Video Tapes Conversion to DVD or any other digital format
Video tapes have a shelf life. It is may be time to convert them to a more safe format…
Over time, VHS, VHS-C VCR, Hi8, 8mm, miniDV tapes will get moldy, get brittle and can snap when you rewind them. Static lines appear and even the sound start to break up. When will that happen? It depends on the condition you store your tapes. Even if you store them in a dry, cool, clean storage area, you cannot protect your precious tapes from the ravages of time. Some say 10-15 years is pushing it. Are your tapes older than 10-15 years?
The best way to safeguard your precious memories is to digitize your videos.
At FilmTransfer we can transfer your videos from VHS, hi8, DV as long as the material is not copyrighted, to any digital format you could need (DVD, Bluray, Web…)
Best VCRs to Convert Video Tape to Digital
Analog video formats, such as VHS, suffer from a few inherent quality-reducing errors.
It takes more than a new computer with a burner and capture card to make good digital video. That’s what this page is for: playback aspects. The two important devices to focus on are a “VCR” and a “TBC”.
S-VHS VCR
VHS is a low resolution analog format, and is prone to have noise that needs to be removed. S-VHS is the answer to the issue. A typical VHS VCR is not good enough for digital archiving. VHS tapes are a lossy format and many VHS VCRs tend to amplify errors rather than hide or correct them.
Super VHS VCR players like the ones we use come equipment with digital noise reduction, audio/video filters, and built-in time base correctors (line TBC) for removing noise and cleaning video.