Using VHS videos after the Switchover

[Want-to-know]

We have an older tv. We also have a combination VHS recorder/DVD Player. At present, we use a box for watching Freeview digital tv programmes.

I would like to know after the switchover what we can do about watching our VHS videos � both the programmes we recorded from tv and the films/concerts videos we bought. Note: we do not have VHS movies to convert.

I understand you can convert VHS video tapes to your computer and then from there, turn them into DVDs. However, we do not think our 7 year old computer will be able to do this. It has Windows XP. It contains AMD Athlon � XP 2000, 1.67 GHz, 1.00 GB of RAM. I have a DVD drive � cd type and a DVD-RAM drive � cd type.

Can anybody give advice how we can do this. (Please speak in layman's terms, as I am a computer and digital dummy.)

With thanks.

[hc4361]

You need do nothing unless your VHS player breaks. It will still play your tapes after the switchover.
You will eventually buy a dvd recorder, either one that records directly to hard drive or one that records to dvd disks. Connecting your new dvd recorder and the vcr to the television is by far the easiest way of copying your tapes to dvd.
This dvd recorder has its own digital tuner so it will be no problem recording the freeview channels.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-DVD-SR275M-XEU -Recorder-Tuner/dp/B0016MSNZA/ref=sr_1_15?ie=U TF8&s=electronics&qid=1249834237&sr=8-15
Alternatively you may prefer a dual dvd recorder / vcr. You can copy your tapes and record on to disk with one unit, and it has freeview built in.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-DVR18-Recorder -Combi-Freeview/dp/B0012YZF8U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UT F8&s=electronics&qid=1249834369&sr=1-1
This is the most expensive, but most flexible option. It has freeview, an internal hard drive, a dvd recorder and vcr.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-RDXV59DTKB-Fre eview-250GB-Recorder/dp/B002EEP3HK/ref=sr_1_4? ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249834369&sr=1-4
You may not be able to copy some of your commercially bought tapes because of copyright protection, but they will play in all of these units.

[Want-to-know]

Thank you HC for a very comprehensive answer. Now all I have to think about is all our radios/radio alarm clocks when radio goes digital!

[ACtheTROLL]

if you have a combined unit - is it just a dvd player (I don't ever remember seing one that didn't record as well)

[VHG]

Radio wont go digital for ages yet.

[denis567]

VHG is right.
According to the 2009 edition of Radio Listeners Guide, the Digital Radio Working Group, established in 2007 by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with the purpose of working out a timetable for the change from analogue radio to digital, originally gave a target date of 2020.
However, they recommended that the digital switchover should not start until 50% of radio listening devices were digital, so even the 2020 completion date seems optimistic

[Want-to-know]

Thank you all for your help.