The season of graduations and weddings is almost upon us and it’s time to make some new family memories. But what about precious memories from years past that are stuck on VHS tapes? It’s time to convert your old videos to digital, but what digital format is best? Here are some of the pros and cons of each option to consider.
Video to DVD:
Transferring your video to DVD offers many benefits. A DVD takes up less space in your home and most people have a DVD or a blu ray player that can play DVD’s. If not, DVD players are still readily available in stores. (unlike VCR’s, which were last manufactured in 2016) You can personalize the disc face and case cover, which makes a beautiful gift for birthdays and special occasions. Most standard, single-layer, single-sided DVD’s only hold 4.7 GB of data, or two hours of video at good quality. This means that you’ll need one DVD for each full length, standard play VHS tape. Also, DVD drives are no longer standard in computers, so you may have to buy an external DVD drive to view your DVD’s on a computer. Lastly, the files on your DVD can be copied to your computer and played through a video player, but they are not in the most user friendly format.
Video to Digital Files:
Converting you VHS to digital video on a drive is becoming an increasingly popular option. MP4, AVI and MOV digital video files are each common formats. Once converted to one of these formats, all of your video tape footage can be stored on a single flash drive or external hard drive and be conveniently accessed on your computer or other USB- friendly device. MP4’s, AVI’s and MOV’s can be easily edited in a video editing software. MP4’s are an ideal format to upload to the internet and share online with family and friends. One downside is that flash drives are small and easily lost. Be sure to store your drive in a safe place. Also, some people are not tech savvy and won’t be able to watch and enjoy their family memories if they are on a drive instead of a DVD. The best solution is to ask family members and friends what they prefer. Click here for information on video transfer options: https://memorywise.com/video-tapes/
Overall, it’s time you transfer video to DVD or digital files. MemoryWise can convert your VHS to DVD or VHS to digital files using our state-of-the-art tape conversion hardware and software. Stop by your nearest location for all of your video transfer needs!