How to convert VHS to DVD and save space in your office

Depending on how long you have been in business you may have old training materials that are taking up too much space. Old training videos on sales systems and company processes are still worth keeping around and while some have adapted to newer formats some old school businesses will still run old media.

Running old file types such as VHS is not only inconvenient but the old training tapes can take up a lot of room. This requires you to spend money on a larger office, so using a DVD to store video is a lot more convenient than VHS tapes.

If you would like to cut down on office space, upgrade to newer technology and create multiple backups of your media then this is the article for you. Today we will be looking at the best ways on how you can convert VHS to DVD.

Convert VHS to DVD yourself

The cheapest way of converting VHS to DVD and other digital file formats is to do it yourself. To convert VHS to DVD you are going to need the following items:

• Combined VCR and DVD player.
• Blank DVD.
• VHS tape that you want to copy.

If you have a combined VCR and DVD player the method of doing it yourself is quite cheap, the only drawback is that it’s very time-consuming.

Firstly, you are going to need to insert your blank DVD and VHS tape. When both are inserted you will need to play the VHS tape and then record on the DVD player.

The movie will now play and the DVD will be recorded. Depending on the length of the film this process can take 2-3 hours to complete per VHS. If you don’t have a VCR and DVD combined player you can look on websites such as eBay or Facebook marketplace.

From here you can make further copies of your DVD to make sure your training materials are safe.

Another method of converting your old VHS tapes to DVD is to use a normal VCR player and connect it to your PC via a VCR to USB adapter. This method is a little more convenient as finding combined VCR and DVD players can be difficult as the technology is so old.

VCR to USB adapters are cheap and can be found on websites such as Amazon. All you need to do to get them to work is plug the adapter into your VCR player and the other side into your computer.

You then need to play your VHS tape and capture it on your computer. From here you can burn the file onto a DVD disk if needed. Your computer should have all the necessary software to do the above already installed so this method is once again relatively cheap.

Quickest method

If you only have to convert a few videos to DVD then you may want to use an online service as it’s much quicker and more convenient than doing it yourself.

An online service doesn’t require you to purchase any additional equipment and depending on the volume of your orders it can be a cheaper option too.

Benefits of converting your VHS to DVD and digital

We already talked about saving space earlier in the article but there are additional benefits of upgrading your videos to newer technology. Unlike analogue files, digital media doesn’t degrade every time you watch them.

Converting your files will allow you to watch your media for many years to come without having to worry about your tapes getting damaged. Converting your tapes also allows you to take them with you when working away. If you have a big sales meeting coming up, how convenient would it be to have the company’s sales training system on your laptop or mobile device.