# Converting videotapes to DVDs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-videotapes-to-dvds/600476>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 22, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-videotapes-to-dvds/600476 "2011-10-22T22:09:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-videotapes-to-dvds/600476/21 "2011-10-24T14:15:36Z")

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> [@gaffa](#):
>
> The Supreme Court’s “Betamax decision” legalized time shifting, but not format shifting. If you’re really worried, buy the DVD. Personally, I only transfer things that I cannot buy.

True, but the number of devices sold that specifically required format shifting leads me to believe that most companies don’t care so much.

That said, why would you want to watch a crappy VHS of something you can get the exact same version on DVD? VHS on HDTV? Yuck.

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**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-videotapes-to-dvds/600476/22 "2011-10-24T14:22:02Z")

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> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> I hadn’t even considered that possibility. I guess I was thinking that the combos players played either format and discounted the recording capability. Something to check into.

Be sure to check for combos that are capable of burning DVDs; lots of them aren’t.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-videotapes-to-dvds/600476/23 "2011-10-24T17:43:28Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> That said, why would you want to watch a crappy VHS of something you can get the exact same version on DVD? VHS on HDTV? Yuck.

I could make a pretty extensive list of movies I have on VHS that have never been released on DVD. And that’s not even counting the ones I’ve taped off TV broadcasts that were never released on VHS or DVD.

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**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-videotapes-to-dvds/600476/24 "2011-10-25T16:04:33Z")

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I used Amazon to get a VHS to DVD converter thingy made by Honest Technology. It is called “VHS to DVD 5.0” and it has a little box that takes input from the VHS and uses a USB connector to the computer. It comes with software that allows some editing of the videos, but it is pretty limited. I had old copies of the Boston Marathon that I converted. [Here is the 1988 highlights.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otleVsck-Co) Ignore the copyright issues.

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