Where can I convert VCR family movies into DVD's in Pattaya ?

[how241]

Hello, I have many old family movies on VCR tapes. Is there somewhere in Pattaya where I could convert them into DVD's or put them on a memory stick ? Is there some other option to save them before VCR's are history ?

[RKASA]

If taped outside Thailand you may still have a problem if you can even find a VCR at all. I had to find an old VHS-c recorder from the US and play back to a video capture card and make PC files from that. It came out OK

[how241]

If taped outside Thailand you may still have a problem if you can even find a VCR at all. I had to find an old VHS-c recorder from the US and play back to a video capture card and make PC files from that. It came out OK

This tapes were all recorded in the USA about 15-20 years old. I tried them a few months ago when I was back in the USA and they all worked. I wanted to know if I get a friend who is coming to Pattaya next week to bring them, will I be able to get them converted to DVD or something digital. Thanks

[ozsamurai]

As RKASA has mentioned it's a case of getting a hold of a player. if they were recorded in the US, then one could assume they are NTSC format, so you will need an NTSC compatible player to watch/convert them... Thailand uses PAL system, so I think your chances are getting slimmer. Once you have something to playback with then the 'conversion' is easy enough, you could even get a dongle thing and do it yourself as I did a few months back while I was home. The trick is getting the machine not the conversion. I still have some VHSC stuff in NTSC that I can't get off.

Oz

[how241]

As RKASA has mentioned it's a case of getting a hold of a player. if they were recorded in the US, then one could assume they are NTSC format, so you will need an NTSC compatible player to watch/convert them... Thailand uses PAL system, so I think your chances are getting slimmer. Once you have something to playback with then the 'conversion' is easy enough, you could even get a dongle thing and do it yourself as I did a few months back while I was home. The trick is getting the machine not the conversion. I still have some VHSC stuff in NTSC that I can't get off.

Oz

Thanks...I have a working VCR player in the USA. What is the "dongle thing" you are referring to ? Is there a inexpensive way to do this in the USA ? Thanks

[RKASA]

I have a usb device that has the video and audio jacks on it. Plug it into the pc and the same connection from the cam or VCR you play back to the TV with and start the tape. Movie maker found on windows will record it. You can also use it to watch sat TV box on the PC things like that. Mine is pretty old but they are not that expensive and some come with other recording play back software included on a CD. try looking at a place like frays in the states.

[how241]

Thanks for that info...

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I have a usb device that has the video and audio jacks on it. Plug it into the pc and the same connection from the cam or VCR you play back to the TV with and start the tape. Movie maker found on windows will record it. You can also use it to watch sat TV box on the PC things like that. Mine is pretty old but they are not that expensive and some come with other recording play back software included on a CD. try looking at a place like frays in the states.

Forget about this idea unless you have a high spec PC and a VHS player.

A better idea is simply to buy a DVD Recorder.

If you still have people in the USA, you can order a second hand DVD Recorder via eBay. They are as cheap as....Pommes frite.

Then it is simply a matter of clicking Record on one and Play on another. Once done, someone can send the DVDs to you.

Example here or here. Note that these are not actual recommendations. You'll have to do your own research. Though if the videos are really precious to you, then perhaps buy new. No need to splash out. You just need the ability to record on DVD and RCA inputs.

[how241]

I have a usb device that has the video and audio jacks on it. Plug it into the pc and the same connection from the cam or VCR you play back to the TV with and start the tape. Movie maker found on windows will record it. You can also use it to watch sat TV box on the PC things like that. Mine is pretty old but they are not that expensive and some come with other recording play back software included on a CD. try looking at a place like frays in the states.

Forget about this idea unless you have a high spec PC and a VHS player.

A better idea is simply to buy a DVD Recorder.

If you still have people in the USA, you can order a second hand DVD Recorder via eBay. They are as cheap as....Pommes frite.

Then it is simply a matter of clicking Record on one and Play on another. Once done, someone can send the DVDs to you.

Example here or here. Note that these are not actual recommendations. You'll have to do your own research. Though if the videos are really precious to you, then perhaps buy new. No need to splash out. You just need the ability to record on DVD and RCA inputs.

Thank you. That sounds easy. Are you sure it will work ? I would just 'Play' the VCR tape in the VCR player and connect to wires from the vcr to dvd player, then hit record on the DVD player ? Is that correct ? Edited October 21, 2014 by how241

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I have a usb device that has the video and audio jacks on it. Plug it into the pc and the same connection from the cam or VCR you play back to the TV with and start the tape. Movie maker found on windows will record it. You can also use it to watch sat TV box on the PC things like that. Mine is pretty old but they are not that expensive and some come with other recording play back software included on a CD. try looking at a place like frays in the states.

Forget about this idea unless you have a high spec PC and a VHS player.

A better idea is simply to buy a DVD Recorder.

If you still have people in the USA, you can order a second hand DVD Recorder via eBay. They are as cheap as....Pommes frite.

Then it is simply a matter of clicking Record on one and Play on another. Once done, someone can send the DVDs to you.

Example here or here. Note that these are not actual recommendations. You'll have to do your own research. Though if the videos are really precious to you, then perhaps buy new. No need to splash out. You just need the ability to record on DVD and RCA inputs.

Thank you. That sounds easy. Are you sure it will work ? I would just 'Play' the VCR tape in the VCR player and connect to wires from the vcr to dvd player, then hit record on the DVD player ? Is that correct ?

Yes, that is exactly how they are designed to work.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Video Guide

[ABCer]

OP, a word of warning!

Not sure where you are located. But I am on the beach and practically all my DVDs and CDs become 'not readable' due to corrosion.

Better put digitized media onto hard disk of some kind.

[RKASA]

OP, a word of warning! Not sure where you are located. But I am on the beach and practically all my DVDs and CDs become 'not readable' due to corrosion. Better put digitized media onto hard disk of some kind.

Yes use and external drive for a back up on a separate drive - a few years after scanning a load of pictures I lost the source copies and then later corrupted part of the data copy and can never get back some of those lost photo - back ups now run three deep.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

OP, a word of warning! Not sure where you are located. But I am on the beach and practically all my DVDs and CDs become 'not readable' due to corrosion. Better put digitized media onto hard disk of some kind.

One can rip the video from the DVD once received or even just take images, so no quality loss at all. So they can have it on both optical disc and hard drive.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Jiu-Jitsu

[how241]

Thanks for all the help from everyone.

[halljimbo]

Hi how241,

Did you get this sorted?

I found an old JVC VHS player / recorder in the attic (HR-J297MS). Brought it here in 1990 when technology was a bit different.

I fired it up tonight with a couple of old tapes (abt 1988 / 1990). Everything works fine.

It has a Video output RCA plug and a single (mono) Audio output RCA plug, but I recall this type of device ran the L + R and L - R channels so if you plug the Audio RCA into the 'sum' input channel on stereo (red plug I think) you will copy everything.

It has a remote and a handbook and plays back PAL B/G/D/K/I, Secam and NTSC (both 3.58 and 4.43 sound carrier frequencies) VHS format tapes. It has a manual sync override for those harder to focus tapes. Should do the trick.

I have a DVD recorder and I fed the A/V signals in and cut a DVD without any problem. Digitized it with DVD Videosoft Suite (free) to MP4 and then edited the various clips with the same suite.

Happy to donate it if it will help you.

Best Regards,

Jimbo

[how241]

halljimbo : Thank you very much for your info and generous offer. I'll have to wait until the next time I'm in the USA to get the tapes. Thanks again for your offer.

[how241]

Hello, I had a thread about 1.5 years ago where I am trying to convert some old small VCR tapes to some kind of digital or something that I could store on a hard drive...My son who is visiting just brought me the tapes but he forgot to bring the tape adapter...These are small VCR tapes that went into a VCR camera...You then would take the small tapes out of the camera and drop it into this adapter to make the tapes the standard VCR size and would play on any VCR, but he forgot to bring the adapter...I don't know if anyone would have any suggestions or know of any Pattaya shop that might do this and have that adapter also...Thanks for any help...

[dddave]

Hello, I had a thread about 1.5 years ago where I am trying to convert some old small VCR tapes to some kind of digital or something that I could store on a hard drive...My son who is visiting just brought me the tapes but he forgot to bring the tape adapter...These are small VCR tapes that went into a VCR camera...You then would take the small tapes out of the camera and drop it into this adapter to make the tapes the standard VCR size and would play on any VCR, but he forgot to bring the adapter...I don't know if anyone would have any suggestions or know of any Pattaya shop that might do this and have that adapter also...Thanks for any help...

That adapter is probably something you'll have to search out on E-Bay, being very careful to get the correct one. It will help to remember the brand of the video camera/camcorder used as there were a number of proprietary formats in use and different tape styles like VHS-C, Micro-VHS, ect.

[how241]

Anyone know of a shop in Pattaya that could convert these VCR/VHS tapes to a digital format ? Thanks