| When preserving your favorite movies or memories, | | | | * The first involves buying a DVD recorder that allows |
| the standard used to be VHS video tapes. But with | | | | input from another source. You simply connect your |
| the advancement of DVD technology, the advantages | | | | VCR by cable to the DVD recorder. Then while the |
| of DVDs proved to outweigh those of VCR tapes. | | | | video plays, it is also recording. If you choose this |
| Video tapes can wear out over time, becoming bent, | | | | option, consider purchasing a video processor called a |
| damaged or dirty. The cassette casings are vulnerable | | | | proc amp or a time base corrector. These devices |
| to damage as well, rendering the tape inside useless. | | | | stabilize and improve the quality of the analog video as |
| Storage is easier with DVDs since they take up less | | | | it is fed to the DVD recorder and can greatly improve |
| space than videos. Not to mention the quality of picture | | | | the resulting images that you get on the DVD. |
| and sound is higher on DVDs. | | | | * The second option is to purchase a combination |
| So the question becomes, how do I convert my video | | | | DVD/VCR recorder. It does the same thing as the |
| tapes to DVDs in order to preserve them for my | | | | previous option without needing to connect any cables. |
| future enjoyment? There are several options. First, you | | | | If you are planning to copy a lot of videos, it is worth |
| could use a VHS to DVD conversion service that will | | | | your time and effort to find out what kind of |
| do the transfer for you. However, if you have a great | | | | processing the machine does to the analog signal from |
| deal of videos to convert, over time you'll save money | | | | the video tape before it converts it to the digital signal |
| by doing the conversions yourself in the convenience | | | | that gets recorded in DVD format. You want the best |
| of your home. | | | | possible result that you can get. |
| The computer savvy among us will use their computer | | | | If you do the conversion yourself, always follow the |
| to transfer their videos to DVD. It requires copying the | | | | manufacturer's instructions to ensure you capture the |
| video to a digital file on the computer using an analog | | | | video appropriately. Make sure that you have cleaned |
| converter. The file gets compressed into MPEG-2 | | | | the heads of the VCR between copying videos. Old |
| format before being burned onto a DVD. This method | | | | tapes carry a lot of dust or other particles that can |
| takes some time, but it does allow you to make | | | | clog up your VCR. And since you are copying directly |
| changes to the video, like special effects or music, | | | | from the video to the DVD, whatever picture quality |
| before you burn it to the DVD. Depending on the | | | | issues you have with the video will appear on the |
| burning software that you use, you might be able to | | | | DVD. Understand that if you have videos which are |
| add a menu or other special features. However, the | | | | recorded at SLP (6 hours of video on a tape) you will |
| process can be quite slow because you have to | | | | not get the same quality of recording onto a DVD as if |
| transfer the file twice: first from the video to the | | | | the video was recorded at SP (2 hours of video on a |
| computer and then again from the computer to the | | | | tape). If you find the quality is not acceptable for you, |
| DVD. | | | | consider changing your method of converting videos to |
| So in order to save time and effort, you can copy the | | | | DVD. However, for many people, the time and energy |
| tapes to a DVD without the use of a computer. There | | | | saved in converting the videos on their own will |
| are two ways to do this: | | | | outweigh any concerns over video quality. |