This week, in the course of an online search about companies that convert VHS to DVD, I saw a video that completely shocked me. The video shows a clip of a piece of film that was sent to two different transfer companies. One of the digital transfers is rather good. The other is completely horrible. The variance in color and clarity was so pronounced that it made my heart sink. The good transfer was done by a company using a 3 CCD frame-by-frame telecine. Although this is not a true scanner, it is definitely one of the better methods to capture film to digital.
This accidental discovery has inspired me with a new idea. I am thinking very strongly about providing my readers with a grading system which I could use to grade each and every company and product I review. This is a very ambitious project but something that I think could benefit my readers greatly. I am still working out the details but it would include a page that would explain each grade.
One of the biggest questions with a system like this is how do I grade the company whose terrible transfer was in that video? Do I include them in the rating system and give them the lowest grade or do I simply exclude them from my website altogether? My first thought is to include them but make it very clear that they do not disclose their methods and the equipment they use and, for that reason, I would not use them.
If you have any thoughts on this – or any other topic for that matter, feel free to submit a comment here. I will review your comment, approve it, and then respond with my own comment.