Connect your VHS tape deck to your computer. This can be accomplished by connecting the deck either via the S-Video port or the composite video out on the deck to your video capture card. Since both video ports do not carry audio, the deck will have two audio out ports for connecting to the computer. Simply purchase an RCA audio cable that has both left/right connectors on one end and a 3.5mm male stereo connector on the other and connect it to the video capture card.
Purchase an A/V-to-USB adapter cable if you do not have a video capture card. These cables include a USB connector on one end with an S-Video connector, a composite video connector and two RCA audio connectors on the other. Because most converter cables of this type are short-tailed cables, you will want to purchase a USB extension cable.
Open your favorite video editing software. Once open, you will want to choose how you wish to stream the video. Choose an NTSC capture rate of 29.97 frames per second and a resolution that is at least the size of the original resolution. In addition, ensure you have plenty of space available on your hard drive. If you want DVD quality video, keep in mind this will take up roughly 5 gigabytes (GB) of space per hour of tape. Use your best judgment when figuring up how much space you will need. If you feel as if you will be low on space, simply convert one tape at a time.
Edit and organize the video files in your video editing software if you wish. You may create titles for each home movie, use effects to transition from one memory to the next or cut and reorder a few clips. What you do with your video files is up to you; be as creative as you wish.
Burn the video files to a DVD-R. If you think you may be making copies of the DVD, simply create an .iso file of the video files via ImgBurn to store on your computer. This will make it much easier to burn a copy of the DVD, as all you will have to do is load up ImgBurn, load the .iso you created and burn it to DVD without having to go through the entire process of capturing video and editing once more.