Transferring my vhs movies to DVD

[wwwjim]

I was wondering if anyone else had transferred their vhs movies to DVD?

Being the Disney nut that I am, I have all of my Disney movies in chronological order in my entertainment center. I got tired of Cinderella, Bambi, Johnny Tremain, That Darn Cat, and the Sign of Zorro sticking out like sore thumbs. So, I transferred them over to DVD.

I'll still get the real DVDs when they are released, but for now this is a good enough substitute for me.

I didn't bother making menus or any of that jazz -- I just like the convenience of having them on DVD, plus it looks a lot better on the shelf. (I did get blank DVD cases and scan/edit the cover art down to size)

I'd like to hear if anyone has done something similar. What is the legality of doing this? Since I already own the movies on VHS, and they are solely for my own family's viewing pleasure, it doesn't make sense to me that it would be illegal. With the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (or whatever it's called) who knows though...

[tmc2k1]

my parents have a lot of disney movies like
beauty and the beast(i got dvd)
snow white(will have dvd when it comes in a few days)
lion king(i got dvd)
toy story(i got toy box and 2 pack)
101 dalmations(will get platinum when it comes in like 5 years )
bambi(will get platinum in march 05)
aladdin(will get platinum in october)
fox and the hound(got on dvd)
hercules(dont really want)
hunchback(0% interest)
pocohontas(will get the one that comes out soon in 2 disc)

So i got all their disney vhs movies on dvd besides the ones that havent come out yet and the ones i dont want like hunchback

[toonaspie]

Man, i hope I can get a DVD burner soon. I have a Korean and American VHS versions of the Lion King and putting them on one DVD would be so sweet!!!!!

Besides, this is the good original version from 1994 and the messed up one they redid for IMAX

[AwallaceUNC]

I have the capability of doing this, but it doesn't interest me much. Nothing would really change, it would just be like VHS on round disc... and I'd have to make my own disc/case art. I have a VCR too, so I just prefer to leave it as is until they release the DVD.

-Aaron

[MickeyMousePal]

I want to get all my Disney Animated Classic to DVD asap!

So the quality could look better.

[wizzer]

i transfered all the laserdiscs that i had that weren't out on dvd yet to dvd before i got rid of them all. i was just giving my 'fire in the sky' LD to dvd transfer a watch since the real dvd is coming soon. it looks pretty good but i'm sure paramount will do a fantasic job remastering a new dvd. i did all those with a set top dvd recorder. i also have a burner on my computer. no way i'll pay 50-75 bucks for limited edition dvds. i rented them and magicly had my own copy when i returned them. i'm sure i'll rebuy platinums when they come out. i double diped on alice in wonderland. and even though i have a watchable LD to dvd transfer of aladdin, i'll definately get the platinum when it comes out. it'll probably be on sale at best buy for 14.99-excellent deal. barebones lady and the tramp 75$ on ebay??? no way. but i can't wait for a 2 disc platinum for 14.99

[STASHONE]

If you run a quick Google search, you'll find there are companies that offer professional studio quality Video-DVD replication services complete with the options of animated menus screens, multiple scene selections and chapter menus at choice intervals throughout the film, laser printed labels and high quality cover art, etc. I'm planning to eventually do this with some home videos and family tapes that I'd like to organize as well as a few obscure animated titles that I doubt will ever see future release on any home video formats. Some of these companies are way too pricey and only offer bulk order placements but I've run accross a few that seemed to be reasonably priced given the work involved.

[Disney Guru]

It is all well and good to do transfers I have done that quite a bit!

I transferred my Gnome Mobile to DVD in 2001 because I thought it would never be on DVD!

But in the long run just wait for them to come out on dVD eventually all of the Disney Movies will be put out on DVD!

[Ballzo]

The only vhs to dvd I burn is home movies of my family and what not. I cant bring myself to copy movies I have on VHS because of the lack of quality in picture and in sound. Converting analong to Digital is never better in that sense. I can wait for Disney to release them on dvd.

[AwallaceUNC]

The only reasons I can see for doing it is (a)even if the quality is bad, it won't continue to degrade once it is on DVD, which it would with VHS (b)If you really want to get rid of your VHS collection and/or VCR.

Other than that, it offers no benefit and can be expensive (buying DVD-R and cases and disc labels and ink to print those, etc...)

-Aaron

[wwwjim]

The only reasons I can see for doing it is (a)even if the quality is bad, it won't continue to degrade once it is on DVD, which it would with VHS

That is a consideration for me -- the vhs tapes I have are from the late 80s or early 90s -- which pushes the limit of shelf life for magnetic media. My first IT job was in a data tape library for a large corporation -- we were required to rotate tapes out of circulation after 5 years because of physical reliability of the tape.

Now I know a VHS tape that doesn't get constantly used will last a lot longer than that, but I can already see that the quality has degraded on my tapes. I'd rather do something about it now.

I will still definitely buy the DVD versions when they come out, but until then I don't have to worry about the tape a) breaking b) degrading in quality or c) getting stuck in my vcr. It's the same reason I am copying all of the home movies I have to DVD.

As to the expense, the DVD-R is in the $1.50 range, the case is a little less than $1, the labels are $0.25, and the ink is probably less than $0.25 (I am guessing on the last figure). So for $3 I get a DVD version of the movie -- I am only transferring the Disney tapes in my collection that don't have release dates set for DVD (Bambi, Cinderella, Sign of Zorro, Johnny Tremain, and That Darn Cat).

So it boils down to $15 to have my Disney collection fully on DVD (minus Alladin, but I only have a few months to wait for that one).

[AwallaceUNC]

Yeah, but you have to buy all those things in bulk... so you'll probably pay $6 for a set of DVD-R, $5 for a set of cases, $12 for a package of labels and $15-30 for a color ink cartridge... $40-ish for the 5 DVDs you want to burn. That's how it is where I am, anyways, which isn't a mecca of electronic retail . But if it's worth it for the preservation aspect, then it's worth it and I say go for it. I'm just saying that even the $15 you would spend using your numbers isn't worth it, imo, unless it is for one of those 2 reasons I stated.

-Aaron

[Disney Guru]

Well that is all well and good but with me I own almost every single one of the old Disneys in the old Puffy White Clamshells and if I wanted to convert all of them that don't have a release date! We would be talking about tons of money because a lot of them don't even have set DVD Releasse Dates like Waltz King, Almost Angels, Charley And The Angels! So it just depends on how much money you are willing to spend!

[wizzer]

Yeah, but you have to buy all those things in bulk... so you'll probably pay $6 for a set of DVD-R, $5 for a set of cases, $12 for a package of labels and $15-30 for a color ink cartridge... $40-ish for the 5 DVDs you want to burn. That's how it is where I am, anyways, which isn't a mecca of electronic retail . But if it's worth it for the preservation aspect, then it's worth it and I say go for it. I'm just saying that even the $15 you would spend using your numbers isn't worth it, imo, unless it is for one of those 2 reasons I stated.

-Aaron

i pay 1 dollar for each dvd+r--- there is always a sale at best buy where you can get 50 for 50 and the like- and then i write the title of the movie in black sharpie on the face of the disc and store it in a big book that holds about 200 dvds. i have made a couple covers for my dvdr's but as you mentioned ink and dvd cases add up.

[Disney Guru]

It is a good thing to do if you want to but it is a very expensive thing when you go all the way with color inserts making menus on the DVD'S Chapter Inserts, DVD Covers. DVD Artworks to put on the DVD! And the Color Ink Jet Ink now that is pricey! All and all it is really expensive to do I should now i did one and I will never do it again!

[Rob B 922]

I have alot of OOP or never on dvd movies, that I have made into dvd's.
Yea, the quality is the same, but it won't get any worse.

Blank dvd's are getting really cheap, I never buy blank anything from brick and morter, I shop at theis site http://www.allmediaoutlet.com/allmedia/index.jsp
Very cheap.

To save money on dvd cases, goto your local blockbuster on tuesday evening, THEY THROW OUT MOST OF THE CASES FOR THE NEW RELEASES, just ask for them.

Rob B.

[AwallaceUNC]

Good tip- I've picked up quite a few freebies from BB on Tuesday night (they are very helpful with this), but DVD cases aren't one I've thought of yet.

-Aaron