convert VHS tape analog/digital- pci card? software<s>? =the cheap way=

16 Dec 2004 5:08 PM

bill

looking for some low cost method of converting some old VHS tapes to
digital. I'm on XP box, 512 ram, 2.66ghz, got 100gb open space on drive
2. time it actually takes to DO it not important - it can take all
nite, for one tape, for all I care. already got the VCR's and RCA
cables, etc. (I have no interest in other capabilities: watching TV on
monitor, editing the digital output, etc). guess i should procure some
sort of oldie 'capture' pci card? the question is =which= old card
models made by who should I try to get?

I'd prefer to save the converted output as, what format? mpeg2? mpeg4?
divx? whatever's most current. I got no CLUE/please assist...I'd like
to transfer the converted output from my hard drive to CD-rom or DVD-R
(2X burner I have).

which pci vidcapture card brands and models are 'generally preferred'
as opposed to 'ones of questionable virtue' type info appreciated :-)

also some sort of 'conversion software' (or softwares?) will be
required? are there freeware alternatives?

links to sites with names like "low-buck video capture & conversion
intro for clueless newbies" also appreciated. sites like that I _can_
find are discussing "modern" cards with too many additional features,
buit-in tuners, etc etc....

thanks much :-)

19 Dec 2004 2:06 PM

Gogarty