video to digital

Video Conversion to DVD

VHS to DVD

Everyone has a collection of VHS tapes chronicling family vacations, birthdays, weddings, graduations and holidays. VHS was the primary format for home media entertainment for over a decade. By the mid 1990s, 84 percent of U.S. households owned at least one VCR. The VHS tape was the gold standard for recording home movies.

In 1996 Toshiba introduced the optical disc which offered higher video quality then its predecessor. The introduction of the DVD (digital video disc) soon marked the decline of the VHS videotape. The DVD easily replaced VHS tapes because of its ability to reproduce higher resolution images and digital quality sound. It also featured video interactive capabilities like disc menus and chapter searches. As a result, the television and camcorder market quickly transitioned to digital video. DVD quickly became the preferred medium for recording.

However, many videotape users still held onto their old VHS tapes assuming that they would last indefinitely. Unfortunately that’s not the case, over time the components of magnetic video tape degrade. Exposure to heat and moisture over time cause decaying magnetic particles. Unless videotapes are transferred to digital format, their video and audio will fade away and eventually be irretrievable.

A DVD won’t degrade over time and has a lifespan of more than 50 years. So don’t wait any longer and archive your VHS collection onto DVD before your memories become nothing more than a screen full of static.

Please visit Icehouse Pictures in Plymouth, Massachusetts to discuss your VHS to DVD project with a video conversion specialist!

Video to Digital Editing Keyboard

VIDEO TO DIGITAL

How do I convert video to digital?

We all have a boxful of memories recorded on videotape gathering dust in the basement. If your looking to fast-forward to the 21st century then this article is great place to start.

Analog devices have taken a back seat and the technological world has gone digital. Once your videos are digitized, you’ll be able to view, share, and edit that old footage with ease. If you want to keep your videotapes safe from the ravage of time, here’s how to preserve those memories forever.

Transferring VHS tapes to a computer requires expensive equipment. Firstly, you need to invest in a high-quality VCR to play your videotapes. The price of these units have drastically increased over the years. Avoid any used VCR’s on ebay under $100. The cheap price will become extremely apparent when trying to capture quality footage. The result will be muddy, dark colors with less detail. It’s best to pay the extra money and purchase a professional-grade VCR.

Next you will need a analog-to-digital converter. A handy device that connects your VCR to your computer via USB. It converts the analog signal from your VCR into digital data.

The most critical and costly investment is a time-base-corrector. A time-base-corrector is a device that corrects the video signal and image quality of the video tapes. A high-quality TBC will reduce on-screen image jitter and and provide a steady signal that prevents dropped video frames.

Finally you will need to invest in some decent capture software. The converter will make it so your computer can recognize the analog signals, capture software will allow you to capture them into digital video files. Once everything is installed, you’re ready to go.

The DIY method might sound good in theory however it is likely going take longer and be more expensive for you to convert your VHS tapes to digital on your own. By leaving your video digitizing to an experienced service provider like Icehouse Pictures, you can be sure that highest-quality conversion equipment and software is used. Contact us today for more information on video to digital.

VHS Videotapes

VHS

A VHS tape is a consumer-grade analog recording videotape developed in 1976 by the Victor Company in Japan. VHS originally stood for Vertical Helical Scan. It referred to the tape recording method used which employs a spinning read/write head and diagonal tracks. A video cassette consists of a plastic shell containing 1/2 inch wide magnetic tape used to record images and sounds. The tape has a horizontal resolution of 240 lines and can hold up to six hours of material, depending on the recording mode.

During the 1980s VHS tape dominated the video market and became the leading consumer format for home movies. Video camcorders turned countless users into videographers instantly by allowing them to capture special events they could view with a VCR.

Over the years consumers have amassed vast collections of home movies captured on VHS. However the magnetic tape in VHS cassettes deteriorate. As time passes, videotapes lose their magnetic signal. As a result, the sharpness, quality and color deteriorate. The only way to stop the degradation process is to have your videotapes digitized. Digital content provides exceptional durability and never degrades over time. Above all, you’ll be able to view, share, and edit that old footage with ease.

Icehouse Pictures in Plymouth, Massachusetts makes it easy for you to protect and share your family history. We convert home movies captured on VHS into digitally remastered versions on DVD or thumb drive. Contact us for more information on VHS.