It just so happens I still have my Sharp VR-C2CA VHS-C adapter which I used to digitize my early VHS-C memories. This is a deluxe battery-operated (single AA) motorized unit. When no cassette is loaded, a red triangular tab protrudes from the side to prevent insertion into a VCR. Step 1 is to slide the bottom switch to allow the front door to open. The cassette is slid into the opening, which also releases the flap of the VHS-C cassette. For the motorized adapter, simply placing the VHS-C tape into the adapter and closing the lid will start the auto process for stretching the tape. VHS-C to digital conversion service offers quality conversion with their high-end equipment and you can rest assured you’ll get your converted video in your preferred digital video format. References Just like the regular VHS cassette, there is a metal spring at the top which pushes down on both reels. I was very fortunate to get hold of the manual adapter and I thought it would make a good comparison to show people what is/was available online.

This would save the money of sourcing for almost-obsolete equipment and setting them only to store them away after the conversion.Transferring your VHS-C tapes to MP4 doesn’t have to be complicated and it really boils down to how you want to spend the time converting the tapes yourself. It’s a little heavier than the average VHS cassette, but it’s also a little more hollow as most of the inside is empty space so that the moveable rollers can pull the tape from the VHS-C shell to the full VHS size.

The ezcap 116 and this ezcap 1568 use the same software to capture to MP4, making this easier for you to convert. If you’re using the video capture software that came with your video capture device, follow the instructions in the manual. To maintain rigidity, the base plate is made out of metal. We can see the supply reel uses the original reel, but the take-up reel is connected via gearing to a plastic hub mounted inside the converter itself. Due to how VHS VCRs record and read audio, they are not equipped to read the AFM ( Audio Frequency Modulation - similar to audio for FM radio) audio recorded on an 8mm or Hi8 tape.If you are trying to make your transfers as cheap as possible you will still need to spend some money on the capture card. This is the standout advantage of having a VHS-C tape compared to an 8mm tape which you want to convert to digital. The capture button is in the lower left area below the preview window. Before you do begin to capture anything, it will be worth your time to change the settings for the footage.

The second option is through computer video capture as explained above. After capturing video and storing it as a digital file on your computer, you may proceed to burn it is as a DVD. The video above shows what can happen when trying to repair just the adapter. Spoiler – he gives up. Along the gear-side, a plastic dimple is used to release the flap latch mechanism, so it can be opened normally. Note that the lid doesn’t cover the tape completely, with the tape exposed to the air on both sides. That being said, if you have an editor already it may recognize the capture card (once plugged in) and let you capture directly to the editor.Conversion speed. As VHS cassettes are analog media, you need to watch an entire video to convert it. Besides, a computer should process the resulted video files afterward, especially if you burn them to DVD. The conversion speed depends on the software you use. Finally, we have a piece of springy metal at the edge of the shell, which holds the lid-flap in the closed position until the side dimple is depressed. That’s all there is to it. The VHS-C Adapter Video resolution can be scaled up to 1920×1080 and the video Bit Rate increased to 25mbps (that’s a large file in layman’s terms) The VHS-C cassette will usually slide into place straight down without issues. That being said ( always a catch) some tapes may need a gentle nudge or wiggle to make them slip into place. MiniDV– The amateur consumer base tape was the smallest of the digital video variants. It would record up to 60 minutes and up to 90 minutes in LP. You can still buy these cameras second hand, but most phones now shoot video at much higher quality than even this digital camera.

The tape-side has a thin flap, not quite the depth of the cassette, covering the tape as a form of protection. It’s not particularly robust, and can be flipped open accidentally even against its “latch”. Inside, the flap appears to be patterned to prevent scratching the tape. There’s a leader tape on this too. This particular cassette was housed inside a jewel case style plastic hinged case similar to an audio cassetteThe two hubs are visible, with different inner diameters. The supply reel has a larger inner diameter as it needs to be VHS compatible, whereas the take-up reel has to have a smaller reel so that it can take-up all the tape with sufficient margin around the edge so that the gear drive mechanism doesn’t damage the tape. Both reels use clips to secure the tape – rather curiously, the leader tape on the take-up reel has a fairly long “tail”. Just thought I’d mention, both the ezcap 116 and ezcap 1568 never had issues when I used with Windows 7,8.1 or 10. For this, you must have a DVD+/-RW drive or a DVD writer on your computer. VHS-C to Digital Service A look at the underside shows the normal arrangement – namely, the supply reel has a hub identical to regular VHS, whereas the take-up reel is driven by a geared wheel. You will notice the driver is shown as ezcap Video Grabber. Both recommended capture devices I spoke of (the ezcap116 and ezcap1568) use the same driver. Exporting Your Footage to MP4