Tape to DVD Transfer

Video tape conversion to DVD

Video tapes and cassettes can be transferred to DVD in the same manner as any other cassettes. They are transferred maintaining the video format. They can also be converted to another format. Ordinarily such transfer copies are made to DVD RW (Read /Write) discs and each disc can have videos playable for six hours duration. A VHS video tape can be converted and recorded on DVD disc as NTSC standard. The VHS, VHS-C, VHS, S-VHS, and MINI DV have video standards of NTSC, PAL, PAL-N, PAL-M, and SECAM respectively. While NTSC is the basic standard in USA, PAL is the basic standard in Europe and Asia. PAL-N is accepted standard in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay while PAL-M is the standard in Brazil. All these video tapes can be converted to DVD in the same format or any other desired format and once converted to DVD they will no more have the standard and zone constraints. While converting tapes to DVDs, you should also remember that some companies making such conversion have a restriction that such DVDs can be played only on DVD+R player and not on the DVD-R player. The converting companies also ordinarily do not refund your money and you should make it doubly sure that with your player and TV the converted DVD will really play. Get the technical advice as best as you can.

The Price tag

Conversion from tape to DVD will involve a cost, ordinarily towards service charges payable to those facilitating the conversion and transfer. The average rates for simple transfer of tape to DVD are around $18-19 per transfer. The average rate on the other hand, for transfer and conversion comes in the range of $28-$30 per such transfer and conversion. If you are getting such services from a distant place, there may be additional shipping charges, though some companies provide free shipping. There are different modes of shipping and the charges depend upon the mode and time taken for the delivery. The shipping thus comes in the range of $5 -$125 depending on mode of delivery within the United States of America.

Items that you may like to transfer from tape to DVD

Before you consider about the item you wish to transfer from tape to DVD you must take care of the copyright indemnities. You must be careful not to violate any copyright laws that may lead you into future litigations or trouble. Some of the personal items you may like to transfer from old tapes preserved with care to DVD for a much greater longevity could be your wedding video, activities of your children while growing up gradually, materials relating to corporate sales and training, study materials, memorable family events or any other special events etc. Apart from these, there could be other tapes and videos that you may like to preserve. A most useful way to preserve the old tapes in a much better form, is to convert those home videos to DVD, since DVD conversions are quite easy and affordable. VHS tapes can also be converted to DVD and the same manner of conversion can be applied to VHS-C, VHS tapes, Hi8 or any such media.

Converting tape to DVD ? methods

The widely used process of transferring a tape by conversion and transfer to a DVD disc is by using an analog-to-DVD converter. A converter may be a stand alone analog to DV converter. One method is to encode the tape to MPEG-2 and then author a DVD. While this process is time consuming, the best part of it is that it gives you the flexibility to edit the video to your liking and requirements. Sometimes you may feel tired and exhausted since taken together, this may mean multiple hours of work to get each hour of video transfer on DVD. The other method is to capture the video to computer using hardware, as MPEG-2. Then you may author and burn a DVD. You spend one hour for getting video of one hour. With this method you have less scope of editing and can effect only the ?cuts-only? editing. When the original tape is good enough not requiring any editing, this may prove to be a faster and less tiring effort. Moreover, even cheap converters like the analog to MPEG boxes can also provide very good quality transferred video. In the other method there is a requirement of converting VHS to DVD and this could affect the quality of video compression adversely.

The Process

A stand alone DVD recorder works like a VCR. It provides the viewer with a DVD copy of the tape in real time. It is a faster, easier, and perhaps the best way for a layman to transfer a tape to DVD. Of course the DVD/VCR, that have Firewire connections for plugging in a DV/Digital5/DV CAM camcorder, the transfer will be much faster, and quality will also be very good. However, you will need to remember the old saying ?there is no fruit without the root?. If the original analog video has flaws then they may be greatly magnified while you go through the process of transfer or conversion and transfer as the case may be.

Maintenance issues

We often forget some basic things while using electronic devices and the processes provided by them. Old tapes may have a conglomeration of residues and the tape heads need to be cleaned periodically in the VCR or Camcorder, whatever you use for the purpose of transfer or conversion and transfer of tapes to DVDs. Make use of the controls to obtain a softer image version which will allow the MPEG-2 encoder to do a good job. Similarly, a less sharp playback system would be more effective and here also you can use the respective control system of the device used for transfer. To convert Hi8 and 8mm to DVD, you may use a Digital 8 Camcorder with your computer. They have some built in devices for noise control and cleaning the analog video before conversion and as a result the end product, comparatively, is of much superior quality. Time is also an important factor since long hours of transfer require a high quality MPEG-2 encoder. You can of course use the system of half-resolution for transfer or conversion. It means using a resolution of 352x480 in place of the normal 720x480 for NTSC. Another important item would be compressed audio since it is economical in space and provides a high quality video. One of the best audio compression devices available in the market is the Dolby Digital/AC3. When you try transfer or conversion of a DV to DVD, the MPEG-2 compressor needs to be of high quality since the DV takes almost 14 GB space and it has to compressed to a 4.7 GB DVD.

One last point

With the enormous improvement in digital technology, transfer of a tape to DVD or its conversion and transfer, have both become comparatively easy. However, a few finer points need to be noted, like having a good quality converter, Camcorder, or VCR and a high quality MPEG-2 compressor, which might be the exact accessories required to produce a high quality DVD by way of transfer or conversion from your old tape. All said and done, a DVD is a much better quality media and long lasting. A time will come when DVDs may completely replace the use of tapes which are already on steady decline. Tapes tend to run out of life fairly quickly and at present there is no better answer than a DVD disc for preservation of your loved videos.

110-220 Volt Electronics and video transfers. We do VCR, VIDEO, VIDEO TRANSFERS, from tape to DVD or tape. VIDEO STANDARDS CONVERSIONS,PAL,SECAM,NTSC,PAL,NTSC,VIDEO TAPE TRANSFER. Done Electronics stores such as http://www.planetomni.com With a multisystem TV, such as a plasma, CRT tube type, LCD or DLP, you'll likely need a codefree (sometimes called region free) DVD player. These exist in many forms. When used with a PAL-NTSC TV you'll be able to see the full 625 lines of resolution available in the PAL system and the full 525 lines used in the USA NTSC system. There exists a converting type of DVD player which is codefree in that it can read all of the world's 6 regions and both standards, PAL and NTSC. 140,000 other products are available here: http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984

Top 3 Ways to Buy an LCD TV

This may come as a surprise to you. Just like other types of big screen TVs, LCD flat screen TVs have some disadvantages, as well. Yes, it's true. For example, LCD TVs have lower contrast ratios than plasmas, because they have a harder time reproducing deep black and dark grays. Their screen also tend to be thicker than plasma screens.

However, a LCD flat screen TV is not susceptible to burn-in and usually is less expensive than plasma televisions. LCD TVs also run cooler than plasma TVs, thereby minimizing the need for noisy fan cooling. Many LCD sets can double as a PC monitors, as well. In terms of longevity, LCD flat screen TVs can last up to 60,000 hours, whereas plasma TVs, on average, last 30,000 to 40,000 hours.

Ready To Buy a LCD Flat Screen TV?

So, you are all set to buy your first LCD flat screen TV? Cool! Here are some shopping tips before you set you mind on a particular model.

1. Check The Black-When you are shopping for your LCD flat screen TV, bring along a DVD movie that has dimly lit scenes. Use this to check for good black reproduction. Don't worry, the sales people won't think you are odd-maybe slightly obsessive, but not weird.

2. Remote Control-A good remote could be the difference between relaxation and frustration. Make sure that the remote control has backlighting so you can see you options in the dark. Also, make sure that the remote is comfortable. It is going to be in your hand a lot! 170-degree Viewing Angles-Try to find a LCD flat screen TV that has 170-degree viewing angles so that you may watch the image from anywhere in the room.

3. HD-Ready-HDTV stands for high-definition television. So, a HDTV is a television with a built-in digital tuner that shows high-definition broadcasts in true high-definition resolution. We recommend that you buy a LCD flat screen TV that is HD-ready, so that you may view HD programming- it's the wave of the future.

So, look around before you buy the perfect LCD flat screen TV for your home. You should understand that there are some disadvantages to each kind of television format, and nothing can reach perfection-yet. Well, except for maybe a jumbo 65-inch Sharp Aquos TV. LCD TVs can be simply awesome if you know what you are doing when you shop for them.

There is more than meets the eye when LCD TV shopping. These points only scratch the surface (if that!). Find out all the insider info on LCD TVs today.

Roger Wembley is author of ?The LCD TV Guide.? Get your copy at http://www.ilcdtv.com

Discount Camcorders

Some of the most important factors that buyers should consider when buying a camcorder are the features. A buyer should know what features they want and need, because it can affect the cost of the camcorder. A buyer's budget plays a significant role in the type of camcorder that is purchased. This is true, because there are a variety of choices when it comes to brands, models, features and format. This all makes choices difficult for a buyer, because anyone wants the most that money can buy.

For newer and more expensive models, especially those that can record in high definition video (HDV), finding the best deals can be equally challenging. Fortunately, this kind of technology is affordable, as there are a number of good sources for discounts.

Two of the best sources for good deals on camcorders are discount electronics stores and the Internet. Discount electronics stores get their products at wholesale prices and only charge a small markup. The intense competition on the Internet has also contributed to the very low prices that are offered online, especially at auction sites. If a buyer has the patience to look at a number of discounts stores and an even larger number of web sites that offer camcorders, there are some fabulous deals to be had.

However, buyers should be careful of unscrupulous dealers who might trick them into buying ?cheap? camcorders that, in the long run, are more expensive because all the accessories are not included in the price and have to be purchased separately at outrageous prices. To avoid becoming a victim, make sure that you buy from a reputable dealer. When buying online, check out the company by going to certain sites that offer reviews on companies that sell camcorders.

There are a number of sources that offer good deals on camcorders. Discount electronic shops and the Internet are two of these sources. However, buyers should not be enamored with some of the very cheap deals offered, as they may find themselves the victim of unscrupulous dealers. Given this, a good amount of research and vigilance can help people avoid such a scenario.

Camcorders provides detailed information on Camcorders, Digital Camcorders, Camcorder Batteries, DVD Camcorders and more. Camcorders is affiliated with DVD Digital Camcorders.

Plasma TV Screens ? Pros Cons and Advice

Plasma TVs are widely popular, due to the advantages they offer. In this article, we'll go over a few of the pros and cons of Plasma screens, as well as tips for buying a plasma TV.

The Pros of Plasma Screen TVs

Plasma screens are very shallow (slim line profile) ? usually the screen will take up about 2 inches, and the entire TV or finished screen will be just a few inches deep. This means that your TV takes up very little room, and is easily mounted on a wall.

Plasma screens also have an excellent contrast, and can display nearly perfectly dark black. Plasma screens can also display very bright colors. This makes them ideal for watching movies.

Plasma screens can also come in extra large sizes. The largest plasma screen in the world is 103 inches across. You can easily buy plasma screens up to about 65 inches.

The Cons of Plasma Screen TVs

Plasma screens begin losing their brightness after about 2,000 hours of use. The latest model plasma screens will be half as bright as they originally were after about 60,000 hours of use.

Plasma screens are very fragile, so they are hard to install and ship. Of course, they are also at an increased risk of breaking.

Above about 6,000 elevation, Plasma screens will emit a humming noise. Very few people will have an issue with this, though, as very few people live above 6,000 feet elevation.

Tips for buying a Plasma Screen TV

As with any other electronic, it's important to shop around and get the best product at the best price. Check online review and shopping comparison sites.

Also, be wary of advertised contrast ratios. Since there is no standardized measurement method, it is very difficult to compare contrast ratios between manufacturers.

Visit Plasma TV Guide UK for Sony Plasma TV Reviews and more.

HDTV: Buying Guide Part One

There?s never been a better time than now to buy a high-definition television (HDTV). Whether your primary source of television programming is local over-the-air broadcasts, cable or digital satellite TV, you will find that there is now a wealth of high-definition programs available. If you have a standard-definition television you will also enjoy all of your widescreen-format DVDs that much more on a HDTV. And with Toshiba now shipping their first-generation HD-DVD players and Blu-Ray players coming to North America next month, there are even more reasons why it makes sense to take the plunge and buy an HDTV.

Now that you?re convinced you need to go out and buy a brand new HDTV the question is what type of unit to buy. First, you should decide what size HDTV makes sense for you. Because HDTV?s have a wider aspect ratio (16:9) compared to a standard television (4:3) you will want to choose a larger diagonal screen size for your new HDTV than you might expect. CNET has a great guide you can check to find out the right size that meets your needs.

Now that you?ve chosen what size HDTV to get the next question is what type of technology you should look at. Older CRT analog televisions were all based on the same basic technology, but now you have a potentially confusing array of choices: LCD, plasma, DLP, LCoS, and D-ILA. LCD and plasma are both flat panel technologies that can be mounted on walls. If you?re looking for an HDTV less than 42 inches then LCD is probably your best choice. Plasma is a better choice for HDTVs over 42 inches, as current LCD units get very expensive in larger size formats.

I just pre-ordered the new Samsung HLS-5087W 50 inch rear projection DLP HDTV. Many believe that DLP technology offers the best price/performance in the 50 inch plus category of HDTV today. Sony has made a large investment in LCoS technology which it brands as SRXD, while JVC brands their LCoS line D-ILA. LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) is most similar to DLP (Digital Light Projection) technology, however many believe the DLP camp has made faster progress on reducing manufacturing costs to offer consumers a better price/performance ratio. While rear projection DLP HDTVs lack the flat panel appeal of LCD and plasma units, they are much lighter and have far less depth than the CRT televisions of the past.

You?ve chosen the right size and technology for your new HDTV, and now you?re trying to understand what is 720p versus 1080i versus 1080p. Let me help you out here ? don?t bother getting a 720p today. I?d recommend at least a 1080i, better yet a 1080p. My new Samsung is both 1080p input as well as output. In order to understand what all of these strange numbers mean, well, you?ve have to wait until my next article.

James Ambras is a consumer technology enthusiast of the highest degree, and his 'Tech Talk' series appears each month at http://blog.peerflix.com. Jim's day job is as the VP of Engineering for Peerflix, the leading online destination to trade DVDs. For more information, visit http://www.peerflix.com.

What Makes an HDTV High Definition?

You keep hearing about it ? new high definition DVDs, high definition camcorders, and high definition TVs. And you probably know that high definition means higher quality video, but beyond that it may all be just a bit fuzzy.

If you?re a TV and you want to be labeled as an HDTV, then you need to have one of three formats ? 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, with 1080p being the best of the three. The main difference in these formats is resolution. A 720p TV will have a resolution or 1280 pixels by 720 lines. A 1080i or 1080p will have a resolution of 1920 pixels by 1080 lines.

The other factor is the letter behind the number, p and i. They refer to the way the image is built up. The p stands for progressive and the i stands for interlaced. When using an interlaced scan, only half the lines (for a 1080i, that?s 540 lines) are displayed at a time. The lines are alternated so fast (1/30th of a second) that your eyes interpret the two images to be just one. In progressive, all of the lines are displayed at the same time, which provides a smoother looking picture. (Lines are displayed every 1/60th of a second).

Now in a perfect world, we?d all have 103? 1080p plasma displays in our living rooms, however, unfortunately we don?t live in a perfect world, so we have to figure out which HDTV, if any, best suits our needs.

The first question to be asking yourself is what am I going to use it for? Do you watch a lot of movies? Do you plan on getting HD channels from your cable or satellite provider? Are you willing to upgrade the rest of you A/V equipment? These are important questions because if you don?t plan on upgrading to a new DVD player (HD-DVD or Blu-ray), and you don?t want to spend the extra money on an HD box from your cable or satellite provider, then an HDTV probably isn?t for you. You can go buy a nice big screen TV and save yourself several thousand dollars in the process and still just as nice a picture from your standard television programming and standard DVDs as you would with a high definition display.

For those of you who do plan on upgrading the rest of your equipment, then an HDTV may be an investment you?ll want to consider.

Gary Ruplinger is a writer for PlasmaGeeks.com. Be sure to visit his site to learn more about Plasma TVs and HDTVs.

Eliminating that Terrible Hum From Your Home Theater Speakers

You've all heard it, that dreaded 60Hz hum through the speakers of a home theater or house audio system. Hopefully you heard it at a friend's house and not your own. It can drive you completely nuts. You may have even tried, unsuccessfully, to fix the little noise problem. That can make you even more crazy. What causes that horrendous noise through your speakers?

More often than not humming through your speakers is caused by a grounding problem. There are three main ground problems that cause problems in an audio / video system. These are ground loops, improper grounding and lack of a ground altogether. The other possible culprits that can cause noise are bad cables, a faulty piece of equipment or electrical noise from a lighting dimmer or electric motor. There are steps you can take to troubleshoot the noise and eliminate it from you theater.

The first step is find out where it is coming from. Disconnect your source and display equipment from your receiver or surround sound processor. If the noise stops, connect them back to the receiver or processor on at a time until the noise returns. When the hum comes back, you found where the noise is entering your system. Note that if you are connecting remote equipment, such as running the signal from your theater room DVD player to the TV in the bedroom, your chances to pick up noise increase dramatically. With such long runs, noise can be induced into the long cable runs from adjacent electrical wiring. It is also easy to create a ground loop, because the equipment is plugged into two different, widely separated outlets, on different electrical circuits.

If the noise is caused by a cable box, the noise is likely caused by the cable TV ground. To test this theory, disconnect the incoming cable TV feed to the rear of the cable box or TV while they are still connected to the rest of the system. If the noise is eliminated by disconnecting the TV cable, the problem is the cable TV ground. You can electrically decouple the cable TV feed from your system with a ground breaking transformer. These are available from many sources. Be advised that many newer, digital cable TV systems require any device in the signal chain to pass a full 1,000 Mhz. Some of the older ground break transformers will not do this. Be sure to check the specifications of whatever device you are purchasing to verify it will pass the digital cable TV signal.

If the noise is from your projector, TV, or monitor, it is most likely caused because the video display device is plugged into a different outlet than the other a/v equipment. It could be on a different circuit as well. These circuits may have two different ground potentials. That is, the resistance to ground is different on each circuit. A difference in resistance to ground from one ground point to another can cause the dreaded ground loop. If you get a ground loop, current flows between the two components. If the current flows through the components internal audio signal ground, you will get a hum.

You can use an isolation transformer, similar to the type used for cable TV ground problems, to eliminate the electrical connection from one component to the other. These transformers are inserted in line with the audio signal connection between the two components. If there is no audio connection between the components, the problem may be current flowing through the video portion. In this case, a video isolation transformer should be used to eliminate the ground loop.

Sometimes power conditioners will stop noise problems by placing equipment on different, electrically isolated outlets. This is done using isolation transformers. Sometimes this is ineffective however, due to the differences in internal construction of different power conditioning equipment. Some safety regulations, such as UL 1950, specify that an isolation transformer is only allowed to isolate the hot and neutral wires; the grounding wire must be passed straight through. If this is the case, the ground loop problem may still exist because many communication circuits are connected to the grounding conductor and not the neutral. In this case, the isolation transformer, or any power conditioner or UPS with an isolation transformer will have absolutely no affect on the grounding problem.

The noise may be generated externally, from a dimmer or refrigerator compressor for example, and coming in through the main power input on the audio video equipment. In this case, a high quality power conditioner may be effective in reducing or eliminating the noise problem. You may also find that one of the signal interconnecting cables in your system is faulty. This can also cause noise problems. Check for this by swapping the cables with one that you know to be good.

You can solve most noise problems in your home theater or multi room audio/video system by taking the systematic, step-by-step approach. Work your way up the signal chain, eliminating each piece of equipment as you go. If you have nothing connected to your speakers except the speaker wiring, and they still hum, the problem is noise induced into the speaker wiring from adjacent power cables. Other than that case, most problems are caused by ground problems, which you can find, and solve, if you take it one step at a time.

Steve has 15 yrs in the consumer electronics industry. He is a CEDIA certified designer with ISF and THX certificates. His experience includes: installer and programmer; system designer; business unit director for an a/v importer; sales rep for a CE distributor; and principal of a $1.5M+ CEDIA firm. He's now senior sales engineer for Digital Cinema Design in Redmond, WA. For more information on how to make your home theater better, and what's on the horizon, including CEDIA and CES show reports, see The Home Theater and Automation Guide