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How to convert your analog video tapes to digital format Do you have family videos stored on VHS, Beta or Super 8 video tapes? If so, now is the time to convert them to digital format and save then on DVDs or a computer hard drive, before they become unplayable. I T’S WELL-KNOWN that analog video tapes degrade with age, eventually becoming unwatchable. This is often due to gradual demagnetisation and/or shedding of the oxide coating, the rate of deterioration generally depending on how the tapes are stored. To ensure maximum longevity, video tapes should be stored in a cool, dry place. Even so, it’s a good idea to convert any precious video material that’s stored on tape to digital format as soon as possible. There are several advantages in doing this: (1) the quality stays the same, (2) you can easily share your home videos on-line, (3) digital media is long lasting and (4) it’s easy to make multiple copies. The digital signal from the converter is fed out to the computer via a Type B USB socket on the rear panel. 32  Silicon Chip In fact, this article was inspired by a friend who wanted to convert her ageing Video 8 (8mm) tapes to digital format. Her Sony Video 8 camera had long since failed and finding another unit in good working order to play back her tapes proved to be quite a challenge. It took several months to track one down and despite its age, it was almost like new. Video converter So just how do you convert analog video tapes to digital format so that they can be saved on a hard drive, flash drive or mobile device, or burnt to a DVD or Blu-ray disc? The answer is that it’s easy if you have a DVD recorder with a composite video input – just feed the composite video (and audio) from your VCR or Video 8 camera (or whatever) into the recorder and burn the video straight to DVD. Once that’s done, you can burn extra DVDs or copy the files to a PC or laptop. The problem is not too many people have a DVD recorder with the required composite video input. Or if they do, it’s collecting dust sitting on a shelf in the garage because it doesn’t work any more. Once again, there’s a simple answer to the problem and that’s to use a video converter such as the Kaiser Baas unit featured here. This compact unit can accept either S-video or composite video, as well as stereo analog audio. The A/D circuitry inside the unit converts the incoming analog signals to digital format and spits the resulting digital bits out to your PC or laptop via a USB socket on the back. siliconchip.com.au The Kaiser Baas Video Converter accepts either an S-video or composite video input signal, plus a stereo audio signal. If the audio is mono only, then just the left-channel audio input socket is used. Fig.1: the Magix Video Easy software lets you choose to either create a new video project or edit an existing video project that’s already been captured to disc. By Greg Swain The supplied software then lets you preview, record, edit and save the video as a computer file. The Kaiser Baas converter normally sells for around $80 but it’s not hard to find it on-line for around $35 (eg, https:// www.teds.com.au). Another unit that one of our staff members has found to work well is the Hauppauge USB-Live 2 Analog Video Digitizer. Again, look for it on-line. There are lots of other units around, some for as low as $10-15. Many of these look just like an oversized USB flash drive and plug directly into your PC. We haven’t tested any of these lower-cost units, though. What’s in the box As well as the video converter itself, the Kaiser Baas unit comes with a software CD, a set of AV cables and a USB cable. Versions of the “Magix Video Easy SE” recording/editing software are included on the CD for both the Windows and Mac operating systems and the CD also includes several PDF instruction files (not that you really need them). We found that although the software installed OK on a Windows 10 PC, it failed to detect the converter as a USB device. That problem was solved by downloading and installing the latest version from the Kaiser Baas website. Fig.2: you can choose to import files from a variety of sources. Select the Analog Sources option if importing video from a VCR or Video 8 camera. Using it Using it is straightforward. You simply connect the A/V (audio-video) outputs from the VCR or camera to the converter, connect the converter to a USB port on a PC or laptop and launch the Magix Video Easy software. As shown in Fig.1, the software gives you a choice between creating a new video project or loading an existing project (eg, for further editing). You then choose either a composite or S-video input and then the video source to bring up the window shown in Fig.3 (eg, choose Analog Sources if using a VCR or Video 8 camera). A video playback preview is then shown as soon as the play button on the VCR or camera is pressed. Similarly, the video will appear if you’ve loaded an existing project. siliconchip.com.au Fig.3: this window lets you preview the video from the connected device. Clicking the button immediately below the preview window then starts the recording process. This preview lets you adjust the starting point for the recording, before clicking the button to begin copying the recording to the computer. You can also adjust the recording quality, choose the video standard (eg, PAL or NTSC) and adjust the audio level. May 2016  33 The Kaiser Baas Video Converter is supplied with a USB cable, an A/V cable (for composite video and stereo audio) and a CD with the Magix Video Easy software and manuals. It’s best to download and install the latest Magix Video Easy software from the Kaiser Baas website, however. Family movies shot on a Video 8 camera such as this Sony Handycam should be converted to digital format before it’s too late to save them. Fig.4 shows the dialog that appears while the video is being copied. Once copying has been completed (click “End Video Transfer”), you can then edit the file. For example, you can drag the start and finish tabs at either end of the blue bar immediately below the preview window, to set the start and finish of the video (Fig.5). If necessary, you can also adjust the brightness, contrast, colour saturation and hue of the video before saving the file. You can also adjust the speed and even have the video play backwards! Other editing tabs let you add titles (or text), set font size, alignment and duration, and add audio and special effects. It’s then just a matter of clicking the green “Finish movie” button to save the file on the computer, burn it to a video disc, export it to a mobile device or upload it to the internet. The file can be saved in either the WMV or SC MPEG2 format. Fig.4: the copying process can be ended at any time by clicking on the “End Video Transfer” button. Fig.5: dragging the tabs at either end of the blue bar lets you trim the start and end of the file. 34  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au