Backing up VHS to DVD-need advice

[nesman]

OK, so I was going through random stuff around my house the other day, and I stumbled on a lot of old (10+ years) VHS tapes. These tapes are starting to age, so my parents want to save them to DVD before they get too old. I want to back them up to my Mac and use iMovie to edit them around. Are there any good composite to FireWire adaptors? I'll use my VCR to hook it up to the composite. Also, will iMovie recognize the VCR plugged into the composite?

[Z]

you'll nead a graphics card with a compsite input. then, you'll need a program that can specifically recieve signals form a composite connection. if you got those two, you can turn your PC into a digital recorder or TV tuner. of course, you'll be able to record anything on it whether it is TV or a camcorder, taperecorder (for audio), etc.

I have these two things, but setting them up is tricky. I almost did it onece, and I was not encouraged to do it again.

[Eidorian]

1. Canopus ADVC 110
2. An external DVD recorder and some free time.

It's going to be realtime so there's no real benefit of editing it in iMovie/iDVD unless you want to add menus and effects.

[nesman]

I was thinking of using iMovie to record the source and then use iDVD to burn it to DVD and add menus, etc. The Canopus looks great but a bit steep. And Z I have an iMac, and my graphics card has no input. I've never done this before so all advice is appreciated, thanks for your help guys

EDIT: I've seen some models by Plextor which look good around $99 and customer reviews are pretty good. But their requirements don't state whether it's Mac compatible or not. I don't need the bundled software cuz I'm pretty sure iMovie could record it.

[Eidorian]

I was thinking of using iMovie to record the source and then use iDVD to burn it to DVD and add menus, etc. The Canopus looks great but a bit steep. And Z I have an iMac, and my graphics card has no input. I've never done this before so all advice is appreciated, thanks for your help guys

EDIT: I've seen some models by Plextor which look good around $99 and customer reviews are pretty good. But their requirements don't state whether it's Mac compatible or not. I don't need the bundled software cuz I'm pretty sure iMovie could record it.http://www.plextor.com/english/products/TV402UMac.htm

[nesman]

Yea, thats the model I was looking at. But wouldn't the Windows compatible box do the same thing? If its doing real time converting then why should it need a separate Mac version? Sorry for all the questions, but the Mac one costs $200. Maybe I'll just borrow my cousin's DV camera and go through that route.

[Eidorian]

I'd go with the cheapest Canopus ADVC or that camcorder plan.

[Boggy700]

If you have a camcorder, what you might be able to do is hook it up to the TV to record what the VCR is playing.
Record the VHS, then capture it to your computer through firewire.
It's a bit of a round about way, and you'd need the right connections, and I'm not sure it would even work.

Capture cards are the way it's supposed done.
Although other ways may work too.