Converting home video tape to digital?

Question

Possible Duplicate:
What do I need to be able to convert analog video (VHS, or an old camcorder) on a Mac?

My mother has some old home movies recorded on video tape that she'd like to convert to a digital format. The movies were stored on VHS tapes that have taken on mold and are unable to play -- but she still has the master copies as well as the camera itself. Assuming the master tapes are still good, and the camera can hook into a TV or monitor to replay the tapes there, is there a hardware component I could purchase that could transfer them to some digital format? Either a direct-to-DVD box (a-la recording to a VCR), or a hookup for my computer would be my two best guesses. From her description of the camera, it uses a standard RCA connector.

Answer 1

Take a look at this - What do I need to be able to convert analog video (VHS, or an old camcorder) on a Mac?

The El Gato solution works for both PC and mac - basically a usb dongle that you plug your analog video source into, and it digitizes it for you.

Answer 2

Play the master tape in a VHS Player and use a USB Video Capture (VHS to DVD) cable for input into your computer. Now you only have to save the incoming signal to a file and you are done. You can get such a cable easily at a shop or at the internet.