Continue reading »]]> Finding the best VHS to DVD service to preserve your family treasures can sometimes be a little tricky. When you look online, you can find lots of companies that say they use the same methods as Hollywood for copying your old home movie memories to DVD but are they telling you the whole story? As a former Hollywood visual effects coordinator, I feel my input here may help you. Let’s take a closer look at what makes a good transfer service company.

Photo courtesy of freephotosbank.com

The Method Is The Message

Marshall McLuhan, the “media theorist,” once said, “the medium is the message.” I’ll counter that with the phrase, “the method is the message.” At least that is how I see it when it comes to selecting the best company to transfer my old family VHS tapes to DVD. It doesn’t really matter if a company uses the same method as Hollywood to copy a movie to DVD. What matters most is the method that it uses to actually digitize the analog media. This, more than any other factor, dictates the quality of your final DVD.

Quality Indicator #1: Video Capture Device

To select the best VHS to DVD transfer company, there are certain indicators you can find on a company’s website. When a company openly tells you anything specific about the equipment they use, that is always a good sign. As an example, they might mention the brand name and model number of the video deck they use to play the VHS tape as it is being digitized. Even better, the company may cite the name of the video capture device they use. If a company says it uses something called a “Canopus” (or “Grass Valley”) ADVC 300, for instance, then things are looking good. This capture device is well-respected for the way it captures the analog signal coming from the VHS tape and the way it cleans up any noise and enhances the video. If no details are disclosed, then move on.

Quality Indicator #2: Color Correction

Another good indicator of a good quality VHS to DVD transfer service is color correction. If a digital transfer service company advertises that it will enhance the color of your video, making it look better than you remember it, there is a good chance that they are telling the truth. This is a guarantee that many companies will not make because it is a challenging promise to keep – unless they actually are a professional company using some of the best equipment and methods. Color correcting digitized video can be done with additional hardware or software but no matter what method is used, it is something that is rarely offered by a fly-by-night video transfer service. So, if your potential VHS to DVD transfer house is offering you color correction, take another sigh of relief because you are on the right track.

Quality Indicator #3: Uncompressed Video

The third and most “black-and-white” of my three “litmus tests” for identifying a good video transfer service is also the most simple. An ordinary video transfer company will only deliver standard definition video on DVD. The best VHS to DVD transfer companies know that this is only the beginning. The world is changing to high definition. Even if your particular analog video format can only be digitized to standard definition, it is important that you receive the raw digital files of your digitized home videos. These uncompressed digital files contain the most detail and, as such, become your new “master” with which to preserve your video memories for future generations. The DVD copy is just that – a copy. A good VHS to DVD transfer company will offer you these files on either a data DVD or a hard drive. If the company you are considering delivers uncompressed video files in addition to your DVD copies, then you are in good hands.

Grading VHS To DVD Transfer Companies

The whole point of this site is to provide you with information to help you make the best decision when selecting a company to digitize and preserve your valued VHS memories. One of the ways I do this is by grading as many VHS to DVD companies as possible. If you would like to save yourself some time and get some help choosing a specific company, here are a few pages that will offer you some choices.

8mm To DVD – Pay A Pro

Transfer VHS To DVD Service Companies

Continue reading »]]> This week I thought it would be a good idea to start a weekly post that is less formal than my normal articles about analog to digital transfers and more of a touch-base with my readers. I am tentatively calling it, “Ramblings.” That seems like an appropriate title.

This week, in the course of a recent online search about VHS to DVD transfer service companies, 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.

Continue reading »]]> This is an in-depth review of Yes Video. If you are looking for Yes Video reviews to help you decide if it is the right video to DVD service company to digitize your family’s video memories, then you must read this article. I used my own research and personal experience in the film industry to go into great detail about this company and its services. If you are looking for a general comparison of video transfer companies, you may want to read one of my other articles first. Here are two that might help the most.

8mm To DVD – Pay A Pro

Transfer VHS To DVD Service Companies

Courtesy www.freephotosbank.com

Yes Video Transfers Film and Video To DVD

Yes Video provides VHS to DVD services as well as 8mm film to DVD services. It also transfers prints and slides to DVD as well as certain digital media formats to Blu-ray. It does not transfer older video and film formats to Blu-ray so, for the scope of this article, I will only focus on the transfer of analog film and video to DVD. By the end of the article you will see why I think Yes Video is one of the best companies to economically transfer your VHS and film media to DVD.

Note: I decided not to use Yes Video for my personal use simply because there are companies that offer a higher quality product. For what Yes Video offers, they do an excellent job. They make it possible to view your older home movies in convenient digital formats at standard resolution. However, I am not only concerned with transferring my home movies to DVD but also receiving high resolution video files that are uncompressed and can be used as a digital archive for preservation and possibly continued restoration in the future as technology advances.

Yes Video And Its Partners

The website for Yes Video is http://www.yesvideo.com/and the phone number is 877-817-5375. They provide an order form online so that you can either ship your film and videotapes directly to them or drop off your order at one of their 34,000 retail partners in the US, Canada, or Puerto Rico. These retail partners include:

Costco

Walmart

Sam’s Club

Walgreens

Ritz/Wolf Camera

CVS Photo

Bartell Drugs

In addition to these retail stores, Yes Video also has two online partners that offer their digital transfer services.

Target

Kodak

An Introduction To Yes Video

Courtesy www.clker.com

Yes Video, started in 1999, has two processing labs. With two locations, the company can serve their customers quickly and efficiently. The home office in Santa Clara, California serves everyone on the western half of the United States while the second lab in Norcross, Georgia speeds up orders for all of their East Coast customers. Transfer services typically take about 3 weeks. When your order is done, it is shipped back to the retail store where you dropped off your order.

Can I Trust Yes Video With My Original Home Movies? 

Yes Video is probably the largest VHS to DVD transfer house in terms of the number of customers they have. Their retail partners have great reputations for quality products and services. Companies like Walmart and Costco don’t partner with just any company. If they trust Yes Video, then you can too. Yes Video is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a collection of offices throughout the U.S. that use a standardized method to rate businesses based on feedback from customers. The BBB has awarded Yes Video with an ‘A-’ or better for the past two years that I have been monitoring them. To see the Better Business Bureau web page for Yes Video, click on this link.

Yes Video Tracking And Security

It takes 5-7 days from the day you drop off your order at the retailer to the day that the order is received at one of the processing labs. Once received, your media is bar-coded and tracked so you can locate your media and determine the specific stage of the transfer process. Yes Video guarantees that all of your media originals will be returned to you.

Video Formats Transferred By Yes Video

Yes Video can transfer up to two videotapes to a DVD for a combined total of two hours of footage.  If the combined total exceeds the limit of one DVD, then any extra footage gets transferred to another DVD and treated as a separate order with an additional price tag. They do not mix video and film media types on one DVD. Also, tapes are transferred as a direct transfer, so footage is not edited or enhanced. Here is a list of the analog video media formats Yes Video can transfer to digital.

• Beta (BetaMax)
• VHS
• VHS-C
• S-VHS (Super VHS)
• Hi-8
• Digital 8
• 8mm Video
• MiniDV

Yes Video Tape Transfer Process

Videotapes are played using tape decks that are connected to computers. As tapes play, footage is digitally captured to MPEG-2 format and burned to a DVD at 720 x 480 standard resolution. All footage is backed up onto Yes Video servers. Yes Video does not, at this time, convert analog video media such as VHS to Blu-ray.

Film Formats Transferred By Yes Video

Yes Video can transfer up to 1,600 feet of 8mm film or Super 8 film to DVD.  They also transfer up to 3,200 feet of 16mm film. If the combined total exceeds the limit of one DVD, then all extra footage is transferred to another DVD, treated as a separate order, and charged an additional price – just like video conversions that surpass the capacity of one DVD. Also, just like video, all film is delivered onto a DVD at a standard resolution of 720 x 480. Here is a list of film formats Yes Video transfers to digital.

• 8mm film
• Super 8 film
• 16mm film

Yes Video Film Transfer Process

Yes Video will clean your film, which minimizes the effects of scratches, dirt, and dust. They also remove any old film leaders that are spliced at the beginning and end of your original film reels and any blank footage they find between your shots. All footage then gets spliced together and placed on a new 7-inch diameter (400 foot) reel with new leader. The film then gets projected into a condenser box, where it is digitally captured by a digital video camera. The captured image is sent to a computer in MPEG-2 format. It is at this stage that color and lighting are enhanced and the footage is then burned to DVD. Yes Video does not, at this time, convert old film media to Blu-ray.

What Customization Is Available With Yes Video?

Yes Video provides many choices to customize your final DVD. You can create your own title and choose from twenty unique themes, including holiday images, beach scenes, and travel themes. Each theme modifies these elements:

• DVD Case
• DVD Disc
• Main Menu
• Chapter Titles

In addition, each chapter in the menu incorporates an image from the actual footage of that chapter of the DVD, making it easier for you to find a specific shot or event. These chapter images are also printed on the DVD case as well. You can even choose background music for each DVD. To top it off, Yes Video adds three one-minute music videos with highlights of your footage to each DVD they produce. If you wish to customize your DVD even further, you can re-design your DVD and its content after the initial order is completed with an online tool that Yes Video calls MemorySafe®.

What is Memory Safe®?

Courtesy of www.clker.com

MemorySafe® is an online tool and storage system that allows subscribers to do a variety of things with their transferred film and video footage. With MemorySafe® you can view, edit, and share your memories with family and friends – from a PC, Mac, iPad, or mobile device using such methods as email, Facebook, or Twitter. A free trial is provided with your digital transfer through select retail stores or online with Yes Video. After the free trial, the service is only available through a paid subscription. MemorySafe® is available with direct orders through Yes Video or from one of these four retail stores.

• Bartell Drugs
• Costco
• CVS Photo
• Walgreens

If you have MemorySafe®, your footage is not only saved to Yes Video servers but is also uploaded to an online storage system as well. It lets you order additional copies of your DVD or design a new version. Here is what you can do.

• Rearrange the footage on a DVD
• Combine clips from different DVDs
• Revise your DVD soundtrack with music from your home computer

The Limitations Of Editing With Yes Video

Yes Video does not edit your old movies and videos for you and it does not deliver to you the uncompressed digital files that allow you to edit digital video at home on your computer. However, if you have read the section above about MemorySafe® you know that self service editing of your digitized footage is available at an additional cost. If you are trying to save money and are content with a simple assembly edit of your footage rather than a more detailed cut, then simple planning of your basic Yes Video order can improve your DVD. If you are going to use Yes Video, here is what I would recommend. Since each DVD order at Yes Video requires a separate order form that must be dropped off with the media that is to be transferred, I suggest that you organize all of your media in advance. If you group your media together in groups that will fit on each DVD and number each piece of media in that group, you can achieve a more interesting sequence of events on your DVD. Keep in mind these tips.

1. DVDs hold up to two videotapes for a total of two hours of video.
2. DVDs hold up to 1,600 feet of 8mm or Super 8 film or 3,200 feet of 16mm film.
3. You cannot mix video and film with Yes Video.
4. I suggest numbering your media so that each media format is grouped together followed by other media formats. Switching from 8mm film to 16mm film and then back to 8mm film is something Yes Video cannot do. I would follow the same guidelines with video formats as well.

Are Yes Video’s Methods The Best?

Yes Video discusses their transfer methods on their website. They do not give all of the details but they explain enough to satisfy the average customer. And, from what I can see, they do such a fine job with the methods they use, that they exceed their customers’ expectations. However, being tech savvy and having worked in post production for over ten years, I tend to examine things a little more closely. Here are my thoughts.

Yes Video Tape Transfers – The Pros And The Cons

As far as video transfers go, Yes Video does not go into detail about the methods they use to digitize video. This is a signal of lower quality. In terms of resolution, they deliver transferred videotape just like everyone else – on a DVD at a resolution of 720 pixels wide by 480 pixels high. This is called standard definition, or low resolution. The biggest problem I have with Yes Video, in addition to the lack of disclosure about the methods they use to digitize video, is that they do not enhance the color or the quality of the video in any way before or after digitizing the media and they do not deliver uncompressed digital files for editing on a home computer editing system. That is very disappointing.

Yes Video Film Transfers Are Not Perfect

Courtesy of www.clker.com

For film transfers, Yes Video has even more to be desired. Even though film captures much more detail than video, Yes Video delivers the same level of quality as their video transfers. This means that you will lose detail that is there in your film original if you have Yes Video transfer your film to digital. In contrast to Yes Video, there are companies that use the same methods as Hollywood post production houses to scan film all the way up to a resolution of 1920 x 1080. At Yes Video 720 pixels wide by 480 pixels high is the best they offer for film formats. This is a huge difference. On the bright side, Yes Video is less expensive. They do clean your film footage, re-splice them into more manageable reels, and adjust color and lighting. But – again – when compared to a post production house like Pro8mm in Burbank, California which uses a true scanner or a home movie transfer service like Got Memories in Tempe, Arizona which uses a quality frame-by-frame telecine, Yes Video cannot compete. This is really something to think about.

Remember, I mentioned that I worked for over ten years in post production, where high resolution film standards are expected and the quality of each frame is scrutinized with great attention. Obviously, when you are working in the motion picture industry, the size of the viewing screen is much larger than the size of the standard television set displaying your home movie. However, TV screens are getting larger all of the time. And if yours is not, you might still want to think about using a company that converts your analog film footage to high def. Film is going to disintegrate over time so it is wise to capture your film images into a digital format at the highest possible resolution that you can afford.

But The Price Is Hard To Beat

All of these flaws considered, Yes Video still offers a very reasonable cost. They offer one of the lowest prices for film transfers and are quite competitive for their video transfers. Depending on the retail partner you choose, prices may vary. Some packages are only offered through Yes Video directly or certain retail outlets. Capturing original audio from your original film media can cost more. Damaged media will cost more to transfer as well. If you under-estimate your order and it turns out the media you sent does not fit one DVD, that order will be charged extra as well. To give you a basic outline of the pricing at Yes Video, here is a listing from their website for direct orders. Other retail store pricing may be different. Prices are based on the amount of content that gets transferred. Additional charges are incurred for the number of DVD discs used to fill your order.

• Video: $19.99 per tape
• Film: $19.99 for the first 200 feet (approximately $.10 per foot)

Closing Argument – The Pros And Cons Of Yes Video

Yes Video has the following pros:

• Convenient
• Efficient
• Good Reputation
• Moderate Pricing

However, Yes Video has a few limitations you should keep in mind:

• Does not offer color or lighting enhancement for video transfers
• Delivers minimum quality resolution for film transfers (720 x 480)
• Does not deliver uncompressed digital files for editing on your home computer and for archival preservation

To be fair, I have not personally tested Yes Video. But, based on what I have learned about them, I will not choose them to transfer my family’s home movies and videos. These memories are too precious to me. This is not to say that Yes Video does not offer a legitimate service and follow through on what they promise. They, in fact, do. However, the quality they provide is not satisfactory for me. If you now feel the same way I do about Yes Video and their level of quality, then take a look at this list of VHS to DVD transfer service companies to get a range of services from low to high quality. Just click on the link to get closer to your goal.

Continue reading »]]> If you are preparing for the enormous challenge of transferring your home movies and VHS to DVD, Blu-ray, or some other digital format, you have no doubt started to feel more than a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information, the number of choices, and the various methods you might use to achieve your goal. In fact, you may be feeling like you need a little help.

How Can Dr. DVD Help You?

I am Marty Holthaus and this website is going to help you outline the pros and cons of various methods and decide which direction to take. I have spent more than ten years coordinating visual effects for over twenty Hollywood movies, including Superman Returns and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. So, take it from me, a film and video expert – as well as a father with lots of old home movies and videos – transferring VHS to DVD does not have to be rocket science. In fact, it can be as easy as you want it to be.

VHS To DVD Conversion – As Easy As 1 – 2 – 3

To choose which methods you will use to convert VHS to DVD you first need to grasp the basic concepts and try your best to ignore all of the secondary details that are flying at you from all directions. There will be plenty of time to deal with these details after you choose the overall path to digital conversion that is right for you.

Here are the three basic stages to almost any transfer from VHS to DVD or film to digital:

1. Get a device that will play or project your film or video.
2. Connect that player or projector to a computer or another digital device to convert the footage to digital.
3. Lastly, copy the digital data to a medium that can be played by a device like a DVD player or a Blu-ray player.

Time And Money – The Obstacles Between You And Your Digital Dreams?

The only real obstacles stopping you from converting VHS to DVD are time and money. After all, aren’t these the only real obstacles to anything in life? For this reason, I encourage you to use this information to determine what method best suits your unique set of circumstances – and then begin. I will offer you all kinds of hardware and software choices, but the most important thing you need to remember is to take action. The method you choose is less important than your personal commitment to your family memories. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Continue reading »]]> If you have been looking around your local community wondering, “Where can I convert VHS to DVD?” then, most likely, you have been left feeling more than a little frustrated. Finding a transfer VHS to DVD store isn’t like finding a grocery store or a gas station. And it isn’t as if there are dozens of VHS to DVD franchises advertising and promoting their brand through radio and television, either. In fact, if you went around asking people you know where you could find a store that converts VHS to DVD, it would probably take you quite awhile before you found someone with the right answer. The truth is, the stores that convert VHS to DVD are not that hard to find. By the end of this article, you will no longer have to wonder, “Where can I go to convert VHS to DVD?”

Stores That Transfer VHS To DVD Are Right Under Our Nose

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whether you know it or not, there are probably several converting VHS to DVD stores right near you. As a matter of fact, there are so many stores that provide VHS to DVD conversion services that these stores have names that you will instantly recognize. You may be surprised to learn that these services are available to you through these familiar stores. Although video memories may not be the service these stores are known for and the actual digital transfers do not actually happen on store property – these stores do, in fact, offer convenient digital transfer services for people like you and me.

Places That Convert VHS To DVD – To Name Just A Few

Luckily, you are not the only person with the question, “Where can I get a VHS converted to DVD?” There are a lot of other people looking for where to go to convert VHS to DVD as well. One of the places I first learned where to transfer VHS to DVD was Costco, the national “members only” warehouse. With over four hundred locations in the United States, it is easy to find a Costco. Another big retail store chain that offers a digital transfer service for VHS to DVD is Walmart. In fact, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. also owns Sam’s Club – another national store chain that can resolve all of your questions about how and where to convert VHS to DVD. These three well-known retailers are just several of the largest stores in America offering digital media transfer services. There are plenty of other places that transfer VHS to DVD as well.

Offsite Digital Transfer Services – How They Work

As I mentioned, these big names do not actually do the digital transfer work themselves. In fact, they partner with specialized stores that actually do the digital transfers. The way these three major U.S. retail stores offer digital transfer services to their customers is with the help of an outside company. Each of these large store chains is ready to answer your question about where can you convert VHS to DVD. Here is how it works.

1. You drop off your film and video at the big name store location.
2. The store employee helps you fill out some forms on the types of media you have, the quantities of each, and your preferences.
3. Finally, all of the materials get sent off-site to where the analog to digital transfer equipment is stored and where the work is actually conducted.

Costco, Walmart, and Sam’s Club – Easy and Convenient!

The best part of using a retail store like Costco, Walmart, or Sam’s Club is that they are extremely convenient. All you have to do is bring your old home movies and videos into the store. They do the rest. And, although the quality of their services have limitations, they meet the standards of most consumers. In fact, Costco, Walmart, and Sam’s Club all use the same third party transfer service, Yes Video, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California. To learn more about Yes Video, just click on the link.

So, What’s Next?

So, if you were asking yourself, “What stores convert VHS to DVD?” you now know several places to convert VHS to DVD. In the next post I will discuss more about companies that convert film and VHS to DVD, what they provide, how their services differ, and how you can decide which one is the right one for you. Stay tuned for more exciting information from Dr. DVD Meets Mr. MP4!

Continue reading »]]> MP4, also known as MPEG-4, and sometimes written as .mp4, is a file format, or file container. It was designed to “contain” audio and video. When one is about to convert VHS to DVD, an analog VHS signal gets converted into a digital file like MP4 and then burned to a DVD. Now, in the case of converting VHS to DVD, it is used to preserve the highest level of quality possible before compressing the size of the video to fit on a DVD. However, this is not the only scenario that requires one to burn MP4 to DVD.

MP4 video files can originate from a variety of sources including mobile devices like the iPhone, the iPod, and Blackberry smart phones. In addition, still cameras with video capability utilize MP4. This list would include popular cameras such as the Canon PowerShot A1200, Nikon Coolpix P500, and the Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. And consumer video cameras like the Canon Vixia HF R10, Flip Video Ultra, and the Sony NSC-GC1 use the MP4 file’s older cousin – the MPEG-4. And, if that’s not enough, you can also download MP4 and MPEG-4 video files from the internet. The real question is, once an MP4 file is on your computer, how do you burn it to a DVD so you can watch it with a standard DVD player and television in the comfort of your living room? Can you just insert a blank DVD into your computer’s internal DVD burner and copy the file to the disc? Not exactly. You don’t want to copy MP4 to DVD. Instead, you want to convert MP4 to DVD.

OK. So, how do you convert MP4 to DVD? You do this with computer software. However, finding the right MP4 to DVD converter software is not easy. Just as there are a variety of sources of MP4 files, there are also a variety of methods to convert MP4 to DVD. You can literally find thousands of software on the internet to do this. They all break down into three basic groups.

• MP4 to DVD Converter Software
• Video Editing Software
• DVD Authoring Software

Essentially, software in these three groups will convert, edit, or burn MP4 to DVD. Most of the software will do a little of all three. Some of the software is completely free while some costs hundreds of dollars. Some works on Macs while some works on Windows PCs. For more information, click on the links above to see related posts on this site.

Continue reading »]]>

To convert MP4 to DVD you need the right computer software. With the right converter software, you can watch a converted MP4 video on a large television screen in the comfort of your living room without being confined to a small computer screen.

MP4 to DVD Converter Software

Paid Software

The basic paid converter software on the market is designed to simply convert MP4 files so they can be burned to a standard DVD. Here are the top three programs.

• Aimersoft DVD Creator
• Wondershare DVD Creator
• 4 Media MP4 to DVD Converter

These are considered to be the best three software packages to convert MP4 to DVD for both the Windows and Mac platforms. All three can be downloaded from the internet. All three offer free trials. And all three are at the $40 price point. (The price range for the less robust competition goes as low as $25.)

Free Software

There are a number of software packages that can convert MP4 to DVD that are absolutely free. This kind of software is normally known as ‘shareware’ or ‘freeware.’ When downloading any shareware or freeware, you should always be careful to protect your computer against any viruses that may be included with the software. A reliable shareware site like Softpedia is a good place to look for safe shareware and freeware because Softpedia screens all its software for hidden computer viruses and malware.

Video Editing Software & DVD Authoring Software

You can easily convert MP4 to DVD with an MP4 to DVD converter software mentioned above. However, there are two other kinds of MP4 to DVD software packages that have more bells and whistles included. These two categories of software are usually referred to as:

• Video Editing Software
• DVD Authoring Software

These more advanced software programs tend to be more expensive than the basic MP4 to DVD converter. In addition to converting MP4 to DVD, they can also remove unwanted scenes, add titles and transitions, and make your DVD look much more professional by adding menus with chapter listings. Video editing software is good for when you have a number of small video clips that you want to string together into a larger movie – as in a home movie collection taken with a variety of camera formats. DVD authoring software is good for people who want to quickly and easily find their favorite scenes and also impress their audience with a top-notch Hollywood-style presentation. To learn how to burn MP4 to DVD with these more advanced software packages, click on one of the links above.

Continue reading »]]> There are a number of ways to burn MP4 to DVD. It all depends on how serious you are about your home theatre experience. If you want something simple and easy, you can convert MP4 to DVD with basic converter software. The best converters usually also combine some digital editing and DVD authoring functionality as well. However, for the most part, an MP4 to DVD converter is designed to simply convert from one file format to another and then burn that converted video to a DVD. DVD authoring software goes well beyond that.

If you want your DVD to look more polished, you will need DVD authoring software and a DVD disc burner. When you buy a new PC desktop or iMac, for instance, your new computer usually comes with an internal DVD burner. Many new computers will also have DVD authoring software built in as well. In some cases, however, you may need to purchase DVD authoring software and an external burner when you are preparing to burn MP4 to DVD.

DVD Authoring Software

DVD authoring is the method where specialized software creates a DVD that can be played on a standard DVD player. You cannot just “copy and paste” or “drag and drop” a video from your computer to a DVD and then insert it into your DVD player. All of the following DVD authoring software choices can burn MP4 to DVD or MPEG-4 to DVD. Many of them can also burn AVI to DVD as well. These programs are the best for burning a DVD with either a Mac or Windows operating system. Each program can create menus and chapters but only the PC software packages include video editing features. The Mac software requires timeline editing to be done with Apple’s free iMovie video editing software first. This software comes with your Mac when you buy it but newer versions can be purchased on the Mac “App Store” from your Mac.

MAC

Apple iDVD (Free with your Mac; $15 for upgrades)

Express Burn Plus ($40)

Roxio Toast 11 Titanium ($100)

WINDOWS

Sony DVD Architect Studio ($40)

Womble EasyDVD ($50)

Roxio Video Lab HD ($70)

The best part of using DVD authoring software to burn MP4 to DVD is that it makes your DVD look much more professional than a simple MP4 to DVD converter. Authoring software comes with templates to help you customize your DVD presentation, chapter headings to make favorite scenes more accessible, and animated titles to help entertain your audience.

Continue reading »]]> There are three software packages that are usually at the top of any list of reliable MP4 to DVD converter software packages. All three work on both Mac and PC systems. All three not only convert one video file format to another but they also burn that converted video to DVD. You just need to make sure that you download the software that is correct for your specific operating system, as there is a different download for Macs and Windows systems. Here are some details about these top three software packages. To get more info about the software and order it from the manufacturer, just click on the link. Each software package is roughly similar in what it delivers and each one has a price that ranges between $40 and $55. Remember, you will need one of the best DVD burners you can afford, because you are going to be burning a lot of DVDs. Your DVD burner can be either an internal burner or an external burner.

Aimersoft DVD Creator for PC and Video Converter For Mac

PC Version – $40

• Windows (NT4/2000/2003/XP/Windows/Vista/Windows 7)
• 750MHz Intel or AMD CPU (or better)
• 256 MB of RAM (or more)
• 100 MB (or more) of free disk space

Mac Video Converter Ultimate – $55

• Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
• 1GHz Intel processor
• 512MB of RAM (or more)
• 1024×768 resolution display

Features:

• File Formats: Supports the input of standard and HD file formats including: MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, VOB, ASF, FLV, MPG, MPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 – plus more.
• Basic Video Editing Tools to remove extraneous scenes, add simple transitions, and add effects and background music.
• DVD Formats: You can author and burn your video projects to a variety of DVD formats with DVD-5 (standard) and DVD-9 (dual layer burner, also known as double layer DVD).
• Photo Slideshows: Create and edit photo slideshows.
• Free Trial: A free trial or the full version of the software can easily be downloaded from the website.

Wondershare DVD Creator

PC Version – $40

• System Requirements: Windows 2003/XP/Vista/ Windows 7
• Disk speed, RAM, and disk space suggestions were not offered on the Wondershare website but, when working with video, it is advised to have an adequate amount of RAM and disk space available and a computer processor with the fastest speed possible.

MAC Version – $40

• Mac OS X 10.5 or later
• Disk speed, RAM, and disk space suggestions were not offered on the Wondershare website. See note above under the PC version for more information about recommendations for working with video.

Features:

• File Formats: Convert a number of file formats to DVD including: MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, MPG, MPEG, plus more.
• Basic Video Editing Tools to remove extraneous scenes, add visual transitions like fade-ins and fade-outs, and add effects and background music.
• Preview functionality lets you see what your DVD will look like before you burn it to DVD.
• DVD Formats: You can author and burn to a variety of DVD formats including DVD-5 and DVD-9.
• Photo Slideshows: Add a slideshow to your video project or make a separate photo slideshow.
• Free Trial: You can download either a free trial or the full version of the software.
• Free Lifetime Tech Support!

4 Media MP4 DVD Converter

PC Version – $40

• Windows XP (SP2 or later)/Windows Vista/Windows 7
• 1GHz Intel/AMD processor (or above)
• 512MB RAM (or more)
• 80MB (or more) free hard disk space for installation
• 10GB (or more) free hard disk space – for temporary files
• Super VGA graphics card (800×600) resolution
• 16-bit graphics card (or higher)

Mac Version – 4 Media MP4 to DVD Converter – $50

• Intel processor
• Mac OS X 10.5 or OS X 10.6
• 512MB RAM (or more)
• 150MB (or more) free disk space for installation
• 10GB (or more) free hard disk space - for temporary files
• Super VGA graphics card (800×600) resolution
• 16-bit graphics card (or higher)

Features:

• File Formats: Convert a number of file formats to DVD including: MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, MPG, MPEG, and more.
• Basic Video Editing like trimming and cutting frames, inserting visual transitions, and adding special effects and background music.
• Preview functionality lets you see what your DVD will look like before you burn it to DVD.
• DVD Formats: You can author and burn to a variety of DVD formats including DVD-5 and DVD-9.
• Free Trial: You don’t have to commit to the full price of the software without trying the free trial first.

These three basic software video converter packages can successfully convert your video files and burn them to DVD. Each one has minimal video editing tools and a DVD authoring functionality built in as well. If you are looking for an MP4 to DVD converter that has a more specialized video editing software to edit your video or you want more DVD authoring options than this group of software to burn MP4 to DVD, then just click on these links.

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When most people decide to transfer VHS to DVD, they think of hiring one of those professional transfer VHS to DVD service companies to do the work. This will usually produce better results with fewer headaches than converting VHS to DVD on your own. Professional companies usually have better equipment with which to transfer VHS to computer. And a digital transfer company’s experienced staff can make your home movies and videos look better in less time.

Most digital transfer companies can transfer any kind of analog film or video to digital. A company may have a standardized rate sheet but will often try to be flexible and offer a customized selection of services to suit the individual. The average customer will collect all of his or her home movies (film and video), ship it to the digital transfer house, and then have the transfer house convert the entire lot to a digital media such as DVD or Blu-ray.

Some customers want to edit their home movies after they convert VHS to DVD or 8mm film to DVD. To accommodate these customers, some companies will provide in-house editing services at an extra charge. Other companies will offer to deliver a customer’s digital movies as uncompressed digital files – such as AVI or MP4. These file formats are copied to an external disc drive or data DVD, which is then delivered to the customer who then imports the digital files into their editing software program for digital editing on their home computer.

Uncompressed files like AVI and MP4 can retain most of the image detail from the analog original. Compressed files, on the other hand, remove a lot of detail in order to save space. When you directly transfer VHS to DVD or 8mm to DVD, the resolution is much lower. Uncompressed file formats can be fully experienced when played back on a computer but when you directly burn AVI to DVD or MP4 to DVD you “dumb down” the resolution to accommodate the limitations of the standard DVD format and your DVD player.

Here is a list of the most popular and reliable digital transfer companies. All of the companies listed are highly rated by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). A few only offer an 8mm film to DVD transfer that is so advanced that the technology rivals that used to convert Hollywood feature films to digital for theatrical release.

Digital Transfer Service

Northbrook, IL; 866-733-5383

DVD Your Memories

San Diego, CA; 858-503-7965

Home Movie Depot

Ashland, MO; 866-386-6843

MyMovieTransfer.com (8mm film to DVD only)

Pittsburgh, PA; 800-865-7172

Pro 8 MM (mostly 8mm film to DVD)

Burbank, CA; 818-848-5522

Video Conversion Experts

Chandler, AZ; 800-575-6202

Yes Video

Santa Clara, CA; 877-817-5375