I don't know if there has a been a thread made on this but I'll ask anyway, just in case it hasn't.

I would like to know how to convert VHS tapes and put them onto the computer so I can edit them and burn them onto a DVD.

What kind of equipment/cables are necessary?

I've heard of S-video but am not sure how this works. Is this what I need to get?
I've also read about video converters but am not sure if that would be the right choice...

I am using a laptop, bought in 2004, with Windows XP but our VCR is from '98 or even earlier. Will I be able to convert videos using an old VCR?

I've put recordings from our video recorder into a file for sending to friends. It's worth bearing in mind though that these files tend to be pretty big. I stored and sent them in the .wmv format.

I bought an inexpensive video capture card for the purpose. The lead that comes with the camera plugs into the card and the software supplied in the package captures the video recording for saving as a file. The file can subsequently be burnt onto a CD-R or DVD using appropriate software (the choice is wide), this is providing you have a DVD burner of course .

If the camera is a fairly new one (mine isn't) a firewire connection can be used instead. Just buy a firewire card instead of a video capture one.

If you want to copy entire video E-180 video tapes, it might be worth considering getting the sort of DVD video recorder that fits under the TV. These are becoming inexpensive now. The cheapest I've seen in UK is £120-00. Unless you already have the computer video capture card and software, this option might be worth considering expense-wise. You can then record and play TV programs on it too. A DVD video recorder doesn't need any software or interface. The AV lead goes straight from the camera (or VHS video recorder) into the DVD recorder.

Your own VHS video recordings will copy to a DVD. Be aware though that purchased VHS movies may not copy to a DVD in the recorder. Something called 'Macrovision' may well kick in to prevent copyright infringement.

How do video capture cards work? Does it allow for my VCR to connect to the computer and then download the information from the video that way...? Or is it something else entirely?

We already have a DVD player and not DVD recorder so it's unlikely we'll buy one. My uncle has one and maybe when I go to his house I might be able to copy the tapes onto a rewritable DVD and edit them at home and put it back on the DVD. But since he lives over an hour's drive away I wouldn't be able to do it that often.

My best option would be converting the files from the VHS onto the computer and then burning it from there. But if the video card proves to be too complicated or not worth it then I might just use the second option. We'll see.