In addition, video capture software is required. They are often included in the kit too. In general, there are a lot of this kind of software and it differs depending on the type of video source. In fact, you can use any application that supports video stream capture, including standard Windows programs, video editors like Adobe Premier, Vegas Pro, as well as utilities for recording screen and streams.

Here are the most popular solutions for different platforms:

• Camera in Windows 10, QuickTime in macOS - built-in apps with minimal settings and easy interaction.
• - a specialized program for saving analog recordings with many settings.
• - a handy utility for digital DV-cameras, which saves video not as a monolithic piece, but in separate scenes as they were filmed.

9. Prepare to capture

The recorded video will have a pretty impressive volume. Depending on the settings, 1 hour takes up to 14 GB. It is better to free up disk space beforehand so that the capture process is not interrupted due to lack of it.

Insert the cassette into your video player or camera. If you are digitizing VHS ‑ C, use an adapter to insert a small cassette into a large one. Rewind the tape to the beginning with the remote control or buttons on the unit.

10. Capture the video

A few general guidelines. Some applications have an option to split the video into fragments - use it to get files of an acceptable size. When digitizing a large volume of materials, it is advisable to pause every couple of hours so that the video capture card cools down. This is especially true of inexpensive Chinese adapters that get very hot.

Windows 10 camera

Open the application through the search, click on the gear icon in the upper left corner and set the maximum video resolution. Start playback on the video player or camera and click the record button in the program window. When finished, press the button again to stop recording.

The videos appear in the Photos application, and the media files themselves can be found in the System Pictures folder.

QuickTime Player

Launch from the Applications folder or via Spotlight, and then go to File → New Video, or simply press Option + Command + N. Open the drop-down menu next to the Record button and select your capture device as your camera and microphone. Turn on your video player or camera. Click the record button in QuickTime, and when finished, click it again and specify the location to save the file.

If further processing of the video is not expected, then select "High" in the quality settings. If you plan to edit the record, select “Maximum” to save without compression.

iuVCR

Open the application and set the location to save the video on the "File" tab. Make sure the capture card is selected in the Device Settings menu under the Video tab. Click the Preview button to display a preview.

It is better to leave the rest of the settings as default. Next, start playback on a video player or camera and click the Start record button in the program window. Press it again at the end of the recording.

ScenalyzerLive

Turn on the camera and select it from the Settings drop-down menu. Specify the save location by clicking Explore at the top of the window. Use the control buttons to start playback and click the Capture button at the bottom of the window.

Recorded videos can be left as is, saved to disk or uploaded to the cloud. If you are not satisfied with the size of the files, you can compress them using one of the converters. If you need to edit videos or edit a movie from them, use free video editors.

Whichever option you choose for yourself, be sure to back up your digitized videos so you don't lose them. Time spares neither videotapes, nor equipment for working with them. Who knows if it will be possible, in which case, to digitize again. Better not to risk it.