playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

Hello, can I take my Sharp NC60H video recorder/player to Canada with us when we emigrate in April. So I can play our UK VHS tapes? The machine does have an "S-video" socket on the back and we are aware that we would have to buy a voltage converter. No doubt this question has been asked before, but I havn't been on line when it has been answered. Many thanks for any help or advice that some kind person can give us.

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

You'll need a TV that recognises the tape signal and they cost a fair bit more than ordinary TVs. Or a gadget that coverts them to a recognisable signal - sometimes unreliable results. There's also a converting VHS player but quite costly too.

A UK VCR/TV combo might be a good idea. I came with 2 VCRs and hundreds of tapes. I knew the TV would have to recognise them but I completely forgot.

If you don't have that many VHS tapes, have them converted to disc instead.

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

playing VHS videos in canada ,,,you can buy yourself a video player from
www.220-electronics.com it will play pal video cassettes and convert them to NTSC format for your canadian TV

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

Many thanks to all who have answered. Thanks guys. I'll check it all out.

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

It will easier to digitised them than to use voltage converter and pal to NTSC converters
Go hunt an OSD unit out on eBay, it,ll convert a video stream to a digital file then store it on a USB hard drive

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

Hi thank you for that,

please excuse my ignorance, but what is an OSD unit? :huh:

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

I believe Costco can convert your VHS tapes to DVD?

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

Great, :) thanks, I've just 'phoned Costco Lethbridge and they want $27.99 per 2 hours, the girl assured me that most tapes are 2 hour tapes, (that's funny, 'cos ours are 3 hour tapes :huh:) and this new service starts tomorrow, Monday 24th. WOW! As we have approx 300 tapes (3 hour ones, that is) lets do the maths, I make that $8400 + tax. and that's only for 2 hours each tape.:eek: Yeh, right. That's my pension for the year!! So that's a no-no then. Oh yes, the girl also told me the turn round time is 14 to 17 days. :thumbdown:

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

Can't you just buy one of those combined VHS/DVD recorders? My friend used to copy camcorder tapes onto DVD that way, so I presume they can copy VHS to DVD?

Of course, you'll be swapping tapes and disks for the next year if you have 300 you want to keep.

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

I have one here. It's a Magnavox (Philips). It was about $135 at Walmart. You can copy VHS to DVD. HID did many of them a few years ago.

I do not know if it will convert UK ones though.

Re: playing VHS tapes in Canada
 

Yep. That's why I suggested a TV/VCR combo. A UK one.

Of course, a lot depends what's on your tapes. You might be surprised what you can replace for less than the special equipment needed or the conversion fees and quite a lot free.

I've downloaded many old TV series such as complete Beiderbecke Trilogy, The Missing Postman, Between the Lines, Gangsters, Holding On, The lakes......

Loads of foreign movies shown on C4 and BBC are available for download or just pay a few bucks for a used or new VHS tape that IS compatible or even DVD.

I regret paying to bring all my tapes over. Even if I'd brought or bought the means to watch I don't think it would have been worth it given how much I have replaced for less than the cost of shipping them.