Some of the Technology Used in Our DVDs:

Video Capture

Each video is encoded using either constant bit-rat, one-pass, or two pass MPEG-2 variable bit rate encoding. We choose which method will achieve the best possible quality video. Variable Bit Rate (VBR) encoding maximizes the disk space by squeezing the highest quality video onto a disk. Constant Bit Rate (CBR) is sometimes used when disk space in not an issue.

DVD Media

We use only high quality DVD-R disks. DVD-R is the most popular recordable disk format. 99% of new DVD players will play this media.

Dolby Digital Audio

Our products are encoded with 2 channel Dolby Digital Stereo. This audio format offers excellent sound reproduction and is universally compatible with DVD players.

Time Based Correction (TBC)

This device helps correct an unstable videos source by re-generating all the sync signals. The result is a clean and clear copy of your videotape.

Motion Menus

All of our video products use on screen menus that you control with your remote control. The buttons on the menu are displayed using full motion video clips. This gives the viewer a good idea what is in a chapter location.
 

Why will my videotapes degrade? 

The images on all videotapes are stored on magnetic particles. These particles wear away as the tape runs over the VCR heads. Even if your tape is not old, continued use will reduce the life of the video. If you plan on watching a tape often it is best to make a backup copy and watch it instead. The original will last longer if it is not played and kept rewinded. Here are some other suggestions for extending the life of your VHS, camcorder, and handycam videotapes:
Store your videotapes in a dust free case
 

Store videotapes where the humidity is low and the temperature doesn’t fluctuate too much
Keep the heads of your VCR clean. Dirty heads will ware the tapes more quickly
fast forward and rewind your tapes all the way through tape annually. This will ensure the tapes maintain proper tension.
 

Make sure your tapes are not stored or place near any electromagnetic sources like speakers
Remove the write protection tabs to prevent them being overwritten
Once your videotapes are secured it is time to think about making digital copies of them. Nothing you do can totally stop the degradation of your videotapes. Home videos gain value with age. Unless the videos are converted onto a permanent media like DVD they will eventually be unwatchable.
 

Converting your video memories will ensure that the video of your family can become a video heirloom for the future. Imagine having video of yourself when you were a child. How about your parents or grandparents? How much value would these video images have now?
 

Do-it-yourself Video Transfer Information:

Digital video is not for everyone but it can be a fun and rewarding hobby. Many people spend the time learning to capture, edit, and burn digital videos on their own. There is an abundance of information on the Internet about creating your own video projects using a home computer. Here are just a few facts to help you get started transferring your digital video.
Hardware
 

Digital video is very is very demanding on a computer’s resources. Luckily, new computers today are fast enough to handle the processing required for conversion and rendering of digital video. Here are several of the computer components that you may need.

CPU

Converting and rendering of video files take a long time, even on the latest processor. A good rule-of-thumb is: the faster your processor, the less time your will be waiting. Although there are many opinions on the subject, either Intel or AMD (or Mac) will work. Check the hardware requirements of the video conversion software that you plan to use.
Hard drive
Hard drives are probably the most important component to consider when setting up a computer for digital video. For capturing video you must have two drives with sufficient space. One drive is for your operating system and programs. The other is strictly for storage of video files. It is recommended to have at least 100GB of space available for captured video files and storing your programs.
 

Capture device
 

There are many capture options for digitizing the video from your VCR or camcorder. You need to decide if you will be capturing an analog or digital source or both. VHS and 8mm tape are both analog and require some sort of analog to digital converter. MiniDV and Digital8 camcorders are both digital and require a Firewire port. Many newer computers have a IEEE 1394 Firewire built in. Also many newer video cards have analog capture capability built in.

Other options for video capture and conversion are:

• External USB capture device
• Dedicated PCI video capture card
• Many digital camcorders allow you to hook up your old analog camera or VCR and do the conversion to digital. You would still need a Firewire port to get the data to your computer.
   

Software
 

There are many software solutions suitable for any skill level. There are programs that will capture, convert, render, and burn your project. Other software products are more specialized. Many digital video enthusiasts use several different products for each step of the DVD creation process. You will also need digital imaging programs for creating custom disk and case labels.
Video Formats
There are several digital video formats and terminology that you will need to know when researching video conversion:

• MPEG-2 – This is the video format that all DVD video files are formatted in. The files are compressed to fit more information on the disk.
• VCD – this is a format for video on CDROM. The picture quality is not as good as DVD video and the format will not play on all DVD players. It is based on MPEG-1 format.
• MPEG-4 - This is a highly compressed video format. It is mostly used for downloading Divx or Xvid video from the Internet. The video is high-quality but stand-alone DVD players will not play it.
• AVI - This is not actually a video format but some different formats will use this extension. When downloading digital video directly from a digital camcorder the files will often have an .avi extension. These files can be uncompressed DV format. They can also be MJPEG, WMV, or other video format.
   

This article was not intended as a complete digital video transfer guide. More in depth information is available from different digital video transfer sites and forums on the Internet. Do some research and have fun.