There are 2 things you should have on hand in case you’re trying to digitalize your VHS yourself –
- Sufficient time, and
- A VHS recorder or device.
Most of us do not own VHS players anymore. Thus, you’ll have to rent or buy one for the task. The actual conversion procedure can be time-consuming as you need to play out the VHS tapes in real time to record their footage for you. So, for instance, in case you’ve got a 4-hour videotape, you’ll need 4 hours to completely record it and covert it.
Also, you have to factor in the tape’s real recording mode – SP (standard play) LP (long play), or EP (extended play). In the case of EP or LP mode, the VHS is going to take 2 or 3 times as long to convert vs the standard 2 or 3 hours.
However, taking help from a professional service provider to convert the VHS to digital format is truly one of the best as well as most convenient options. They can manage cut-out blank footage, stabilize images, remove tracking errors, and also organize the whole movie into different chapters with useful titles.
Since editing videos can be an unmanageable practice, outsourcing it will certainly save you extra effort and time. You can even specify the format (MP4 or MOV) as well as a storage medium (USB flash drive, DVD) in which you wish to have your digitized content provided to you.
Considering every angle, hiring a professional conversion service provider for this job seems like setting aside some of your fixed budget for this project, but it is worth the money!