This is absolutely a great product - works well as intended. This product is intended to convert your old VHS into digital format. You get the option to burn the end results to a DVD or else to your hard disk - where you may later burn it if you so desire. In fact, you are not limited to VHS tapes. It will convert basically any audiovisual source to either video and sound or sound alone if your input is strictly audio i.e. cassettes, LPs, etc. For video/audio input the file it outputs is VOB which can be played by a standard DVD player or else directly on your computer from a media player - for example Real Audio Player. If you want to play the videos on your tablet or smart phone, then you need to take it one step further and convert the vob files to ones which are compatible with your player. There are countless conversion programs which can do this for you.
The program has two modes - the simple, no frills mode which anyone can do - regardless of how electronically challenged they might be. It is literally a process of putting the vhs in your player, hitting the play button on your vhs player and then hitting the record button on the program - which shows up as a preview window on your computer. The wizard guides you through the process of saying how long you want to record and what sort of input your want to record - vhs, dvd, tv, etc. That's it, the program does the rest automatically. You can watch your vhs or whatever - on the little preview screen - as the recording is taking place. A person with an IQ of 80 could probably accomplish the conversion in this mode. It is literally that simple. There is also an advanced mode which allows for all manner of editing for those so inclined. I did not use it at all.
Now comes the issue of copyright protection and will it function in those cases. The answer is yes and the reason is as follows. When the various companies made their VHS tapes, they did so with the technology available at the time. In those days, they wanted to protect their product from being copied to other blank VHS tapes and then sold by unscrupulous persons. The copy protection technologies were directed at preventing direct tape to tape dubbing. They could not envision today's DVD and electronic conversion to various the digital files we have today. That was well into the future at that time. When you hit the play button on your DVD and then hit the record button on your computer scree, the VHS "thinks" it is simply being played on any ordinary TV. It does not "know" it is being played on a computer which, in turn, is going to convert the signal into a digital file. That technology was not in existence at the time so, of course, companies could not envision it much less protect themselves from such. Now, the various copyright laws do allow you to make one backup copy for your own personal use so, basically, you are probably not violating any law if you make a digital copy of your VHS tape for yourself. You are making a backup copy which is permitted. If you turn around and sell the original on ebay, while keeping the backup for yourself, that is another matter. Same if you give away the original - say to your church's fall flea market - and keep the digital file you made for yourself. Again in this scenario, you are likely violating the copyright law. Whether the FBI is going to break into your home at 2 am and arrest you for such activity is rather unlikely (they can't even get their act straight with Hillary) but it becomes an ethical issue at that point. Person's must decide for themselves what they are comfortable doing from an ethical perspective on this count.
As for the product, itself, well, it is fantastic. It will allow you to convert virtually any audio or video input from any source into a digital file which can be burned to a DVD or stored your computer. Great if you want to watch the video on your tablet during a cross country flight to help divert your mind from the fact that you are packed in like a sardine for the next 5 hours. If whatever is playing your content - music, movie, whatever - has RCA jacks - red, white and yellow - the whole thing is a done deal. You do have an s-video option (which is sort of academic given we are talking VHS, here) but you do not have a HDMI option in terms of connecting the cables. Again, HMDI when we are talking about VHS is a non-issue. All-in-all, this is a great product and I highly recommend it. No matter how electronically challenged you are, you CAN use this product.
VHS to DVD 7.0 Deluxe
3.6 | 721 ratings
Price: 58.56
Last update: 12-24-2024
About this item
What's in the box: VIDBOX (USB video capture device), USB Cable, RCA AV Cable, Quick Start Guide, Installation Software CD
Capture old VHS, Beta, 8mm or camcorder tapes and convert them to DVD, Blu-ray or other digital formats.
Capture and edit high-definition video from HDV camcorders. Add various special features including background music, take still images of video scenes. Upload to YouTube, Facebook and SkyDrive
Record audio from your cassettes, LP records, and video tapes to create WMA files or audio CDs.
Enhance your DVD/Blu-ray Disc menu pages by adding motion and music.
Capture old VHS, Beta, 8mm or camcorder tapes and convert them to DVD, Blu-ray or other digital formats.
Capture and edit high-definition video from HDV camcorders. Add various special features including background music, take still images of video scenes. Upload to YouTube, Facebook and SkyDrive
Record audio from your cassettes, LP records, and video tapes to create WMA files or audio CDs.
Enhance your DVD/Blu-ray Disc menu pages by adding motion and music.
Top reviews from the United States
Lois E. Brenneman, MSN, FNPIt works fantastically!
DACThis is easy and it works
RTG&T