Convert Home Movies to DVD
There is very little comparable to watching old home movies, and seeing your relatives come alive in front of you. But most people have the same problem. Their old movies sit in a box somewhere, seldom watched due to the hassle of setting up equipment to watch them. It's too much work, and so the movies go unwatched.
More and more people are having their old home movies converted to a DVD format, which makes for easy watching and easier storage.
Kinds of Old Home Movies
Depending on what generation of your family took your home movies, there are a few different types that you might have. Movies recorded recently on a video tape, are referred to as VHS. Older movies on reels of film are either 8mm, Super 8, or 16mm. Most places that do movie conversion are able to handle any of these formats. While you are on your conversion mission, don't forget that old photos and even slides can be put onto a DVD for safe keeping.
Where to Get Them Converted
There are many places that offer these services, and you might have one locally if you are lucky. Ask at your local photo finishing place, or check the yellow pages. A basic service will just turn them into DVD files, but a more sophisticated place may offer editing or restoration as well. Might be something to check out if your videos are in bad shape. If there is no place nearby, you can ship your old home movies to a remote company for conversion. There are several to choose from, and most sites outline the procedures and costs for their work.
How Much Does it Cost?
This will depend on what format your old home movies are in. VHS movies are usually priced by the minute, whereas the older reels of film are going to be priced by the foot. You'll have to check with the company you are using for exact figures. Online, companies offer prices ranging from 10 cents to 15 cents per foot of film, to give you a rough idea of the cost.
Another Option
If you have no nearby facilities to get your movies converted, you may not like the idea of shipping irreplaceable items through the mail. So you might want to give it a try yourself. One easy way to convert an old home movie to a digital copy is to refilm it yourself. Set up your movie equipment and play your old home movies. While they are playing, set up a new digital video recorder and record the film as it plays. You might be surprised at the quality of the final product this way. Once you've recorded your movie, you can burn a DVD with the files.
Not only can converting your old movies to DVD make it easier for you to watch them, it will also help preserve the images. The materials used to make VHS tape and movie film do degrade over time and can render your movies unwatchable if left long enough. A DVD is not a permanent storage solution either, but the nature of the DVD disk will help you keep your home movies alive for much longer. Surely in a few more years, you'll be wondering what to do with all your "old" DVD movies and looking to convert them to whatever medium is popular. It's an ever-changing cycle.