Video to DVD
When transferring your movies, the advantages of DVDs outweigh those of VHS tapes. Video tapes can degrade over time and the tape casings are prone to damage also as well make the tape useless. Storage is easier with DVDs since they take up less space than videos. In addition the definition of the film and sound is higher on DVDs.
So how does one convert video tapes to DVDs to salvage them for the future? There are many options. For starters, you could use a VHS to DVD converting company that will do the transfer for you. We are one of those companies.
But if you are computer savvy you can do it yourself, and even though we are in the converting website , we also like to help out where we can and share the info we know, so you know.
The computer savvy will most likely use their laptop to transfer their vids to DVD. It requires copying the video to a digital file on the laptop using an analog converter. The file gets reduced to MPEG-2 format before being burned onto a DVD. This task takes some time, but it allows you to make adjustments to the movies , like special effects or songs , before you burn it . Depending on the burning software that you use, you possibly could add a menu or other special features. The process can be tedious because you have to transfer the file twice: first from the video to the computer and then again from the computer to the DVD.
To spare some time and effort, you can duplicate the tapes to a DVD without the use of a comp. There are two options to do this:
The first involves getting a DVD recorder that allows input from another source. Just attach your VCR player by cables to the DVD recorder and while the video plays, it records.
The second option is to purchase a combination DVD/VCR recorder. It does the same thing as the previous option without needing to connect any cables.
If you do the conversion yourself, make sure that you have cleaned the heads of the VHS tapes between duplicating movies. Your old tapes could carry a lot of dust or other particles that could block up the VCR. And because you are duplicating directly from the family videos to the DVD, any picture quality issues you have with the video will show up on the finalized DVD. Knowing that if you have videos which are recorded at S.L.P. you will not get the same quality of recording onto a DVD as if the video was recorded at S.P. If you find the quality is not acceptable for you, consider changing your method of converting.
Converting family movies from VHS tapes present few problems. VCRs and VHS or Hi-8 camcorders are with R.C.A. modulation movie and audio outputs that can be easily connected to a DVR or a DVD Recorder as well as to a computer port such as U.S.B. using an adapter and video program.
Unlike VHS and Hi-8 cassettes played on VCRs and camcorders, older film reels of home movies present a different obstacle to convert them to a digital formats. The older 8mm projectors do not have film video output jacks. The old movie projectors never converted the movies to any analog signal, what they did was just to simply pass the photo images on footage in front of the projector screen. There's no simple way to directly replicate this content to a digital format.
Consider using Vintage VHS conversion services to transfer the videos; just $10 a reel!
http://www.vintagevhs.net/8mm_conversions.html
Depending on how many video reels or tapes you have and your budget, hiring a professional to do it may be the best option . Family members might usually are more than happy to chip in for the conversion if they end up with copies themselves. Getting a group of contributors could make this option even more affordable.
