For the newer generation, VHS (Video Home System) tapes might be unheard of. But to the middle age and elderly, most will be feeling nostalgic about them. After all, we used to watch many of our favourite dramas and movies, and even record overseas trips and parties on these old video cassette tapes. What if you still have such vintage tapes lying around somewhere, and would like to convert them into a more modern video format like the Mpeg-4?

During a lunch with some piano teachers, one of them happened to talk about a piano performance she did back then in 1992. Her parents had recorded it then on a VHS tape, and she was lamenting how impossible it is now to find a VCR (Videocasette Recorder) player to playback that old tape. She would love to see herself playing the piano 23 years ago again. And if it is not too much to ask for, she would want to convert it into digital video content to keep on her PC instead. Are you in a similar situation?

It is actually not that impossible to purchase a VCR player even today. A quick search on the Internet reveals multiple listings on eBay, Amazon, and other websites. However, the most you can do with a player is just playback. 

You will need, next, an adapter to sit in between your VCR player and PC. The output from the VCR is the RCA (Radio Corporation of America) connector. It comprises the yellow wire for composite video, and red and white wires for stereo audio. The input to the PC is the USB port. Thus, the adapter must have, on one end, the female counterparts to accept the RCA connector; and on the other end, the USB connector to plug into the PC. The video and audio signals will be processed by the adapter and sent to the PC.

Finally, you require a software that can read the signals from the USB port to consume the data and save it to a Mpeg-4 file. Golden Videos VHS to DVD Converter is a free software for such purposes.

If you do not like to obtain the adapter and software separately, and further risk incompatibility issues; there are paid bundled solutions. Since the adapter and software are both from the same company, they are guaranteed to be compatible with each other, giving you a peace of mind that they will work seamlessly. However, the VCR player still has to be purchased separately.

For those who find all of the above too technical, you can avoid all the inconveniences and hassles by entrusting the conversion to ThePiano.SG. Arrange a time with us to pick up the tapes from you at a location of your choice. For a service fee of SGD$90 per tape, we will convert your old tapes into MPEG-4 video files which can be watched from your PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Learn more about our VHS to Digital Video Conversion service.