USB Video CaptureĪ USB video capture device converts a composite video (or S-video) signal to a digital file on your computer. If you do decide to purchase one of these, please make sure to get it from somewhere with a good return policy, like Amazon. I had to try a bunch before I found this one, which worked for me. One caveat before we go any further: computer video capture products are notoriously finicky. The one thing that you’ll have to buy is a USB capture device. Often, these cables come with your VCR or TV. You’ll also need some RCA cables, usually colored white, red, and yellow. I used a Windows PC, but you can get a video capture device that works on a Mac. If you prefer to do it yourself, and you still have your VCR, read on! What You’ll Need To Do It Yourselfįirst of all, you’ll need a VCR (VHS or Beta, either will work). But if you have many, it can get expensive really quick, at around $20 or more per tape. If you’re just converting one VHS tape, these are a good deal. Even Costco and Walmart offer these services now. Since I first wrote this article, many services have cropped up that will convert old media (i.e., VHS tapes) to new (i.e., digital files).
