Vinyl
If you’re interested in going totally
retro, then you’ll want to look into
a USB-enabled turntable to capture
your vinyl records as MP3s. Take, for
example, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon
DC USB Turntable ($498). While you
could pick up a cheaper USB turntable,
the Pro-Ject has a magnetic cartridge
that, as any true audiophile knows, is an
absolute necessity for the life of your
records and the quality of the sound.
You can also hook up a turntable you
already own with the Digitnow USB
Audio Capture Converter (mentioned
earlier), but as with cassette tapes, that
approach will cause a loss in sound
quality. A USB turntable with a magnetic cartridge will give you the most bang
for your audio bucks. As for the software you’ll need, I keep coming back
to GarageBand, as it’s perfect for this
process as well. Just record the audio
on GarageBand, save as an MP3, and
presto! You’re making audio magic.
Motion Picture
I’ve saved the best for last; converting your old camcorder recordings and
VHS tapes to DVDs or other digital
formats. Converting video might be my
favorite archival process because, unlike
with audio, there is a one-stop shop for
converting analog video to a digital format, and it’s pretty cheap!
The Vidbox Video Converter Suite
($79.99) is both a video convertor and
an adapter. This means that you can
hook up your old camcorder to the
Vidbox to convert your video tapes. You
can also convert your VHS tapes, and
you don’t need any extra equipment
because everything comes included
with the Vidbox. The convertor can han-
dle VHS, 8mm, camcorder tapes, and
even Betamax! Remember Betamax?
Far out, dude! The convertor is already
integrated with iMovie on the Mac, so
transferring, editing, and storing the
video files is made simple. If you hung
onto all that old media, you can now
convert the contents and watch your
old favorites again with the family.
For Posterity
Once you’ve copied, sorted, and
stored all your analog media, of course
you’re going to want to show it off! You
can set up iCloud Photo Sharing to share
with friends and family. You can also
print old photos you’ve scanned either
at home or at your local print shop. You
can even upload short family videos onto
Facebook and Instagram to show off
your grandkids or relive fond memories
with distant relatives. When we archive
our home media library, we aren’t just
saving memories from the ravages of
time, we’re making it easier to share
them with the people we love. �
“We aren’t just saving memories
from the ravages of time, we’re
making it easier to share them
with the people we love.”
Tamlin Day is a feature web writer and advertising coordinator for iPhone Life. He holds degrees
in graphic design and professional writing and
has been previously published in Breathe Easy
Press.
