Do you remember VHS tapes? If you are like me you probably have some still lying around in your closet. We have tried over the years to purchase DVD versions of our favorite VHS tapes, but some are next to impossible to find. Not to mention you can’t find things that you recorded off of the TV or home movies on DVD.
I know there are online and local services where you can take your tapes and they can convert them to DVD’s for you, but that can be very costly. Especially if what you want to convert to DVD isn’t really worth that much. I have seen prices upwards of $30 and even more. If you have a dozen VHS tapes that could cost up around $360! WOW!
My husband purchased a DVD burner years ago when they first came out (and it was expensive!), however trying to figure it out makes it not even worth having. We have a satellite dish, VCR, DVD player, DVD burner, Wii, and surround sound. I am not kidding when I say I cannot even watch a movie on the VCR or DVD player because it’s too complicated. We have three different remotes depending on what we need to do. Behind the TV is nothing but a hodge podge of wires and plugs (and probably a fire hazzard…sigh…).
I found out that Honestech offers a VHS to DVD converter system. From the description it seemed so easy, like something even someone “technologically challenged” like me could do.
The package comes with everything you need including the software, a capture device, a USB cable and instructions.
The capture device is a small box no bigger then a deck of cards. I love the fact that it’s small enough to store away easily in a drawer.
I’ll admit that I wanted to wait until my husband could try it out with me. He’s the computer tech so I figured this was right up his alley. I was a bit embarrassed that is was so simple to set up, as easy as 1-2-3. Here I was thinking it was this huge complicated set up but after we did it I realized that my 9 year old could have done it.
We visited the Honestech site to make sure we had all the latest updates and drivers (my husband the techie does that for any computer related thing we purchase). After we did that he set it up to take a VHS tape of some Christmas movies we taped off the TV years and years ago that you cannot find on DVD. He set it up so that the movies transferred to my external hard drive, just to make sure we had enough room. We didn’t know how much space on the hard drive it would take but in the end it actually took a lot less then we expected which is a great thing.
I did take a while to do it but eventually we had the movies on my external. How neat is that!
The software gives you editing options too where you can play around with screen effects and create menus. A lot of great tools! We played around with the editing option a wee bit but felt we just wanted the movies “as is”.
Next we burned the movies on to a DVD disc using our computer’s burner.
The DVD looks exactly like the VHS tape. The VHS tape was jumpy in parts because it’s old and we’ve watched those movies year after year. The DVD was pretty much exactly like the VHS tape. So I would expect that if you burned a perfectly good VHS tape (one that is store bought, not from the TV) the clarity and quality would be much better.
When I told my stepmother about this she immediately wanted to borrow it from me to convert their wedding VHS tape on to DVD. I lent it to them this past weekend so I haven’t had a chance to try it out on another VHS tape. When I get it back from them I have a few more VHS tapes I would love to burn on to DVD to preserve them including some home movies.
I was very impressed with just how easy it was to do it. I feel silly now that I look back on it and how I felt I couldn’t do it without my techie husband helping me. It was as easy as could be.
I’m giving Honestech’s VHS to DVD 3.0 Deluxe converter system a two thumbs up. Whether your are a techie like my husband or a novice like me, this system was easy to set up and to use. It’s a great system to have because you can rid your closets and cabinets of bulky VHS tapes and get all your favorite movies and precious home videos preserved on DVD’s.
But wait… there is more! Honestech makes a similar converter system for audio tapes too! It’s called the Audio Recorder and it works the same way as the VHS to DVD converter. Even the capture device is small like the one the other converter. It works the same way too! You connect your tape recorder,
Walkman or “Boom Box” if you grew up in the 80’s like I did, to the capture system and to your computer. Play your music (tapes) and it captures it on to your computer where you can burn them on to a CD. And just as expected it worked perfectly fine. The only thing I didn’t care for (but it was no big deal) is that it does this all in “real time” so if you are converting a 90 minute tape it’s going to take 90 minutes. But that is fine.
I have about 50+ tapes and most of them you cannot buy on CD either. I still listen to audio tapes because I have an old car and that is the only system my car has. However I do like to listen to some of my tapes in my home and I love to listen to music while I’m working on my computer is this is PERFECT for me.
The system comes with both an easy mode and an advanced mode. I have only played around with the easy mode (the easier the better for me). They have step by step instructions so any novice can do this with ease.
Another great product from Honestech!
I do have their Claymation Studio software too. I haven’t had a chance to play around with it yet due to the crazy holiday season. So please keep an eye out for that review in the very near future.
How would you like to WIN either the VHS to DVD or the Audio Tape to CD converter systems? I will give away one VHS to DVD system to one winner and one Audio Tape to CD system to another winner.
To enter you MUST check out the Honestech website (click here), look around and come back here and comment on two things – 1. Which of the two systems you wish to win. 2. Let me know what OTHER Honestech product you would be interested in. I can check to see who has visited the sponsor’s site and who has not.
Would you like extra entries? For each that you do please leave a separate comment.
– Blog about this review/giveaway and link to both She Scribes and Honestech. Blog about this giveaway and I’ll give you TWO extra enteries.
– Subscribe to my blog. I “heart” subscribers! If you subscribe I’ll give you TWO extra entries.
– Add me as a Favorite in Technorati.
– Follow me on Twitter (She_Scribes) and please leave your Twitter name.
– Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and please leave me your Twitter name.
– Follow my blog (right side bar).
– Stumble Upon this review/giveaway and please leave your Stumble name.
This contest is open to US residents only and will end on January 17, 2009 at 11:59 PM. Winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator. Winners will have three days to reply with their name and address or a new winner will be selected.
Don’t forget to check out my other great giveaways (top right side bar). And keep an eye out for the review and giveaway for the Honestech Claymation Studio program.
I know there are online and local services where you can take your tapes and they can convert them to DVD’s for you, but that can be very costly. Especially if what you want to convert to DVD isn’t really worth that much. I have seen prices upwards of $30 and even more. If you have a dozen VHS tapes that could cost up around $360! WOW!
My husband purchased a DVD burner years ago when they first came out (and it was expensive!), however trying to figure it out makes it not even worth having. We have a satellite dish, VCR, DVD player, DVD burner, Wii, and surround sound. I am not kidding when I say I cannot even watch a movie on the VCR or DVD player because it’s too complicated. We have three different remotes depending on what we need to do. Behind the TV is nothing but a hodge podge of wires and plugs (and probably a fire hazzard…sigh…).
I found out that Honestech offers a VHS to DVD converter system. From the description it seemed so easy, like something even someone “technologically challenged” like me could do.
The package comes with everything you need including the software, a capture device, a USB cable and instructions.
The capture device is a small box no bigger then a deck of cards. I love the fact that it’s small enough to store away easily in a drawer.
I’ll admit that I wanted to wait until my husband could try it out with me. He’s the computer tech so I figured this was right up his alley. I was a bit embarrassed that is was so simple to set up, as easy as 1-2-3. Here I was thinking it was this huge complicated set up but after we did it I realized that my 9 year old could have done it.
We visited the Honestech site to make sure we had all the latest updates and drivers (my husband the techie does that for any computer related thing we purchase). After we did that he set it up to take a VHS tape of some Christmas movies we taped off the TV years and years ago that you cannot find on DVD. He set it up so that the movies transferred to my external hard drive, just to make sure we had enough room. We didn’t know how much space on the hard drive it would take but in the end it actually took a lot less then we expected which is a great thing.
I did take a while to do it but eventually we had the movies on my external. How neat is that!
The software gives you editing options too where you can play around with screen effects and create menus. A lot of great tools! We played around with the editing option a wee bit but felt we just wanted the movies “as is”.
Next we burned the movies on to a DVD disc using our computer’s burner.
The DVD looks exactly like the VHS tape. The VHS tape was jumpy in parts because it’s old and we’ve watched those movies year after year. The DVD was pretty much exactly like the VHS tape. So I would expect that if you burned a perfectly good VHS tape (one that is store bought, not from the TV) the clarity and quality would be much better.
When I told my stepmother about this she immediately wanted to borrow it from me to convert their wedding VHS tape on to DVD. I lent it to them this past weekend so I haven’t had a chance to try it out on another VHS tape. When I get it back from them I have a few more VHS tapes I would love to burn on to DVD to preserve them including some home movies.
I was very impressed with just how easy it was to do it. I feel silly now that I look back on it and how I felt I couldn’t do it without my techie husband helping me. It was as easy as could be.
I’m giving Honestech’s VHS to DVD 3.0 Deluxe converter system a two thumbs up. Whether your are a techie like my husband or a novice like me, this system was easy to set up and to use. It’s a great system to have because you can rid your closets and cabinets of bulky VHS tapes and get all your favorite movies and precious home videos preserved on DVD’s.
But wait… there is more! Honestech makes a similar converter system for audio tapes too! It’s called the Audio Recorder and it works the same way as the VHS to DVD converter. Even the capture device is small like the one the other converter. It works the same way too! You connect your tape recorder,
Walkman or “Boom Box” if you grew up in the 80’s like I did, to the capture system and to your computer. Play your music (tapes) and it captures it on to your computer where you can burn them on to a CD. And just as expected it worked perfectly fine. The only thing I didn’t care for (but it was no big deal) is that it does this all in “real time” so if you are converting a 90 minute tape it’s going to take 90 minutes. But that is fine.
I have about 50+ tapes and most of them you cannot buy on CD either. I still listen to audio tapes because I have an old car and that is the only system my car has. However I do like to listen to some of my tapes in my home and I love to listen to music while I’m working on my computer is this is PERFECT for me.
The system comes with both an easy mode and an advanced mode. I have only played around with the easy mode (the easier the better for me). They have step by step instructions so any novice can do this with ease.
Another great product from Honestech!
I do have their Claymation Studio software too. I haven’t had a chance to play around with it yet due to the crazy holiday season. So please keep an eye out for that review in the very near future.
How would you like to WIN either the VHS to DVD or the Audio Tape to CD converter systems? I will give away one VHS to DVD system to one winner and one Audio Tape to CD system to another winner.
To enter you MUST check out the Honestech website (click here), look around and come back here and comment on two things – 1. Which of the two systems you wish to win. 2. Let me know what OTHER Honestech product you would be interested in. I can check to see who has visited the sponsor’s site and who has not.
Would you like extra entries? For each that you do please leave a separate comment.
– Blog about this review/giveaway and link to both She Scribes and Honestech. Blog about this giveaway and I’ll give you TWO extra enteries.
– Subscribe to my blog. I “heart” subscribers! If you subscribe I’ll give you TWO extra entries.
– Add me as a Favorite in Technorati.
– Follow me on Twitter (She_Scribes) and please leave your Twitter name.
– Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and please leave me your Twitter name.
– Follow my blog (right side bar).
– Stumble Upon this review/giveaway and please leave your Stumble name.
This contest is open to US residents only and will end on January 17, 2009 at 11:59 PM. Winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator. Winners will have three days to reply with their name and address or a new winner will be selected.
Don’t forget to check out my other great giveaways (top right side bar). And keep an eye out for the review and giveaway for the Honestech Claymation Studio program.