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[alwaysfishn]

Thanks all again, you all have been very helpful. This is #3 on my list as buying a portable DVD player and a VHS to DVD converter so I can get over 20 year old VHS tapes converted before they disintegrate. Should I ask here what to buy on this thread too.

Rather than converting your VHS tapes to DVD's, you might want to look at converting them to a digital format that can be viewed on your computer. DVD's will also be obsolete in a few years as everything is being downloaded via the internet. (I believe all the new Apple Macbooks are being sold without DVD players.) The simplest way of converting the VHS files to digital, is to plug the output of your VHS player into the input of your digital Camcorder, then transfer the Camcorder file to your computer. http://www.brandinteractivism.com/2007/11/how-to-digitize.html

You could then download those files to Youtube or just play them on your computer. Rather than just storing the video files on your computer (because they do crash) you should store them on internet storage service like Google Drive.

I haven't done this with VHS files, however we have just completed scanning and downloading all our family photos into a digital format and we are using Google's Picasa as a cataloging tool. I am now looking into how to transfer our old collection of vinyl record albums into a digital format.

[Bassonator]

Old vinyl?? check out London Drugs or NCIX and grab a USB record player makes the transfer easy peasy, they run around $100. Connect to your computer and bobs your uncle.
And I wouldnt worry to much about DVDs contrary to what people say,  they will be around for a while yet.

[cutthroat22]

Thanks all again, you all have been very helpful. This is #3 on my list as buying a portable DVD player and a VHS to DVD converter so I can get over 20 year old VHS tapes converted before they disintegrate. Should I ask here what to buy on this thread too.

I betcha someone you know has a video capture card on their computer.  If not they are cheap to buy and easy to install/use (USB).

Basically it would be a matter of pressing play on the VCR and pressing record on the capture software.  Once "captured" in digital format on your computer it is easy to edit, burn to DVD, upload to youtube etc...

[Fillibert]

Yes ask away. Don't waste money on a converter you are going to use once. I would suggest getting a video card for your computer that has video in capabilities. You will be able to use it later for things like recording TV or anything really. I assume you have a VCR already.

[chris gadsden]

Old vinyl?? check out London Drugs or NCIX and grab a USB record player makes the transfer easy peasy, they run around $100. Connect to your computer and bobs your uncle.
And I wouldnt worry to much about DVDs contrary to what people say,  they will be around for a while yet.

Yes longer than me.