How can I put VHS videos onto my computer?

How to upload VHS videos onto computer with no firewire port?

• Trying to use windows movie maker to make family slides. How can I put videos from old VHS tapes onto computer?. My computer doesn't have a firewire port, and I really don't know how to do that anyway. I have a windows vista and windows 7. What do I need to buy? I heard someone mention an external hard drive. Is there any software I need to buy? Please give me as much info as you know! Also, what do I need to do for the mini VHS tapes for camcorders?

• Answer:

  You need a frame grabber card or USB device with a composite video input. Then you hook up the VHS player A/V output to that and your audio input with RCA cables and run the capture software. Won't work if the computer's too slow/old, but should be OK with most recent ones. Windows/Mac software may come with the card. Tedious and the quality's probably not that good. Or you can pay a service to do it for you. If your VHS player does have a Firewire port, then I'm wondering if it's really VHS, as VHS is analog and Firewire is digital. Some camcorders use digital tape. In which case, get a firewire adapter and use that; the quality will be way better.