Show HN: VHS Camera – Run your camera or videos through a simulated VHS signal

18 points by wookashin 4 hours ago on hackernews | 13 comments

or drop a video file here

The video stays on your device: nothing is uploaded to a server.

VHS●CAM

VHS filter: shoot like it's 1994

Shoot video and photos as if on an old VHS camcorder, or give a video you already have the VHS look. Everything is processed on your device; nothing is uploaded to a server.

VHS Camera is a free VHS filter for your camera: shoot video and photos that look as if they came off an old camcorder tape, with colour bleed, tape noise and a date stamp. It runs in the browser, so there is no app to install.

How to film with the VHS filter

  1. Tap INSERT TAPE and allow the camera, or tap UPLOAD A VIDEO to use a video you already have.
  2. Choose how worn the tape looks (Clean, Dirty or Worn) and set the date stamp and sound.
  3. Switch between LIVE and PHOTO, then press the record button.
  4. Save the clip or photo, or share it straight from the preview.

VHS filter for your videos

Already have a clip? Tap UPLOAD A VIDEO on the start screen, or UPLOAD VIDEO in the camera, and pick a video from your phone or computer. It plays with the VHS effect right away, so you can try the tapes, the quality, the date stamp and the sound while you watch. Then save the whole video as an MP4 with its original sound. You don’t need a camera for this, and the video is processed on your device, never uploaded to a server. The sound gets the VHS treatment too: Tape sound, under the Sound button, adds a soft tape hiss, a slight wobble and muffled highs to uploaded videos and LIVE recordings, and one tap turns it off.

Private: nothing is uploaded

The VHS effect is calculated on your phone or computer, frame by frame. Your video and photos are never uploaded to a server.

Frequently asked questions

Is the VHS filter free?

Yes. There is no sign-up and nothing to install; it works in the browser.

Does it work on iPhone and Android?

Yes, in a current mobile browser such as Safari or Chrome with camera access. On slower phones, the settings let you trade some detail for a smoother frame rate.

Can I add the VHS effect to a video I already have?

Yes. Tap UPLOAD A VIDEO, pick an MP4, MOV or WebM file and play it with the effect. Save video then turns the whole clip into an MP4 with the VHS look and the original sound, right in your browser.

What file do I get?

Videos are saved as MP4 where the browser supports it (otherwise WebM), photos as JPG.

Why does it look like a real tape?

The effect is based on ntsc-rs, which simulates how analogue video is encoded and recorded: colour bleed, tracking noise and soft detail, not a picture laid on top.

Related free tools

A free tool by Foto Jocković. No sign-up, no account.

Cookie settings

Built by Foto Jocković

Settings

Tape

Tape quality (number of lines)

Fields (processing speed)

Noise (fast = same look, less computation)

Sound: under the Sound button, Tape sound gives your videos the hiss and wobble of a VHS tape.

-

Date stamp

Date and time

Format

Time

Position

Sound

Sound in the video

Tape sound

Strength

Tape hiss

Tape sound: soft hiss, a slight wobble, muffled highs and short dropouts, like a home video on VHS. For uploaded videos and LIVE recordings.

Save with the VHS effect

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The whole video is saved with the tape, quality, date stamp and effect you set. The Sound button keeps or drops the original sound.