DVD ( Digital Versatile Disc ) is a newer version of compact disk ( CD ). DVD has the same physical dimension of a CD with a data density about 8 times ( 4.7 GB ) of a CD ( 700 MB ). Furthermore, DVD could have two layers of digital information on one side. A double sided, double layered DVD has a total of 18 GB data capacity. DVD video ( we usually just call it DVD ) is a standard format for videos on a DVD. Videos are digitized and compressed into MPEG-2 data stream ( MPG file ), at a variable bit rate ( 9.8Mbit/s max. for video +  audio,  sampling at 48kHz ). The MPG file is then output to a special format on a DVD along with other control files so that it is compatible with set top DVD players . The video quality of a DVD , at a resolution of 720 X 480 for NTSC,  is better than a Super VHS tape ( with a horizontal resolution of 400 and 525 scan lines for NTSC system ). A single sided, single layered DVD could have more than 2 hours of high quality video. 

      We provide the service of DVD authoring, tape to DVD conversion (  VHS to DVD, 8mm to DVD, Betamax to DVD, miniDV to DVD, Laser disc to DVD ) at an affordable price. There are a few advantages for your videos on DVDs, instead of tapes:

• Tape won't last long, but DVD could last for a long time as long as you don't scratch it.

• You could access certain section of a video on a DVD much faster than video on a tape.

• DVD is much smaller in volume to store compared to a tape.

• Once converted to DVD, you could make many copies of the video without losing any video quality.

    We convert the following kinds of video tapes to DVD: ( NTSC, PAL, or SECAM ) VHS-C and VHS to DVD, ( NTSC only ) super VHS to DVD, ( NTSC or PAL ) Digital8, Hi8, 8mm to DVD, ( NTSC or PAL ) mini DV to DVD, ( NTSC or PAL ) Betamax to DVD, ( NTSC only) laser disc to DVD ( Click here for details ). We also convert Super 8 / 8 mm films or 16 mm films to DVD ( Click here for details ).

     The simple process  ( which is also used by most of other service places and DVD recorders) to transfer video to DVD is real time digitizing and encoding . The quality of the encoded video is OK , but not the best . If your video is noisy, or full of fast motions, there will be compression artifact in the compressed video because the microprocessor have difficult time to do the high quality motion compression in a limited time frame.

     All our DVD transfers employ a better, but lengthier way to encode the video: capture the video into a DV AVI file first and then use sophisticate software to do the high quality compression to MPEG-2. Unlike the simple process, which uses a fixed bit rate, here we use variable video bit rates for a better quality to file size ratio. It is the process they used to transfer high quality commercial movies to DVD. This process takes three times more time than the simple process, but the quality of the compressed video is  noticeably better ( Less compression artifacts ) , especially in cases of noisy and fast motions original videos.

   There are 2 DVD standards : NTSC and PAL. NTSC DVD stores video at 720x480 pixels and 30 fps , while PAL DVD at 720x576 pixels and 25 fps. Normally we transfer without standard conversions ( it means NTSC video to NTSC DVD and PAL video to PAL DVD. ) If you choose Option VTD04 in the following table, we will convert the video standards before MPEG compression and DVD authoring. We use software conversion with pixels and motions interpolation to ensure high quality. It takes another 2 hours for every hour of video and that is why we have to charge extra for it. Please note that most service places use video standards conversions box to do the job while capturing the video. It doesn't take extra step and time. But the video has less details and the motion is not as smooth .

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       Each DVD conversion includes a menu with a title of your choice and video entry points ( chapter points ) at approximate equal time intervals. A thumbnail of the picture at each entry point is displayed in the menu and you can  jump into that video section by selecting that thumbnail or entering  a number on your remote control which is displayed on the thumbnail. We also include a slim DVD case ( unless you request other sizes of case ) with printed covers on top ( picture of the main menu ), bottom ( instruction ) and side ( Title of your tape ).

      VTD03 combines more tapes to the same DVD if the combined length of video is less than 120 min. For example, if you want to transfer two tapes, 1 hour each,  to a single DVD, the cost would be $25  ( VTD01 + VTD03 )

        We could create a custom menu with custom video entry points. For this extra service, specify the starting  time of the video sections you want to jump in  and add $ 1 / link .