Video to DVD

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Video to DVD Transfer

DVD - finally a way to store your family memories that will outlast tape.

New Lower Price!!!! $15 per hour of transfer.

If the DVD format is new to you, read on to learn more about this new recording format. If not, use these links to learn more about:

What is DVD? Originally it stood for Digital VideoDisc, but because this format has so many other uses the name has been dropped and it is simply referred to as DVD. It looks like a CD but holds 7 times as much information. This increase in storage capability allows 2 hours of video to be stored on one disc. Over time, we will see the disc expanded even further in storage capabilities.

What is wrong with videotape? Nothing. Videotape is very inexpensive, convenient and has cody-tape.jpg (19222 bytes) served us well, but its useful life is not very long. The industry has rated the life of videotapes to be as short as 10 years although we have seen tapes last much longer. Also, videotape is very fragile and easily subject to being damaged or erased.

Why so short a life? Videotape is a piece of plastic with metal particles glued to it. The metal particles hold the recorded magnetic signal. Over time, the properties of the tape change, the magnetic signal can weaken and the glue holding the metal particles can lose its adhesiveness. When this happens, you lose part of your recording. We have seen such severe cases of particle shedding that the tape player had to be thoroughly. cleaned afterwards.

Is there anything I can do to keep my tapes as long as possible? Yes. Tape life is directly related to storage methods. Use the following guidelines to maximize the life of your tapes.

Store away from magnetic fields. Never place a tape near a speaker.
Store in an upright position like a book.
Store the tape fully re-wound.
Store in a climate controlled environment.

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Exercise the tape from time to time. Fast forward the tape to the end and rewind it. This is particularly important if you play the same segments repeatedly.
Check for signal loss and make backup copies.

Will we be using DVD in a 100 years? Not likely, but the important part about DVD is that the information has been digitized and can be transferred to whatever format is in store for the future without any generation loss. Currently, every time videotape is duplicated the copy never looks as good as the original a term referred to as generation loss.

Editing and/or advanced authoring is additional - $75 per hour. Editing would be transferring only certain selections of videotapes. Advanced authoring would setting up specific chapter points on the DVD for easier reference. (Ex. Mary’s Birthday Party, Dad’s Retirement Speech, Our Trip to the Shore, etc.)

Copying HD video to Blu-ray is also available call or email for pricing.

Please keep in mind that we cannot duplicate copyrighted material.

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