I've currently acquired an interesting Japanese tape that a friend and I would like to see, but are having trouble with. We've initially tried simply playing it on a regular taperecorder, but with the difference in zones between Japan and here (Netherlands), this was impossible.

Then my friend came up with the idea to play it on the computer by hooking the VCR up to the pc like any other hardware. However, it's proving harder than expected, since we're dealing with an analogue device and a pc that's primarily focused on digital data.

Now my question is this:
What are the steps that need to be taken in order for us to succesfully hook up the device and be able to see the video on our monitor like any other media file? I'm not sure what my friend's computer's specifications are, but if you could tell us what we at least need in order to play the video, I could then check with him to see if he has all the necessary hardware and software.

So what programs/cables/drivers etc. do I need exactly? I'm sure some of you have some experience with transferring VHS tapes to the pc and we could really use your help.

Thanks in advance,

J.