videotape

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!

Securing Video to DVD

VIDEO TO DVD

If you’re like most people, you probably have a number of old videotapes lying around your home. Unfortunately those analog tapes won’t last forever. Much like the memories contained on them, they will eventually fade away. With help from us, you can  transfer all your old home video to DVD and save your aging media from extinction.

All VHS and camcorder tapes use magnetic tape to record an analog signal. Magnetic tape consists of a magnetic pigment within a binder. Magnetic particles within the pigment store all the video information. Over time the binder loses its integrity and begins to degrade. Resulting in severe image distortion and permanent information loss.

Studies have shown that VHS and video tape quality can deteriorate to an unplayable condition in as little as ten years even under ideal conditions. Furthermore, quality is lost each and every time your video tape is played.

Those analog tapes you have laying around at home won’t last forever! Now is the time to have a video to DVD conversion stop the degradation process. Unlike magnetic tape, digital files do not degrade over time. At Icehouse Pictures we specialize in preserving your memories digitally on DVD. A DVD is a permanent way to guarantee a future for those irreplaceable memories. The sooner you transfer your video to DVD the better chance you have of preserving them. Contact us today!

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.

DVD from Video

DVD FROM VIDEO

A video to DVD transfer is a great way to preserve and protect your videotapes. Transferring to DVD will allow you to safeguard the content on the tape before it degrades.

At Icehouse Pictures we specialize in preserving your memories digitally on DVD. We use only professional grade video decks with time-base-correction to ensure you receive the highest quality obtainable from your original tape. During the transfer process we delete all unwatchable and blank footage. We also perform scene-to-scene digital color correction and exposure adjustment. A service that other companies charge an additional fee for.

Each DVD includes a beautifully designed DVD cover personalized with your own message. An interactive DVD menu with background music and images from your videotape.

Archiving your video to a DVD is a permanent and cost effective way to guarantee a future for those irreplaceable memories. The sooner you transfer your home movies to DVD the better chance you have of saving them. So don’t let your memories disappear forever, contact Icehouse Pictures today.

Icehouse Pictures in Plymouth, Massachusetts converts home movies captured on older formats such as VHS , VHS-C, Hi8, Video 8, and Mini-DV into digitally remastered versions on DVD. Contact us for more information on DVD from video.