VCR 2 PC Preserves Your Memories

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ionaudio.com/vcr2pc' target='_blank'>http://www.ionaudio.com/vcr2pc</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"VCR 2 PC is a VHS tape player, just like a VCR, and it features a simple, easy USB connection so you can connect your computer and take your videos wherever you want them. Because it uses standard, plug-and-play USB, you only need the single, included cable to send both audio and video straight into your computer. And the included EZ VHS Converter software was designed specifically to make it easy to enjoy your videos on DVD, iPod, PSP, or computer. You can even watch videos on your compatible mobile phones!"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1227316629.usr20447.jpg" /></p><p>Even with DVDs on their way out, many people still have large archives of old VCR tapes.&nbsp; ION Audio's VCR 2 PC seems targeted to these people who want to digitally store their memories.&nbsp; There are several devices that record direct from VHS to DVD, but this transfers directly to your computer through a USB cable, much like a capture card.&nbsp; The only real benefit I can see paying $200 for a VCR 2 PC over more traditional video capture is the automation it offers.&nbsp; If you want to do a lot of unattended conversions that might be worth it, but it only works for VHS tapes.&nbsp; If your tapes are of the 8mm persuasion, you lose that automation since it just acts like a regular capture card at that point.&nbsp; Does anyone still have years of old tapes they haven't converted yet?&nbsp; Would this one-click solution be enough to get you convert all those tapes?</p>

[Damion Chaplin]

Well, I would have bought one of these about 3 years ago (right, Jason? ;)), but at this point I have no more video tapes to transfer over.

My last hold-out was my copy of Alan Smithee's Dune, which I had on videotapes that I bought from Canada that were recordings of a Japanese laserdisc. I could never get them to encode just right. Then last year they finally released it on DVD.

The only other thing I can think of using this for would be as an external 'VHS drive' for an HTPC. But a regular $40 VCR from your local drug store would do the same thing with the proper cables (also available at your local drug store).

[Jason Dunn]

I think for some people, this could be a great solution - but at $200, it's a pricey one, and as Damion said, it's kind of late in the game. If this had been put out 2-3 years ago, and it was $99, they'd have had something really interesting. But now...? I'm not so sure.

[Timothy Huber]

I agree it's kind of late to the market. And frankly, unless I had a large number of tapes to transfer, I'm not sure how useful this would be long term.

Timothy

[Chris Gohlke]

If you've already got a VCR anyway, which I assume you would if you have a bunch of tapes, by a cheapo settop DVD recorder and hook them together and you have a much cheaper solution.