I recently found some unlabeled VHS tapes and I want to digitize them. I've been looking at a few all-in-one devices on Amazon that have received good reviews and seem capable of doing the job. The gadgets come with input options including Red, Yellow, and White RCA (I assume that's composite video and audio) or S-Video.
My old VCR has the following output options: Coaxial and Yellow/White RCA jacks. I'm pretty sure the coaxial option won't work with the gadgets, but I'm wondering if I can just use the Yellow and White RCA cables from the VCR to connect to the capture device. I'm feeling a bit embarrassed asking this since I used to be familiar with all this tech 25 years ago, but I've forgotten a lot. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
The Yellow cable is for video, and the White (and sometimes Red) cables are for audio. So yes, you can connect the Yellow and White RCA cables to your gadget without any issues! Just check if the gadgets come with software to help you capture the files properly. Also, make sure you have enough storage space because video files can get pretty large. Once captured, you might want to process them with software like Handbrake to minimize any interlacing issues.
Sounds like those gadgets come with a built-in screen? That's cool! You should be able to write directly to a USB or PC which makes things even easier.
Your VCR has mono audio output with the Yellow for video and White for audio, which should work just fine with the capture devices. Just make sure to select mono audio in the settings when you're capturing. Since you're using the yellow and white cables, it should be straightforward!
To clarify, the Yellow RCA is the composite video signal and the audio comes from the White and Red cables. Just be sure to double-check which cable corresponds to the left and right audio channels when you connect everything.
You might also want to check r/vhsdecode for additional tips if you're looking for some fun with your tapes!