Video camera old tapes?

What type of tapes? I'm going to guess an analog format such as 8mm, Hi8, VHS, or VHS-C.

No matter what, you need a device that can play those tapes. For 8mm and Hi8, you'd need the camcorder or a Hi8/8mm deck. Hi8 machines can play both types, and some Digital-8 machines can also play those older 8mm tapes.

To go straight to DVD, a direct copy, you can use a set-top DVD recorder. Just hook up the tape player to the inputs of the DVD recorder, hit play on the tape and record on the DVD, and you're on the way.

If you have VHS, some set-top DVD/VHS-VCR combos have a dubbing mode, where you can do the whole thing all in the same machine. Put the tape in the VHS side and a blank DVD in the DVD side, and use the dub feature. This also works if you have a VHS-C tape, because you can get a VHS-C adapter, where you put the VHS-C tape into the adapter then put the whole thing into the VCR, then use it like a full-size VHS tape.

To go via a computer to edit, you'd have to use a converter like the "Dazzle" for lower-quality USB connection, or a converter like the ones Canopus makes, which transfer the video via a FireWire connection if you have that on your computer.

If it's a different type of tape, let us know, or let us know if you have any further questions.