Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:18 am
So, you have dozens of VHS tapes to watch but your newer TV set doesn’t come with the necessary AV inputs?
More and more modern TVs are doing away with RCA connections that VHS players come with.
So, if you have VHS tapes to watch you may wonder if there’s a VHS player with HDMI out there.
With HDMI you can connect your VHS player to your HDTV with a single cable and get video and sound.
It saves you the trouble of having to connect three cables and adding to the cable tangle in your living room.
So, is there a VHS player with HDMI?
Is there a VCR with HDMI output?
VHS players output analog video. As such they don’t come with HDMI output. All have RCA output and some S-Video output.
But what about modern VHS players? Don’t they come with HDMI like some DVD players?
There aren’t modern VHS players adapted to HDMI. Whatever players for sale out there are used or refurbished units. None come with HDMI output.
VHS Players with HDMI Alternative
But then there are VCR-DVD player combos with HDMI.
They will allow you to connect your player to your HDTV. An example of such a player is the Sony SLVD570H DVD-VCR Combo Player.
It comes with an HDMI out.
Does that mean you can pop in a VHS tape and play it to your HDTV with an HDMI cable?
Sadly, the answer is no. The HDMI connection is only for the DVD player. The same goes for the S-Video and component video connections.
For the VHS player, you can only use the AV or RCA connection. So, there’s no way you can use an HDMI connection with a VHS player.
That’s understandable as HDMI is only compatible with a digital video source.
So, how do you play VHS tapes through an HDMI connection?
The answer is you can’t do so directly. However, there’s a workaround.
How to Watch VHS Tapes Through HDMI
If you want to play VHS tapes through HDMI, you would have to convert them to DVD first.
You can do this via a video capture card and a computer with a DVD writer.
However, an easier route would be to use a VCR-DVD recorder combo.
An example of such a unit is the Funai Combination VCR and DVD Recorder.
It comes with HDMI out.
Within a single unit, there’s a VCR and a DVD recorder.
You can copy your VHS tapes to DVD by just pressing a few buttons.
Once your DVD is ready you can play the VHS content on your disc through HDMI on an HDTV.
This is not the easiest option for a VHS Player with HDMI, however.
Learn more about VHS DVD recorder combos.
Using an AV to HDMI Converter
If you wish to watch VHS tape through HDMI, you can opt for an AV to HDMI converter.
What this converter does, is convert your AV signal (RCA/composite) signal to digital and output it through an HDMI cable.
With this adapter, you can connect your VHS player to your HDTV or computer monitor with an HDMI cable.
This is the easiest and cheapest option for a VHS player with HDMI.
Learn more about AV to HDMI converters.
