Roxio's new Mac bundle converts VHS tapes to digital format
For those readers old enough to have a stack of VHS tapes collecting dust in their living room, Roxio on Tuesday launched a new hardware and software bundle for the Mac that it's billing as "the fastest way to transfer video from VHS tapes or analog camcorders to digital formats."
The $80 kit called "Easy VHS to DVD" ships with a USB video capture device that users connect to a USB 2.0 port on their Mac. It includes inputs for both S-Video and composite-video input cables (as well as red and white stereo cables), which support full-resolution DVD recording from VCRs, VCR/DVD combo players, analog camcorders, or virtually any other analog source.
"Whether it is weddings, baby's first steps, reunions, or other irreplaceable family memories, it is only a matter of time before the aging footage stored on analog video tape is lost forever," said Roxio vice president of consumer products Vito Salvaggio.
Included with the kit is Easy VHS to DVD Capture software, which steps users through the process of connecting their VCR or other analog device to their Mac before capturing video in either standard quality (4 Mbps VBR) or high-quality (8 Mbps VBR) MPEG-2 format.
Once the video has been imported on a Mac, it can then be burnt to DVD using Roxio's Toast Basic software, which is also included. Alternatively, it can be funneled to QuickTime Player or iMovie (HD, '08, or '09), where it can then be edited further and exported in a wider range of formats, including those that can be embedded in web pages or transfered to iPods and iPhones.
Easy VHS to DVD requires a Mac with a dual processor PowerPC G5 or Intel processor, 512MB RAM, 15GB free hard disk space (recommended), and Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger or higher. Although the product sells for less than similar offerings from Elgato and Blackmagic that don't offer the direct-to-DVD option, Roxio has already come under scrutiny for pricing the Mac version $20 higher than the one it sells for Windows PCs.
Outside of its widely popular Toast disc burning software, Roxio's contributions to the Mac scene have largely consisted of products that dress existing -- and sometimes free -- technology in an interface familiar to novice Mac users, then turn around and market the product at a premium. While this is again the case with Easy VHS to DVD, some users with limited time or experience may find the offering a suitable all-in-one solution, as some have with the company's Crunch product (review) that exports video for Apple TVs, iPods and iPhones.
Readers interested in a closer look at Easy VHS to DVD can watch this video that Roxio has uploaded to YouTube or check out a series of screenshots from the step-by-step software on the company's web site. It's also worth noting that Amazon is offering the bundle at discount, which brings the price down to within $7 of the Windows version.
The $80 kit called "Easy VHS to DVD" ships with a USB video capture device that users connect to a USB 2.0 port on their Mac. It includes inputs for both S-Video and composite-video input cables (as well as red and white stereo cables), which support full-resolution DVD recording from VCRs, VCR/DVD combo players, analog camcorders, or virtually any other analog source.
"Whether it is weddings, baby's first steps, reunions, or other irreplaceable family memories, it is only a matter of time before the aging footage stored on analog video tape is lost forever," said Roxio vice president of consumer products Vito Salvaggio.
Included with the kit is Easy VHS to DVD Capture software, which steps users through the process of connecting their VCR or other analog device to their Mac before capturing video in either standard quality (4 Mbps VBR) or high-quality (8 Mbps VBR) MPEG-2 format.
Once the video has been imported on a Mac, it can then be burnt to DVD using Roxio's Toast Basic software, which is also included. Alternatively, it can be funneled to QuickTime Player or iMovie (HD, '08, or '09), where it can then be edited further and exported in a wider range of formats, including those that can be embedded in web pages or transfered to iPods and iPhones.
Easy VHS to DVD requires a Mac with a dual processor PowerPC G5 or Intel processor, 512MB RAM, 15GB free hard disk space (recommended), and Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger or higher. Although the product sells for less than similar offerings from Elgato and Blackmagic that don't offer the direct-to-DVD option, Roxio has already come under scrutiny for pricing the Mac version $20 higher than the one it sells for Windows PCs.
Outside of its widely popular Toast disc burning software, Roxio's contributions to the Mac scene have largely consisted of products that dress existing -- and sometimes free -- technology in an interface familiar to novice Mac users, then turn around and market the product at a premium. While this is again the case with Easy VHS to DVD, some users with limited time or experience may find the offering a suitable all-in-one solution, as some have with the company's Crunch product (review) that exports video for Apple TVs, iPods and iPhones.
Readers interested in a closer look at Easy VHS to DVD can watch this video that Roxio has uploaded to YouTube or check out a series of screenshots from the step-by-step software on the company's web site. It's also worth noting that Amazon is offering the bundle at discount, which brings the price down to within $7 of the Windows version.
Comments
I went round this tree with Pinnacle's Hardware/Software Package.( Similar product ). To put it mildly it was a miserable failure. Despite reviews it worked sorta and sorta did not work. So this time I will claim residence of the great state of Missouri.
I've been thinking of getting one, but it costs a bit more than I prefer to spend on somehing with only two reviews (on Amazon, haven't found any elsewhere yet). I'm not interested in saving the video to DVD so the H.264, which the Blackmagic device outputs to, might be worth the cost difference over MPEG2 (which the roxio device outputs to). Also, I think the Blackmagic device does the video encoding on the device instead of on your computer (though I'm not positive), which would be great.
Anyway, does anyone here have or have used one?
Oops, that was meant t be a response to lkrupp above.
This brings up an interesting question which might pull this thread slightly off track but what is the state of receivers that are digital broadcast TV capable? With the analog broadcast soon to go dark I was thinking of springing for a dongle to do this on MY MBP. A PC Card might be an alternative.
Dave
That would be very cool and come in very handy for me. I would imagine so since it has complete analog to digital in component audio and video inputs.
And also, how does the transfer quality look (asked rhetorically, because no one has one of these yet to compare)? I second the recommendation for the Canopus, especially for its ease-of-use with iMovie.
Having said all that, it's good to have competition, although I suspect Mac users will buy the cheaper Windows version and simply torrent the software. Way to go, Roxio.
For those readers old enough to have a stack of VHS tapes collecting dust in their living room,
What the hell, I'm not even 26!!!
Roxio's contributions to the Mac scene have largely consisted of products that dress existing -- and sometimes free -- technology in an interface familiar to novice Mac users, then turn around and market the product at a premium.
Any examples??
I do this with my ElGato EyeTV Hybrid. (Which costs a bit more, since it's also an HDTV tuner, but is a great package.)
I think EyeTV software has had the ability to convert VHS to digital format for YEARS now.
Yeah, just connect the cables and select Composite Input or S-Video Input
I really dislike products that put their connectors on the ends of short cords like this. Give me a small box with built-in connectors and a USB port on the other side. What a mess.
And also, how does the transfer quality look (asked rhetorically, because no one has one of these yet to compare)? I second the recommendation for the Canopus, especially for its ease-of-use with iMovie.
Having said all that, it's good to have competition, although I suspect Mac users will buy the cheaper Windows version and simply torrent the software. Way to go, Roxio.
Boys are learning from Apple. Premium market, premium margins
I can understand removing ports to highlight the one your device uses, but the rest of it seems excessive. Anybody on the forum work in marketing or ads? Is this an extreme example of erasing details, hoping to reduce distractions from your product, or is it pretty middle-of-the-road?
Do they circumvent it? Otherwise you'd be very disappointed to discover that none of your VHS movies can be copied over.