Portta VHS to Digital Converter, Video to Digital Recorder with Remote, Compatible with VHS, VCR, DVR, DVD, Hi8, Mini DV Players, Camcorder, Gaming Consoles (Tapes/DVD Player Not Included)

If you have old VHS tapes sitting around collecting dust, I would highly recommend getting them transferred sooner rather than later. Tapes do not last forever. They deteriorate over time, they can get sticky, they can jam your machine, and worst case, they can ruin your VCR heads. The earlier you transfer them, the better chance you have of preserving those memories without issues. Originally, I thought about getting one of those basic video capture devices that connects to a computer. But honestly, this unit is so much better. The fact that you can actually see what you are recording on the screen while it is happening makes a huge difference. It gives you peace of mind that everything is working correctly and nothing is cutting out halfway through. One thing to note is that it does not have built in storage. You will need your own USB drive or TF card to save your recordings. That is not a deal breaker for me, just something to be aware of. It does have HDMI out, so you can connect it to a modern TV and preview everything easily. I also love that it supports multiple inputs. You get standard RCA connections for most VHS, Betamax, or camcorders, and it even includes S Video input for higher end players, which gives better quality. It also comes with the cables, power adapter, and even a remote, which is refreshing since a lot of products these days skip the power block. It records in 1080p, which is more than enough. VHS quality is nowhere near 1080p anyway, so you are basically capturing the maximum possible quality from the source. For anyone serious about preserving old family memories without needing a computer setup, this is a super convenient and easy solution. I am excited to start transferring a whole stack of old tapes and finally get them backed up safely.

For Years I have been looking for a way to transfer my videos that would not cost me an arm and a leg to get done. And so far, the Portta Digital Converter has done a great job at transferring. I tested one Video I converted years ago I did through a computer connection and the Portta copy came out much clearer. It looked just like had taken the video yesterday. I also like the way how it is designed and how easy it is to operate. The sound quality is also pretty good. Plus, you won't have to worry about battery life and it's not too big and comes with most of the cables you need to power it up. The Portta VHS to Digital Converter is an Excellent buy for the price. I forgot to mention it come with a remote.

This converter is exceptional. Since I received it, I have transferred 35 8mm video tapes to digital. It works perfectly. It's very easy to set up and the instructions (though not extensive) make sense. I would certainly recommend this to anyone else.

It's everything I expected. Easy to use and functions as advertised. I have used it for VHS and HI8 tapes. Money well spent.

4/5 Stars! KEY TAKE: This product works as intended and retains both visual and audio quality from the video itself. I was a well-documented child growing up, and my family kept all of the old VHS-C tapes at home. I used this to convert those old tapes into digital files and it's all very easy to use. Remember, this is just a recorder. Which means if you're in my shoes, you'll need to rewind the tapes, and play to record from start to finish. ----NOTES---- - CORDS: When you receive the package, the converter comes with several cords outside of the charger/power cord (AUX cord, AV cords). It may be a bit confusing. You don't need to use the other cords, unless your equipment calls for it. But if you're like me, I used a Panasonic camcorder to play my tapes and hooked that up to the converter. I already had an AV cable for the camera, so I plugged the other end into the converter and it worked. Yes, the audio was also included. Very simple. I ended up not using the other cords, aside from the one to power the converter. - STORAGE: Make sure you have something to save the files onto. I have a lot of USB drives and saved my recordings onto that by hooking that into the converter. Pick a drive that fits your needs. If you have A LOT, like me, get something like 128GB. Each tape I have is at least an hour to an hour half long. So each recorded file came out to around 2.5GB to 3GB. Use that as a measure, if it helps. - RECORDING: I didn't need to touch most of the settings in my case, but you know you've stopped recording when it says 'SAVING' when you stop. It does not stop automatically. - CORRUPTED FILE: I was recording a tape, and also had the recorder hooked up to my TV so I could watch on a bigger screen while recording. At one point, right as it finished and before I hit the stop button, I pulled out the HDMI to move elsewhere. This made my converter freeze up, which messed with my recording. The file exists, but it cannot be opened, so safe to say the file was corrupted. Don't pull cords out when you're recording and leave it untouched! Glitch file corruption aside (a bit of a user error), the build is plastic but decently made. Good overall, hence a 4/5.

WARNING—while I still love the product which has been working great, be forewarned that after about 2 weeks I had problems saving my videos. The device said my recording was saved, but it would not play from the USB to my computer. It said the recording was not compatible. I wrote to the tech support email. They NEVER answered. After a day or two of experimenting, I figured out that although my USB had over 200 GB of storage, much of which was still unused, the recording device would only record to a little less than 128GB. Reading the description again on Amazon, it does mention 128GB, but it isn’t clear that it is the limit of the recorder’s capacity to transfer to the USB. I have been using this item to the lower capacity since figuring this out with no issues to capture videos off my camcorder from 20 years ago, and the quality of the recordings are great! Just don’t waste your money using USB’s that are greater than 128GB. They play in my computer and my tv, and watched with no problem. The only other glitch is that once I rename my videos, I end up with 2 versions of each video, one that was so short that it didn’t even play, and the other perfect. I don’t know if it’s the converter or the USB and the fact that I renamed the videos. But whatever. I just put the unplayable videos in the trash and kept the perfect versions. BUT IF YOU EXPERIENCE ISSUES, you probably won’t get any help.

The Portta VHS to Digital Converter from the Portta Store is a great way to convert all your video and audio tapes to digital format. It's very simple to use with minimal setup. Plug in your external video or audio player and a USB stick or micro drive. Press play and record and sit back while it works. The included manual lists other features that I haven't played with in the day or so since I received it. I did have an issue with the device originally, but an email exchange with the seller solved the issue and I am very happy with the device and the seller's responsiveness. Way to go Portta Store! If you have video and/or audio tapes sitting around, this is the perfect way to convert them.

Absolutely worth every penny. It is so simple and easy to use. I was dreading it at first because I have a lot of old tapes but this has made it a lot less cumbersome. The only problem I ran into was my own fault. I used a 500GB jump drive and after about 40GB of files, they started to corrupt. Once I cleared the card out and moved them onto my computer, the files quit corrupting. Don’t let too much pile up on one card before moving them. I had to redo three hours of videos because of that but it was my own fault for not moving it sooner. The system works great and is very versatile for all kinds of old technology and the picture quality is a good as the camera you used