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Scholars' Commons Digitization Equipment

Instructions for the digitization equipment in the Wells Library Scholars' Commons

How to transfer from VHS to DVD directly

Before you get started, ask the Reference Desk for the remote for the DVD/VHS player.

  • Determine whether your tape is extended play or regular play – extended play won’t fit on a standard DVD-R. You must supply your own writable materials.
  • Turn on the VCR and the Mini DV player (to watch what’s happening).
  • Make sure you’re at the point in the film that you want to start recording.

Set up recording

  1. Press ‘Setup’ on the remote. Select ‘General Settings’.

  2. Select ‘Recording’, then ‘Dubbing Mode’.

  3. Select VCR > DVD (or DVD > VCR)

  4. Press ‘Setup’ on remote. Press ‘DVD – Record Mode’ on remote.

  5. Press ‘Dubbing’ on remote.

  6. Let tape/DVD play through. The digitization will take as long as the film is long.

  7. Press ‘Stop’ when you are done, or it will stop recording if there’s no image on the screen for 3 minutes.

  8. Message will show up that says ‘Make recording compatible?’ You should say YES.

Or, before recording

  1. Press ‘Setup’ on your remote.

  2. Select ‘General Settings’, then select ‘Recording’

  3. Select OK or YES (whichever pops up) then follow directions as above.