Videos into DVD format with our tutorial
When transferring your movies, the advantages of DVDs outweigh those of VHS tapes. Video tapes can degrade over time and the cassette casings are prone to damage as well 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 footage and sound is greater 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 business , we also like to help out where we can and share the information we know, so you know.
The computer savvy will probably use their computer to transfer their videos to DVD. It requires duplicating the video to a digital file on the comp using an analog converter. The file gets reduced to MPEG-2 format before being burned onto a DVD. This process takes some time, but it allows you to make adjustments to the video , like special effects or songs , before you burn it . Depending on the burning program that you use, you might be able to add a menu or other special options. The process can be quite slow because you have to transfer the file twice: first from the video to the computer and then again from the comp to the DVD.
To save time and effort, you can copy the tapes to a DVD without the use of a computer. There are two possible ways to do this:
The first involves getting a DVD recorder that allows input from another source. Attach your VCR player by cables to the DVD recorder and while the film plays, it records.
You could also 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, be sure that you have cleaned the heads of the VHS tapes between replicating films. Family videos might carry a lot of dust or other particles that could block up the VCR. And because you are duplicating directly from the 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 exact quality of recording onto a DVD as if the video was recorded at S.P. If you find the definition is not acceptable for you, consider changing your method of converting.
For more info visit our blog at http://www.vintagevhs.net/Video_Editing_blog.html
Converting family movies from VHS tapes present only minor dificulties. VCRs and VHS or Hi-8 recorders are with R.C.A. modulation footage and sound 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 viewed on VCRs and camcorders, older film reels of family movies present a different obstacle to convert them to a digital formats. The older 8mm projectors do not have film video output jacks. The older film projectors never converted the movies to any analog signal, what they did was just to basically pass the photo images on film in front of the projector screen. There's no simple way to directly copy 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 reels you have and your budget, getting 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.
