DVD Conversions

Giving analogue formats life in a digital world

DVD Conversions Limited t/a Kodak Express Botany

Giving Analogue Formats Life In A Digital World

Contact and Location

Botany Retail Store – 09 265 1038

After Hours – 022 600 4694

Quick Email: dion@nulldvdconversions.co.nz

Mini DVD

Mini DVD – SD Camcorder media

Mini DVD 1.4 GB Sony single sided.

Mini DVD was a fairly popular format developed and marketed in the 2000’s as a camcorder format. The format bridged the gap between tape and solid-state formats.

Single sided, double sided and dual layer options were available, the most popular being the single layer 1.4gb option in either the single or double sided variant.

Some would say it was an awkward format as the DVD’s only have a 1.4GB capacity which only allowed for 30 minutes of SD video recording in MPEG 2 format. Double sided DVD’s where available which in effect doubled the available recording time.

Mini DVD-RW 1.4 GB Panasonic brand

DVD compatibility was one of its main selling features in that the mini-DVD’s could be played back on a standard DVD player, provided the mini-DVD’s were finalized prior to removal from the camera.

In a lot of cases, users did not finalize the discs and as such the recordings were never “closed” or finalized. This resulted in the discs not being recognized by a standard DVD player. The unfinalized discs will only play back in the camera. Now many years on, the camcorders are no longer available, and the discs are gathering dust on a shelf. When inserted into a computers DVD drive, the unfinalized DVD shows as “blank”. This is generally not the case, the files are there, just hidden deep in the sectors of the mini-DVD.

All is not lost! DVD Conversions Limited have commercial grade data recovery software which can retrieve these hidden files and can convert them to digital files such as MP4 or QuickTime.

If you have mini-DVD’s we can assess and advise accordingly, no recovery – no fee.

If you want to convert Mini DVD to Digital Files click here

Contact us today to arrange the recovery of your Mini DVD’s

Transferring Film

What’s the best method for transferring film?

In this post we will discuss the different methods of converting film and touch on some of their disadvantages.

There are basically 3 different methods of film transfer.

  • Point and Shoot
  • Telecine
  • Frame scanning

Point and Shoot

The point and shoot method is the most basic. This method involved setting up a projector and screen and filming the image directly from the screen. This is a very clumsy method as it’s near impossible to get the camera and projector correctly aligned, and due to variations in frame rate between film (24fps or less) and video (25fps for PAL and 30fps for NTSC) it is likely that there will be black bars scrolling through the picture. This phenomenon is caused by the stroboscopic effect or differences in speed between the projector shutter and camera shutter speeds. Some video cameras (generally the semi pro cameras) have the ability to adjust the shutter speed which minimized this problem. A lot of resolution is lost using this method.

Telecine

The Telecine method is similar in concept to the point and shoot method. The major difference being that the camera and projector are aligned in such a way that the projector projects directly into the lens of the camera. A series of lenses invert the image. There are similar issues to the point and shoot method in that there are speed differences between the two devices and this also leads to black bars and incorrect film speeds. Resolution is slightly higher than the point and shoot method depending on what camera or imaging device is used.

Frame Scanning

The frame scanning method is by far the best option when compared to the above. Frame scanners scan each individual frame and the accompanying software reconstructs the individual frames into a video clip. This method allows you to output a file at the frame rate the film was initially shot at and also totally eliminates the stroboscopic effect. There are numerous other advantages to frame scanning as the film is transported through the machine by direct drive servo motors, there is no other mechanical handling of the film, no claws or sprockets which could damage the film. In addition a cold light source (LED) eliminates the risk of burn through.

DVD Conversions specialize in frame by frame scanning of the following film formats.

  • Regular 8 Film.
  • Super 8 Film.
  • 9.5mm Film.
  • 16mm Film.

There are a lot of film scanners available however very few can scan at Full HD (1920 x 1080P). Our scanner scans film at 1920 x 1080 and outputs files up to 1080P resolution.

We can offer file types such as

  • HDMP4
  • HD QuickTime
  • Image sequence files.

More information can be found by going to this page. Film Scanning in Full HD

Watch this short video for a demo on our frame scanner.

Below are some samples of film scanned on our full HD frame scanner.

Contact DVD Conversions to discuss your film transfer.

 

 

Tape cleaning

Tape cleaning

A brief insight into our tape cleaning process.

Close up of mouldy VHS tape

Video cassettes are prone to developing mold if not stored correctly. Moisture is video tape’s number 1 enemy. If you have cassettes that look something like this, it’s time to act quick and get them transferred to digital files.

A badly damaged 8mm video tape.

After baking and cleaning we managed to recover everything from the tape.

Hi8 tape prior to cleaning

VHS Tape is a lot more forgiving than 8mm video or Mini DV. The relative tape thickness is the difference. Once mold has developed on the edges of the tape it soon makes it’s way between the layers of tape which results in the layers sticking together. The edges of the tape also stick together and cause the tape to shred into pieces. So, what’s the fix for this problem. VHS cassette cleaners where available in the day, however, their success rate was less than desirable as the mold was removed from the tape but for the most part remained in the casing. A more intense cleaning method is required to remove dirt and mold from the tape and cassette casing.

8mm Cassette cleaning jig custom built for 8mm and hi8 tape cleaning and repair

We use a range of cassette cleaning tools, jigs and techniques developed over 30 years of experience.

  

Panasonic half inch tape splicing block

Panasonic half inch splicer NV-B45 tape splicing block

 

Baking 8mm video tape

Tape being baked

 

Tape cleaning method

Our methods involve opening the cassette and removing the take up or supply reel and manually winding the tape under tension to gently unwind each layer. Soft cleaning pads gently remove excess mold and dirt. We then clean the inside of the casing and reassemble. We do not use any solvents or chemicals in our cleaning process, we use a dry cleaning technique.

Tape baking

In severe cases we bake the cassette under constant temperature and humidity levels, removing excess moisture. Damaged sections of the tape are removed and the tape spliced. Magnetic tape can be spliced contrary to popular belief, provided you use the correct splicing films.

Below is a sample of a typical before and after.

8mm cassette before cleaning with mould builup on reels

Before treatment

8mm tape after a clean mould removed from reels

After Treatment

Success rates 

Our success rate across all formats is in excess of 95%. In the worst cases some tape may be lost. We do our best to recover as much as possible.

We’ve recovered video footage from damaged tapes such as

  • VHS / VHSC / SVHS
  • Betamax
  • Video 8 / Hi8 / Digital 8
  • Betacam
  • Umatic
  • DV
  • DVCPRO
  • Audio cassette
  • DAT – Digital Audio Tape

Some tips on tape storage.

  • Store upright, on the short or long edge of the tape.
  • Always rewind the tapes.
  • Always keep the cassette in it’s protective case. If you don’t have cases, use a paper envelope.
  • Store in a cool, dry place.
  • Store with silica gel sachets to remove moisture.

Go to this page for more information and a gallery of damaged tapes we’ve recovered.

We do not offer tape cleaning and repair as a standalone service. We only clean and treat tapes we are converting.

Contact DVD Conversions today to arrange your cassette transfer.

Video to Digital for conversion of tape to digital files

MP4 Files

MP4 is probably the most common file type we convert to. Whilst it is a very popular format there are limitations and disadvantages to the file type. The most common issue being compatibility between smart TV’s, BD players and other devices that support USB playback. In most cases it’s due to these devices only being able to support the FAT32 file system. So, what does that mean?

USB devices formatted as FAT32 only support files up to 4gb in size. Short duration videos are not a problem, however, longer video clips and their resulting files either need to be split into separate files or the compression ratio / data rate needs to be dropped to ensure the rendered file is less than 4GB. Typically, a 1h30 minute file with a data rate of 6mb/s will be around 4GB. Lowering the data rate will result in a loss of quality. As always with digital files it’s a tradeoff between file size and quality.

Files larger than 4gb can be copied to external flash storage however the external storage device needs to be formatted as NTFS or exFAT and these file structures are generally not compatible with smart devices.

If you are streaming your files from a computer, then typically the above is not an issue as most PC’s are formatted as NTFS and MAC’s generally support exfat or MAC OS Extended file data systems.

If you would like us to convert your videos to MP4 files, consider where the files will be viewed and on what devices. Let us know your preference and we will do what we can to ensure that your files are compatible with most devices.

Due to variations in manufacturer specifications we cannot guarantee that the files will play on all devices. If for any reason the files do not work on your computer we suggest downloading VLC Player, we have found VLC Player to be one of the best media players and it’s free.

If you have any concerns regarding the various file types and format options, please call or email us.

SP vs LP recording modes

We often get asked how SP and LP modes differ.

  • SP – Standard Play
  • LP – Long Play
  • EP – Extended Play

Most if not all manufacturer’s of domestic tape based recording systems such as VHS and Hi8 offered different recording speeds to extend the duration of the tapes. In basic terms the speed of the tape while the machine was recording was reduced, this offered longer recording times. There was however a trade off. Image and sound quality suffered in most cases.

A 3 hour VHS tape in LP mode would have the capability to record for 6 hours. Some VHS decks offered an EP mode which further extended the recording times. Most camcorders also offered LP modes to extend the recording times of cassettes which only offered relatively short recording times. A 45 min VHS C could record for up to 90 minutes in LP mode. Professional decks did not offer LP modes and as such cannot play tapes recorded in LP. Domestic VCR’s that offered LP modes automatically detected LP modes by monitoring the control track and adjusting the playback speed accordingly.

 

Format Identification

If you are unsure of what format you have go to this page

Tape format Identification

DVD Conversions LTD also trades as

Digital Mix – Corporate Video Production.

Kodak Express Botany – Photo printing, retail sales, passport and visa photo service.