As you probably know, we specialise in converting VHS to DVD – so we spend a fair amount of time dealing with our good friend, the DVD. It’s been a ubiquitous media format for 20 years, but how much do you actually know about it?

Well, we thought we’d check out all the little facts and figures and other trivia surrounding DVDs. That way, not only will you look like a total whizz on Mastermind (Or in the pub quiz) with your chosen specialist subject: DVD – you’ll also have a new-found respect for the format, the next time you pop a disc in the tray to watch the movie.

The Basics

Ok, let’s start with the basics. Ask most people what DVD stands for and they’ll either shrug, or probably say ‘digital video disc’. Or they’ll tell you that it’s an acronym for ‘digital versatile disc’. And they’d both be right. Sort of. ‘Digital versatile disc’ is certainly what it’s formally known as these days, but that wasn’t always the case. DVD doesn’t actually stand for anything – it started out as just a random series of three letters that sounded good.

DVD first came about in 1994, when the two tech firms, Sony and Phillips announced plans to create a disc-based video; then rival companies Toshiba and Time Warner said they were also working on a disc format. There was only one snag – that sort of competition doesn’t bode well for anyone, least of all consumers.

Before then, the movie world was dominated first by VHS and Betamax, and then later, the not-quite-so dominant VCD and laserdisc – and look how that turned out for three of those four. And thanks to heavyweight hitters like Microsoft, Apple and Dell, the two sides agreed on a single, standard format. DVD was born.

The Specs

It wasn’t long before DVD became the format de rigueur. Partly, this was from novelty – interactive menus, anyone?, partly it was the movie studios choosing a shift from rental to retail, which meant tons of DVDs were produced, and partly, it was the absolute convenience of the technology. They were smaller than VHS cassettes, so could be easily stored, and more could go on the shelf. Mo’ space, mo’ money, if you will.

Ok, so let’s take a typical DVD disc – what’s the craic? Well, a standard, single-sided, single-layered disc holds a whopping 4.7GB of data; more than enough for not only a film, but also all those extras, like trailers and making-of documentaries, that we never knew we needed until DVD came along. You can up that to 8.7GB for a double-layered disc.

Double-sided, single-layered DVDs hold a colossal 9.4GB; and the big beast, the double-sided, double-layered disc holds a whopping 17GB – although these types of DVD are not just rare but also pretty inconvenient, since you’d have to manually flip the disc over to play the other side, like you would a vinyl.

So that’s four different DVD types:

• DVD-5: 4.7GB
• DVD-9: 8.7GB
• DVD-10: 9.4GB
• DVD-18: 17GB

The Record and Rewrite

Not long after, recordable DVDs were brought in, ostensibly as a form of data storage which replaced CD-Rs (That’s the single-use kind) and CD-RWs (The multiple use kind). Of course, it didn’t take long before consumers were using these to store not just data like word documents and spreadsheets, but also music and video.

Have you ever checked out a rewriteable or recordable DVD? The eagle-eyed among you may notice that there are four types: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW. But what do those pluses and dashes actually mean?

Well, these days it’s not so much a concern, since most disc drives – especially on computers – can play both. But back in the late 90s and early 00s, these symbols denoted two different styles of recording; which meant that only a dash drive could record and play dash discs and pluses did the same for ‘+’ discs. Both discs hold roughly the same amount of data, although ‘plus’ discs write that data faster, and allow easier composition of the DVD’s contents. And thanks to the R/RW tech, making sure your wonderful memories last is even easier.

The Future

It’s a serious testament to DVDs’ durability and widespread popularity that even with the emergence of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, the format is still the number one choice. And thanks to the technology, transferring your old VHS memories on to DVD is a real cinch too. That’s where we can help, with high-quality transfers so you can enjoy your old home movies in the digital age. If you’d like to know more, simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and our pro team will be delighted to help.

Ok, so after transferring video to DVD or USB, you’ll have your awesome home movies ready to launch at a moment’s notice, right? And that’s great – but those movie memories are just the beginning. After all, they’re the sort of special moments that need to be shared.

With that in mind, we thought we’d look at a few top tips to turning your home movie viewing experience into a seriously ace event.

Plan Ahead

Great films aren’t just conjured up out of thin air. The Oscars doesn’t just happen when Steven Spielberg clicks his fingers (Although it’d be impressive if it did). These things take time, and planning. And your movie night shouldn’t be any difference. Make sure you know who’s coming, what you’ll need – like snacks and seating – and, most importantly, that everything works! Check your home movie plays perfectly, that the screen size is set up correctly, and that all you’ll need to do once settled is press play.

Red Carpet Treatment

When you think of movie premieres, what do you think? Bit of glitz, dash of glamour, and some real red carpet treatment, right? Well, you can do exactly the same. Design and print some cool-looking invitations, maybe with a film reel bordering the invite, or create a cinema ticket unique to your home movie. If you want to go even further, you could set up some red curtains in front of the TV screen, or have your guests dress up in tuxedos and evening dresses. Oh yes, guests – that reminds us…

Invite the Audience

Sure, you could enjoy your home video by yourself – and there’s nothing wrong with that. But imagine how much better it’ll be to relive those movies with an actual audience, made up of friends, family, and film stars – or home movie stars, at least, unless you’re brother is George Clooney! That shared experience won’t only mean that Uncle Paul’s ‘Baloo the Bear Dance’ is even funnier when you watch it back, it’ll also strengthen those family and friendship bonds.

Bring the Popcorn

Know what every good movie night needs? Popcorn. Heaps and heaps of popcorn. Bowls of the stuff; toffee, sugar and salted popcorn. And pretty much any other drinks and snacks you can think of, like chocolates, Coke and cheeses (if you’re a savoury sort of character). This creates a real sense drama for the evening, and adds to the illusion of settling down for a Hollywood epic. As an added bonus, you’ll also come across as the perfect host – earning serious family brownie points.

Hit the Lights

Watching a soap opera or the latest ITV drama in the lounge on a regular night is all well and good. You’ll probably be stretched out on the sofa, and have the lamps on low. But when you go to the movies, you sit in the dark, which not only focuses your attention on the big screen, but also adds to the epic atmosphere of the evening. So do the same at home, because the effect will be the same. You can all still chatter away, but the emphasis will be on that home movie playing on TV.

Enjoy the Film

That’s what you’re there for, after all. To kick back, relax, and revel in those awesome home movie moments. So enjoy every single second, and every single frame of it, with the ones you love.

Now, with a little inspiration for your own home movie film night, you’re good to roll. Whatever type of video your old home movies were filmed on, we’ll carry out a quality service converting your videos on to DVD so the whole family can enjoy them together. If you’d like to know more about what we do, and what we can do for you, simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and our experience team will be delighted to help.

Ok, so you’re converting your VHS to DVD, right? Or are you? Here at Video 2 DVD Transfers, DVD isn’t the only digital format we’ll transfer your home movies on to, so we thought we’d look at the other option we offer – that way, you can make an informed decision when it comes to keeping your memories secure.

We don’t believe that one format’s better than another. So don’t expect some epic grudge match here; this isn’t Ali and Foreman rumbling in the jungle! Really, choosing DVD or USB all boils down to your own individual preference, and how you intend to watch or store your films.

Let’s start with what is, compared to USB, the granddaddy of film formats…

Choosing DVD

DVD – or digital versatile disc, for you fact-hounds out there – is probably the most widespread and common format out there. Even when pretenders to the crown, such as Blu-Ray, have surfaced, still DVD remains dominant.

That’s a pretty decent testament to the format. And there’s a good reason for it – DVDs are cheap to produce, offer awesome video quality, they’re easy to use, and simple to store. Oh, and they’re tough as nails. What’s not to love?

If you’re planning on making a big evening out of watching home movies with the family, DVD is a pretty safe bet. Imagine gathering around the TV, popping the disc into the tray, and pressing play. Sorted – your movie’s now playing on the same screen where you watched Johnny Depp the night before!

Even if you’re not making a big night with a big show, the fact that DVD players are so common means you’ll be able to find one – if not more – in any house, so you can always take your movies around to friends and family, safe in the knowledge that there’ll always be a way to watch them.

The main issue with a DVD is, as a physical medium, you may only choose to have one copy made – and that’s your lot, unless you order more, or hire a pro to duplicate the contents.

In Short:

• DVDs are affordable
• They have widespread popularity
• Easy to use

Choosing USB

Ah, the good ol’ universal serial bus, or USB, as literally everyone calls it. If you’re looking for computer-based format, this is your guy.

One of the best things about keeping your home movies on USB is that you can make multiple copies of them – meaning that once you have your videos stored on a hard drive, you can move it around, copy it to the cloud, or your laptop, or wherever’s easiest for you to watch them.

And don’t forget, thanks to the proliferation of mobile phones and tablets, with a digitally-stored film, you’ll be able to watch it on the go. So if you fancy a trip down memory lane with a memory stick while stuck on the 9:08 from Paddington – you can!

There are a couple of things you should be aware of though. Dependable hard drives aren’t quite as cheap as DVDs, and your computer may need a software update if film’s file format isn’t recognised. Please remember, too, that if you’re planning on that awesome family home movie night, you’ll need to make sure that either your TV has a USB port, or that you have the correct lead to hook up your laptop to the television.

In Short:

• USB copies can be effortlessly transferred and copied
• Good for watching on computers and devices
• Watch on the go

Choosing Us

Made your mind up? Know which one deserves your attention? Both DVD and USB have excellent picture quality, and are versatile in the extreme. But if you’re still unsure, one of our super-experienced team will be delighted to talk through the relative merits. In fact, we’d love to – creating memories is our passion, and we’ve been doing it for years, with archive-quality conversions that ensure your home movie conversions are in reliable hands, whether it was originally filmed on VHS, Betamax, Mini DV or any other video format.  All you have to do is contact us today on 0800 592 433 and we’ll be happy to help.

No two ways about it, the humble VHS pretty much single-handedly changed the way we watch movies. Sure, there had been home movie formats before – with a history stretching as far back as the 1900s, when cine reels and projectors were the order of the day. But the video broke the mould. Folks didn’t have to miss out on their favourite TV shows, since the VCR, or ‘magic black box’ as your gran might’ve called it, was always on standby to record Coronation Street and the like. And it meant you could re-live your top cinematic moments in the comfort of your own home – that’s a trend that’s only grown since then, with home entertainment systems, speakers and big-screen projectors becoming ever-more prevalent.

But for all its awesomeness, the VHS wasn’t exactly the most reliable form, was it? Anyone who’s lost their sanity spending twenty minutes fiddling with the tracking just to get a half-decent picture can attest to that. So let’s check out those common problems with the video – and remember how lucky we are that we’ve gone from VHS to DVD and beyond.

A little background first – and one for pub quiz fans everywhere. VHS stands for Video Home System, and was knocked up by JVC back when flares were groovy and long hair was hip (that’s the 1970s to you and me). In fact, JVC went to great lengths to ensure the VHS was as super as it could be; they come up with twelve objectives, or commandments if you will, which included a minimum of two hours recording time, affordable VCRs and decent picture quality.

Ah, picture quality – the first issue with video. There’s a reason why you can get apps which mimic that grainy VHS-style quality. In the era of digital everything, we can easily tell the difference between VHS and DVD pictures. The super-sharp clarity of the former smashes the latter, with higher resolution images.

And what about the sound you hear? Sound quality is another problem with VHS. Of course, part of that is because VHS is, y’know, of its time. Surround sound stereo systems weren’t really a thing back in t’day, so the analogue sound is pretty weak, with a muffled sound – or worse, the sound dropping out completely.

Ok, so you want to watch a movie in a hurry – only one problem. You didn’t rewind the tape. So unless you have a super-speedy rewind on the VCR, you could be waiting a while. Worse still, sometimes even that wasn’t enough, so you’d end up poking a pencil into the video and rewinding it by hand!

Wear and Tear is another factor. Not only does a VHS start showing its age visually, stuttering along with poor picture quality, but also the VCR can cause some real damage. Remember the absolute horror you’d feel when the VHS would stop playing, you’d eject the cassette and a whole ream of tape would follow? Untangling that was like trying to get chewing gum out of hair. It happens because the deck switches inside the VCR start to wear out – they then send erroneous feedback to the micro-controllers, which tries to fix the ‘problem’ by changing motors. The result: a VCR apparently hungry for magnetic tape.

We’ve already mentioned t-t-t-tracking, but let’s take a close look. Play a video, and if the screen is a mess of fit-inducing flickering, or there is white static scrolling over the image, then there’s a problem with tracking. We’ve already spoken about the helical scan on our blog, and the problem with tracking is down to this little bit of kit. See, if the helical scan drum is out by even a millimetre, the result is the static you see on-screen. So you’d end up on your hands and knees, tweaking the dial until the picture was perfectly visible.

It’s obsolete technology. That’s probably the biggest issue with the VHS; the fact is, if you want to gather ‘round the TV and watch all your favourite home movies, it’s unlikely to happen without a trip to eBay to get hold of a VCR. Of course, there are ways around this. We specialise in the conversion of video to digital formats, so you can watch all those excellent moments time and again on DVD. Want to know more? Just contact our friendly crew here at Video 2 DVD Transfers on 0800 592 433 and we’ll be happy to help.

Previously on our blog we’ve looked at the various film format wars which have raged with each successive generation. Already we’ve looked at the relative merits of watching movies on laserdisc, and the end of the Betamax era. Of course, just because a format falls out of favour doesn’t mean that all is lost – as experienced converters of formats such as VHS and Betamax to DVD, we’re always on hand to bring back your memories.

In the Red Corner

Today, we’re going to look at that near-forgotten format, HD-DVD. You probably remember the blue-coloured Blu-Rays and the red-topped HD-DVD cases sitting side by side in apparent harmony in video store aisles up and down the country. And how long did that last? It seemed like about a week, at most. Actually, the two formats duked it out for three years before Blu-Ray was declared the victor.

Snap back to 2005. HDTVs have hit the market, and now companies are looking to entice the public into shelling out for one. What better way than with super-shiny movies that rival even that of the big screen? The two backers for each format was Sony, in the blue corner, and, in the red corner, Toshiba.

Defining Differences

Sony, of course, were still smarting from their Betamax backing, and they threw everything they had at Blu-Ray. With good reason, too – a simple look at the specs show Blu-Ray to be superior in almost every way. The discs could hold 25GB, compared to HD-DVD’s 15GB; their bit-rate for video stood at 40Mbit/s, while HD-DVD could only manage 29.4Mbits/s; and Blu-ray made mandatory hard-coating of their discs, to prevent scratching. On the page, then, the win easily belonged to Blu-ray. Also, Blu-ray is a far catchier name than the pretty stale and unimaginative HD-DVD, which is the Ronseal is names.

That’s not to say HD-DVD was without its merits though. The format, given its heritage, used existing DVD player technology – and that made them cheap the produce. In fact, when they first appeared, HD-DVD players were around half the price of a Blu-ray player, which retailed for around £1000. They even had the backing of several movie studios, including Warner Bros., who hedged their bets and backed both. But… Ah, there’s always a but…

Game Over

The problem with Betamax, beyond its poor recording length, was that without people buying Betamax players the format couldn’t compete. HD-DVD players suffered the same fate – but not for the same reasons. The format may have had the backing of companies like Microsoft, who released a separate HD-DVD player add-on for their Xbox gaming console, but Sony went one better.

The Japanese tech giant installed their Playstation 3 consoles with Blu-ray disc drives as standard. Sure, they sold the consoles at a loss, but it helped put Blu-ray into the hands of so many people that HD-DVD had no chance of catching up. Then, in 2008, Warner Bros. dropped their backing of HD-DVD. It was game over.

Having said that, although Blu-ray won this short-lived format war, it wasn’t quite so clear-cut. Sony lost a lot of money backing their discs, and even today DVD still remains the top format for movies. After all, everyone has a DVD player, and it’s the format we choose when it comes to transferring your home movies from older formats into digital ones. So, if you’ve got old Betamax videos and want to relive those moments in greater clarity, then we’re on hand to help. Don’t hesitate to contact us on 0800 592 433 and our experienced team will be absolutely delighted to assist in any way they can.

If there’s one thing that’s true of all films, whether it’s a Spielberg blockbuster, a Coen Brothers indie, or your niece’s sixth birthday party, it’s that movies have to tell a tale. That’s their very purpose, after all; they’re a visual story-telling medium.

When you’re filming that birthday party – or a wedding, or a prom, or Christmas Day, or any event, really – the viewer should be at the forefront of your mind. That’s why you’re making your home movie, to watch it back with your family time and again, reliving those wonderful memories. Because of that, you’ll want to keep them visually stimulated – simply pointing the camera and pressing record isn’t going to cut it.

Just because you’re shooting a home movie, that doesn’t mean your film can have any less of a narrative. Don’t worry though – there are a few things you can do to bring that story to life. First and foremost, though, is making full use of the shots available to you. Today, then, we’re going to be looking at camera shots and their purpose in telling a great story. We’ll start with the basics, the ones you’ll undoubtedly recognise from countless TVs and movies.

Long Shot

The long shot, sometimes referred to as a wide shot, establishes a subject in relation to his or her location. The point of a long shot is to set the scene for the audience – so, taking that birthday party as an example, you’d have the birthday girl, and all the guests, in the living room in a single shot.

Medium Shot

A medium shot generally refers to a full-body shot, or one from the waist up – which is helpful if you’re looking to capture both facial expressions and body language. Want to see the bride in all her glory, smiling away in her sheer white number? The medium shot is perfect for this.

Close-Up Shot

Close-ups are, as you probably guessed, close to the subject. This means you can focus your audience’s attention on, say, the bride’s blushes or the birthday boy’s beam. But it’s not just people, close-ups can be used for anything which you feel needs attention, like that awesomely-decorative birthday cake, say.

Extreme Shots

There are variations on the classic long, medium and close-up shots, these are the extreme shots. Let’s say you’re shooting the birthday cake in close-up – well an extreme close-up might only focus on the candles, or the delicate icing. An extreme long shot, on the other hand, has a massive scope that can cover an entire building. Or city. Or country. Or the world!

Ok, so those are the basic shot types – so, using them as a launchpad, let’s look at how to use them in telling a story, and creating a visually pleasing movie.

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot is vital for audiences, because it lets them know where the action is taking place. You’ll see establishing shots at the beginning of pretty much every scene that requires a location change, or a time-shift from day to night. It’s all about giving your audience context.

Cutaway Shot

Cutaways are important for two reasons. Firstly, they give you something to, well, cutaway to when editing. Secondly, they emphasise a particular action. Cutaways show something which is not already in the master shot. Your master shot might focus on the birthday girl – the cutaway would be lighting the candles on a cake in the kitchen.

Insert or Cut-In Shot

An insert shot is similar to a cutaway. Inserts are useful when editing, and highlight an action or emotion, but unlike their cutaway cousin, inserts retain focus on the subject. So when the birthday cake is brought in, the insert draws attention to a particular aspect or action, like a close-up of her mouth as she blows out the candles on the cake.

Ok, so let’s take all of that knowledge, and now look at applying them to camera angles. There are few things worse than watching a home movie which is filmed solely at eye-level. It’s uninspired and won’t hold the audience’s attention for long, which is why mixing it up with varying angles is the way to go.

Low-Angle Shot

A low-angle shot is one that – quelle surprise – is shot from below. The purpose of this is to imply dominance of the subject being filmed.

High-Angle Shot

Want the opposite of a low-angle shot? Want to show a subject’s vulnerability? The high-angle shot is the way to go.

Dutch Angle

Creating a sense of foreboding in your viewers is pretty easy, although it’s unlikely to go down well in a home video of your daughter’s wedding. Tilting the camera at an angle, known as a Dutch angle, gives an impression of uneasiness – just don’t over-use it!

Now you’re ready to start filming every magical moment. Telling a story through film takes a lot more than just pointing and shooting. But with a dash of creativity, you can keep your viewers enthralled from the opening shot to the final fade. And if you want to convert your home movie masterpiece from VHS to DVD, then we’re on hand to offer our expertise. We specialise in format transfers to help create memories you’ll want to watch again and again. To get the scoop on our services, simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and we’ll be delighted to help. In fact, nothing would give us greater pleasure.

When copying DVD files on to DVD or digital formats, you can just transfer them to the format without too much hassle. Just because you’ve created a four-hour epic of Sheila and Pete’s wedding day, the transfer won’t actually take four hours to complete. The files are all digital anyway, right? So while the transfer may take a while, it won’t be real-time.

But let’s say you’ve got that awesome home movie recorded on VHS – then we’re dealing with the real-time factor. And suddenly going through that four-hour marathon of romance and memories can become a serious chore.

There’s a reason that converting VHS to DVD happens in real-time, and it’s all down to the helical scan – which sort of sounds like a gadget aboard to Starship Enterprise. The helical scan is the method with which images are recorded onto the magnetic film inside a video-tape. Fun fact of the day, pub quiz fans, VHS originally stood for Vertical Helical Scan before being changed to Video Home System.

So what happens? Well, when you pop your video inside the player, the tape’s taken from the cassette and wound past the read/write head. That’s where the magic happens, and the images on screen are recorded to the tape. The head produces a magnetic field which correspond to the signal being recorded, and as the tape passes along it, that magnetic signal is printed to the tape.

And although there have been digital applications used in the helical scan process, these formats need a far higher bandwidth – which means the tape would have to run super-fast to even capture anything, and that’d require a ton of tape. But it works perfectly for analogue tech like video-tapes.

Another fun fact, helical means spiral. Y’know, like a helix. And that’s the clue to how it all works inside.  The tape is drawn from one reel, rotated around a tilted drum head at a speed of almost 6m/s, and deposited on to the other reel, completed with shiny new images.

This doesn’t just happen when recording, but also playing the footage back. The magnetic tape needs to be spun around the scanner in order to show the picture on the strip. And that’s why converting VHS to DVD happens in real-time.

So if you fancy getting your videos transferred on to DVD, and don’t want to hassle of sitting through those awesome epics you’ve recorded, why not let the professionals do it for you. Here at Video 2 DVD Transfers we’ve had years of experience creating the perfect transfer system. For more information about what we do, how we do it, and how we can help you preserve your memories, simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and our experienced team will be delighted to help.

Have you ever been watching someone’s home video and realised something’s wrong. At first, you can’t quite place what it is. It’s just an unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach, disturbing you to the point of distraction. You can no longer focus on what’s being played in front of you. What is it?!

Then suddenly it hits you. It’s shot all wrong. It’s not how it should be. Yep, you’ve just met someone with Vertical Video Syndrome. The poor chump has been shooting videos in vertical format, meaning the image before you is a tall and skinny – like a latte, only far less delicious.

And we have the proliferation of smartphones to thank for this dreaded curse to home movies. Because we tend to handle phones vertically – tapping out a text or making a call, say – some people simply do the same with videos. Point and shoot.

Nothing is worse than checking out videos on Youtube, only to discover the amateur Spielberg has opted for a vertical, rather horizontal position. All that wasted black space at either side of the screen makes the videos deeply uninteresting – disquieting, even – because literally half the screen contains no images. They may think they’ve got the best shot of Uncle Ron drunkenly dancing to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, but just imagine being able to see the wedding party’s reaction to it as it happens too!

When shooting videos on your phone, it’s always worth remembering to switch your device to landscape. After all, when was the last time you saw a movie at the cinema playing in portrait? Never, that’s when.  How about on TV? Same deal. And while it’s easy to rotate a photograph from portrait to landscape, that’s just not going to happen with video. Unless we all tilt our heads to one side.

Of course, these days, to quote a familiar advertising slogan, there’s an app for that. Head over to smartphone app stores and you can download apps which will always shoot in landscape, regardless of how the phone is held. Tech-site CNet has even argued that smartphone cameras should be, well, smart, and do it automatically.

But until that’s introduced, the best advice for anyone suffering Vertical Video Syndrome is… don’t. Not only are those videos missing out on a wealth of imagery and magical moments, it also looks pretty unprofessional.

Thankfully, given the way we hold actual video cameras, filmmakers who used old-school cameras rarely suffer from the debilitating VVS. So if you’ve got home movies on video – and want to watch them the way they were intended – we’ve got you covered. Here at Video 2 DVD Transfers we’re experts in VHS to DVD conversion. For more info on what we do, how we do it, and how we can help you, simply contact us on 0800 592 433 or email info@video2dvdtransfers.co.uk and we’ll be delighted to help.

Memories are important to us all so it’s important to capture as much as you can! Memories also make the best gifts so make sure that you save as many as you can by transferring your old videos onto DVD. See the slideshow below to see which events should be remembered forever!