How do I export my film to VHS tape ?

[Saumene Mehrdady]

I'd like to take a short film, that exists as a .mov file, and export it to VHS tape (I like the way it looks..). How would I do this? I have blank tapes and a VCR. Is there a way to hook up the VCR to my computer and "burn" onto it somehow, the same way I would a CD or DVD? I know this is a weird topic but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jimhare]

You will need to play the file through a video output device, such as a Black Magic DeckLink card. It is not like burning a DVD, which is a computer process, this involves literally creating a video signal and recording it on the VCR.

There are a few decisions you need to make about how to prepare the file. Make sure you are working in SD and decide whether you want to letterbox widescreen footage, leave it anamorphic, or crop to a 4:3 aspect ratio.

If you can't do this yourself you can take it to a bureau, though VHS is quickly disappearing.

There are other ways to get a VHS look that do not include going to tape. You can deinterlace, reduce resolution, drop saturation/contrast and other things.