HowToDoThings.com Home Theater & Audio

How To Convert VHS to DVD

Staff468 — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:04:00 -0600

There's more than one reason to convert your old VHS tapes to DVD. VHS tapes and VCRs are fast becoming an obsolete technology-many may argue that they already are. If there's any footage that you want to preserve that's currently in a VHS format, now's the time. VCRs are still available, as are services and machines that will help you convert your VHS tapes to DVD. If you continue to wait, you'll see fewer and fewer opportunities to make this change and save your VHS footage.

Another concern is damage. Even if your VCR doesn't eat your VHS tape, the film in it will slowly degrade over time-whether you play it often or you don't. VHS tapes can start falling apart in as little as 3 years, whereas DVDs can last anywhere form 20 to (some say) even 250 years. Whether it's your favorite blockbuster movie or a sentimental home video, you should make the switch from VHS to DVD sooner rather than later.

How To Remove Scratches From a DVD

Harry255 — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:22:00 -0500

So you are watching your favorite movie on DVD and all of a sudden it starts to stutter and skip or just plain stop dead. You eject the DVD and see that it has some good-sized scratches on the surface. You are worried this is the end of your favorite DVD, but have no fear -- there are some ways to get this bad boy fixed.

How To Transfer DVR Recordings to DVD

Staff468 — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:57:00 -0600

With all the advancements in technology today you'd think it would be simple to create a DVD of a show or program that you recorded on your DVR. Although it can be done, it's not necessarily as straightforward as you might think. It takes a little extra time setting up your home video system and, usually, an additional investment in some extra hardware as well.

Connect your DVD recorder to your TiVo or DVR. If you have a DVD recorder (or burner), you can hook it up directly to your DVR and create DVDs of your recorded shows and movies. You can connect your DVR, DVD recorder and TV together using RCA composite cables (the red, yellow and white cable), S-Video cables or the traditional coaxial cable. Coaxial cables produce the lowest quality picture, so opt for RCA cables or an RCA/S-Video cable combination if possible. Whichever cables you are using, the setup will be similar:

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