This television can pass when talking about TV qualities but its very high price is not that reasonable. Mitsubishi LT-46244 holds a number of average qualities that deserve a discounted price. It’s not an awful appliance so the price $2500 is truly expensive.

For our judges’ verdict this television’s image quality deserves a good review since it ranked fourth place from among 46-47 inch HDTV sets which have been tested, and it got a 3.6 points difference from the outstanding score of Samsung LN46A550. The price of this TV is really a big deal though since it can already buy two Samsung television sets.

But the flaws are visible when it comes to color, it produces low quality images but it is still better than LG 47LBX Opus though. The wavy or unstable pattern as seen in Vatican Wall of the movie Mission Impossible 3 appeared too bluish. This was described by the judges as excess brightness and blurriness.

It gathers a good review when it comes to the appearance of the menu as shown on the screen with added icons. But it is still flawed. For instance when you adjust video setting the menu disappears instantly so it takes a long time to change something about the menu again.

LT-46244 can be spin which is a convenient feature since you can see the rear parts of the TV without too much effort. This is handy in the part of the user especially when you are accessing inputs of the television which are difficult to run and use. Another nice feature it has is: the USB port for picture slide presentation and a power-saving option.

Also, the LT-46244 integrated speakers are dreadful. A simple sound coming from it was unclear. For very expensive price, it should perform better than that.

But it also has a good quality: the set’s documentation. It provides a fast set-up manual where you can start learning from the simple things to complicated ones which are all explained in plain and clear English.

Some excellent features in the Mitsubishi LT-46244 is XVColor, a recent technology that allows your new TV to show a lot more color than an old analog could ever hope to present. This feature will make the most of your high definition.

The Tru1080p is another great feature that works to make sure that your signal is showing the highest and best definition that it can at all times. As you are watching TV, the signal from the broadcasting network will flow through your lines without the need of conversions that can slow and freeze your image.

The one unique product of the Mitsubishi LT-46244 are the color schemes and options. There is a wide variety and selection of ways that you can adjust the images on screen to make sure that every object is colored to your own unique perfection.

A color 4D video option reduces noise to prevent fuzzy pictures and lines. An advanced filter will leave the screen crystal clear, while the perfect color option will allow you to adjust multiple colors individually. The full colors can each be adjusted to create unique image and color blends that are perfect for each consumer.

This LT-46244 would be sold reasonably at $1600 but with its original $2500, it’s just too much for a gadget that is less than perfect.

 

In the past it used to be a cumbersome problem when you wanted to shoot with video equipment, the equipment was big and bulky and very expensive, there was no digital edited it was all done by analog edited, which when done you would loose the quality after each generation of copying the film. Digital revolution paved the way for film editing, it is highly flexible, the technology allows digital editing to create wondrous special effects, there is no loss of quality or the damaging effect of the original footage.

When the film is shot the footage which is called the initial footage is transferred to broadcast quality tape, it is then edited and give to the customer as a draft copy.

Videos are produced for fun and other videos are produced for commercial purposes, like advertisements, movies and music vids. When we are talking about a music video we are talking about a video clip which has music and give a visual interpretation of the song. Though music videos made specifically for television first appeared in the 1950s, the strong association between music and the video presentation of it started in the 1980s, with the launch of cable channels like MTV. A good producer will be able to choose the right music for your production.

With the advances in technologies in video equipment and the production sets it has given rise to many new film makers and has made it possible for many more people to get into this field and become a directory overnight and help their career move in a positive direction. The process of video production differs from one company to the next, there are certain procedures and stages that video production takes on. The actual place where filming takes place is the production stage, the pre-production stage can have a huge effect with the entire process of the video and film production.

Video production companies are firms that are engaged in the commercial production of video. In the post-production stage, video production companies are engaged in editing and duplication. Trade show videos suit companies that have complicated products where people need to see to see how it works and in what situations.

Before a production company films the must take into account and calculate how long or how many days the filming will require, the reason for this is because they need to calculate the cost to create a budget. Many time people are looking for companies that can do everything from A-Z, but many companies cannot offer this, there are only a handful of companies that have this capability.

It may be possible to schedule some quick media training or suggest other ways to enhance their performance. Schools offer programs that introduce students to the world of digital video or media productions and the commercial technology on how to do this, the school helps the students create their vision for filming, animation, interactive tools or audio. When attending a video or media school they have the ability to provide environments for recording, creating and producing music.

 

The LG 47LBX Opus LCD HDTV comes equipped with a stand, which allows it to swivel and its use of music coming from the USB along with its photo capabilities are not really enough to offset the 47LBX HDTV’s inferior image quality capabilities. The overall casing of the Opus is beautiful but when it comes to actually using this gadget, you will be disappointed as it has little to offer the average buyer.

This 47LBX LCD HDTV model from LG should rightfully be skipped if you’re intending to get really good images. And, really, who isn’t after getting really good images from one’s HDTV set. With the nine High Definition TV sets that we had reviewed last April 2008, the 47LBX Opus had gotten into eighth place when it came to displaying overall image quality.

When it came to the picture’s details and the quality for brightness and contrasts, the HDTV set could only be considered fair. It was quite clear that it was able to display color quite expertly enough. However, a bad aspect was that it also made the flesh tones for Caucasians display a rather reddish tint. Depending on what you happen to be watching at the time, the color fluctuates and will eventually distract you from your television shows.

However, the sound capabilities for the 47LBX Opus were quite remarkable when you consider that sound is necessary for a TV audio system. To make movie soundtracks as good as they should be, you would still need to use a distinct amplifier as well as employ some speakers.

The subtle sound effects as well as the spoken words for the beginning scene of Phantom of the Opera were heard quite distinctly enough. The high volume organ blast, though, had a hard time passing through the speaker quite well. You have to find a perfect volume setting, and if you turn it up to much the sound will come out muffled.

Some good accompaniments to the 47LBX coming from LG include a port using USB capabilities that allows you to look at your own photos as well as play your own music. The LG 47LBX HDTV also has the ability to rotate on its stand. This allows you to view the screen from a variety of angles.

This feature of the HDTV set also allows you to readily gain access to the HDTV set’s back. The input ports that can be found on the back of the set are oriented outwards; this allows for more convenient use. Most of the HDTV’s are not extremely heavy but it can be daunting to pull out and turn the entire TV when you want to plug in audio and video wires or to connect portable electronics.

The LG 47LBX’s accompanying remote control is also quite acceptable. This remote control, however, comes without any backlighting features. The grip for the remote control is something that is also comfortable enough for the user. The main buttons are also placed where they should be and are considered to be quite easy to find.

Some specialized buttons for the control of the backlight of the LCD also exist; these are the ‘Bright+’ and the ‘Bright’ buttons. Due to SimpLink which is the LG version of the HDMI Consumer Electronics or CEC channel, the remote control can be used for other gadgets that make use of the SimpLink system. This comes all without need for any specialized programming.

Menus of the LG 47LBX HDTV are displayed quite attractively. These are clear and have high readability and the menus function exactly as how they are expected to function. The manual that comes along with the TV is quite thin and is in thirty-two pages. It is a sort of Reader’s Digest simplification of the whole manual. The whole manual is something that is inside the CD that comes along with the TV and this manual is read in the PDF format.

Taken as a whole, the LG 47LBX HDTV set’s high price as well as the not too impressive visual capabilities of the TV set make buying the product not quite an attractive choice.

 

Once again, there is a technology format war looming on the horizon. Many people don’t remember the VHS – Betamax battle that broke out when video players were first introduced, making it possible for people to watch movies at home. This was a case of two non-compatible technologies, each of which was a format for taping full length feature films. Ultimately VHS won out, and the movie companies put out their products in that format – thus dooming Betamax and the product manufacturers that had adopted their technology, not to mention the thousands of consumers that had invested in Betamax players. We now find ourselves on the verge of creating a new set of sore losers.

Skirmishes over LCD versus plasma screen HD TV technology are ongoing, but that type of technology contest isn’t as acute because you can watch TV or a movie on either type of screen. Currently, you can also play every DVD available on any DVD player that is in production and on the market. The next generation of DVD players, however, is coming over the horizon in the form of two distinct and incompatible technologies.

Toshiba versus Sony

Toshiba has developed a proprietary technology dubbed high definition DVD (HDDVD) and to support their format has developed alliances with Microsoft and Universal Films, among others. The HDDVD disks will be available in 15GB and two sided, 30GB versions.

By way of comparison, the current DVDs have enough storage for two hours of standard definition (SD) images, while the one-sided 15 gigabyte HDDVD disk can store up to eight hours of high definition (HD) images. The difference between SD and HD is simply twice the number of pixel lines displayed on the screen in the HD format, thus providing a crisper picture. The increased capacity of these disks will also allow for interactive features such as screen-in-screen director’s discussion of movie scenes playing behind him that today’s standard DVDs cannot support.

In the other corner is the Blu-Ray technology developed by Sony, who has lined up support from Apple, Disney and 20th Century Fox. Both formats use blue laser technology, which has a shorter wavelength than red, allowing it to read the smaller digital data “spots” packed a lot more densely onto a standard-size disc. Blu-Ray disks are designed to carry up to 50GB of digital material, which may mean that Sony wins the compression competition.

The Early Rounds

Sony Pictures released the first six films on Blu-Ray disks in June of this year, and have released a few more since. Samsung has a Blu-Ray DVD player in the stores, while Sony’s hardware division has released a Blu-Ray compatible PC. Toshiba has its initial HDDVD player on the market and there are a limited number of titles available in the format, mostly re-releases of previous first-run features.

Sony clearly jumped out to an early lead, with support from Dell, HP, Mitsubishi and a number of other hardware manufacturers. In addition, Sony Pictures also owns Columbia and MGM, giving them an enormous library to work with. Sony will also fold its technology into the PlayStation 3 gaming machine, their proprietary product whose 2nd version rules the roost in the videogame market.

On the Toshiba side of the battlefield, proponents argue that the HDDVD disks will be cheaper to produce and that it will be comparatively easy for disk replicators to retrofit their equipment for production purposes. The HDDVD format also makes production of recordable DVDs much simpler than with the Blu-Ray design.

Further, an alliance with Microsoft will be a formidable edge in this battle, should it turn into a protracted conflict. Microsoft’s operating systems are going to be important cogs in the development of future home viewing systems, as the technology moves closer to merging the functions of computers and televisions. If movie downloads become a commercial success, PC compatibility will be critical for these disks.

The Consumer Issues

One of the reasons that Microsoft aligned with Toshiba’s technology is that HDDVD provides for “mandatory managed copy.” What that means is that unlike with today’s conventional DVDs, managed copy allows consumers to make legitimate copies of their HD movies and enjoy this content around the home or across their personal networks. Making this feature mandatory will ensure a consistent consumer experience across all next-generation DVD content.

Then there is the element of iHD, which is the concept of maximizing high definition video for transport across the internet. This is a specific set of video specs which the iHD.org, a group of tech and media companies, is pushing as a cross-platform standard.

The theory is that next-generation HD movies will provide a level of interactive experience well beyond that of today’s conventional DVDs. iHD technology is meant to provide a broad foundation to enable new interactivity with standards-based development tools and technologies.

The pitch for this standard is that it will provide consumers with enhanced content, navigation and functionality for HD films. The business reality is that Microsoft plans to implement iHD support in its Windows Vista operating system, which will not only be a significant step towards integrated video and computer systems but will make help drive adoption of the new Microsoft platform.

Duel to the Death Unlikely

There is some indication that all of these conflicting issues may ultimately force a compromise – some sort of merger or unification of the two technologies. Hardware manufacturers are hedging their bets, with the latest wrinkle being that Blu-Ray-aligned Hewlett Packard has requested that mandatory managed copy and the iHD standard be included in Blu-Ray’s feature set. Sony has agreed to include the managed copy feature, but said no to iHD.

The Betamax – VHS battle was a tussle over hardware with the movie companies playing a predominant role, one Sony lost. This time around, there is much more uncertainty about how the next generation of home video will roll out. How will the Web and the PC fit in? Will the movies be delivered via disk or via download? How will the film industry protect its content rights and how can the hardware companies maximize their role?

PCs have become a commodity. If a scenario arises where every household needs a new computer to match up with new video technology, the Dells and HPs of this world stand to win big. If competing technology keeps people from investing in either, every involved business will suffer. If the film and DVD houses have to produce two sets of content and two disks for every film, their margins will grow considerably thinner as well. The tech bloggers seem to be increasingly inclined to believe that unification of some sort is inevitable. The corporations with the most to lose are too smart not to insist on it.

 

The world of television is full of ratings, drama and entertainment but in order to get those ratings it is required that the entertainment be at a suitable level. Many people have heard for years that American Idol is the top rated show on television and in simple terms this just means that more people are tuning in to watch than any other show on television. This means that the impact of the show doing poorly is honestly quite small in the overall scheme of things, but still requires some attention.

For years the hit show has commanded the top spot for ratings and combined with the pricy $700,000 ads for a mere 30 seconds has been one of the most profitable and popular shows on television. Now at the conclusion of season 7 there is a significant drop in the ratings and many people are sitting around and asking exactly why the ratings are plunging and what can be done to change them. In order to really understand how the ratings are being effected it should first be pointed out the American Idol has really enjoyed the top spot for years with very little competition.

For the 2008 season which was the most recent season 7 the lowest ratings that have been reported was a paltry 21.25 million. This is still enormous but in terms to the opening show of the season on January 15 at 33.24 million viewers it is a substantial drop. Watching as the ratings fall people are starting to wonder exactly where everyone is going, why is there no emotional attachment that is encouraging viewers to watch. The answer is not simple, but there are several reasons why the viewership is down.

For the majority of shows the ratings are significantly lower, but American Idol in all of its infinite glory has captured the title as the most popular show on television. The problems lately have occurred due to several problems. With the writers’ strike that has caused numerous problems for other television shows many people started looking to new locations for entertainment. This combined with many people feeling as if the newest season of American Idol was a fix due to the large number of seasoned professionals competing caused many people to abandon the show early on.

The show overall has still enjoyed a rather significant run as the top champion and the changes that are occurring in the ratings may seem substantial but in reality all it spells is that more people are looking to new shows for entertainment. Those who love the show have absolutely nothing to worry about since the ratings are still enormous; the only worry is that Fox may have to adjust the prices that they charge for advertising. In terms of still giving viewers plenty of entertainment the show still to this day delivers and for the one lucky finalist to emerge as the American Idol of the year there is the guarantee of receiving a vehicle from Ford, plus a recording contract and a change to have a huge music career.

Getting past all of the negative influences that are trying to say that the show is going under leaves people with plenty of reasons to tune in next year. But with the ratings falling to a level that has not been seen since season 2, it is no doubt that the producers of the show will sit around trying to organize some new ways to shake up the industry in the attempt to bring all of the viewers back. How successful the measures will be is still yet to be seen, however it is sure to be some pleasing changes that will leave thousands more auditioning to be part of the biggest show on television. Searching for the next American Idol each year is often a thrilling time of year, and watching as someone goes from the small audition to the large star at the finale is always a true experience.

 

Corporations and government agencies have used Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) to monitor building exteriors and interiors, and control traffic, for many years. Most of us have seen cameras mounted high on the corner of company buildings, affixed high on a parking lot light pole, and even attached to traffic lights. With these devices security and law enforcement are able to observe, record, and quickly respond to any odd activity viewed on a security monitor.

Closed circuit systems have been a surveillance tool used not only by law enforcement, the military, and corporations but is becoming the first line of protection for homeowners. Cameras, strategically placed around home, can project any outside activity to monitors inside the home. Closed Circuit Television’s are capable of broadcasting surveillance into a network. With such a system the property owner is able to observe activity on their personal monitor, call for help, and have cops on the scene before an intruder realizes what’s going on.

Closed Circuit Television is a method of home security utilizing a camera or system of cameras to monitor activity around a perimeter of a property. Depending on the degree of protection desired, Closed Circuit Television systems can communicate with other property protection such as alarms. Many alarm systems are designed to trigger the camera to begin recording and continue recording until the alarm is disarmed.

Earlier Closed Circuit Television models were relatively expensive and purchased primarily by government agencies and corporations. But, as a result of new technology, these systems have become more affordable for the homeowner and small business owner.

Technological developments of Closed Circuit Television systems have made it possible for small business owners and homeowners to monitor their property, possessions, and employees remotely, and in real time, from another location. The homeowner can access the server controlling their home camera system, for example, and monitor all activity in their home from their office.

Other advances in Closed Circuit Television technology are infrared night vision and Passive Infrared motion detection capabilities. Another development is Pan Tilt Zoom camera systems, which are capable of rotating both horizontally and vertically, and can zoom in on a specific area on a property. Current models can even connect to the USB port of personal computers, allowing the homeowner to produce and save digital images of property activity.

Closed Circuit Television systems can also record activity. This is helpful visual evidence for law enforcement and juries. In one instance, law enforcement was able to quickly apprehend a kidnapper and convict him because a store Closed Circuit Television system had recorded the kidnap. Moreover, Closed Circuit Television systems do deter people from stealing. Seeing cameras on a property will make a thief think twice about breaking into a building.

Studies have shown that after 24 months of using a Closed Circuit Television crime rates have reduced by twenty one percent when compared to twenty-four months earlier to the introducing the Closed Circuit Television systems. Though use of Closed Circuit Television systems has reduced crime rates in the location that they have been used, it has been criticized for causing a potential displacement effect. In other words, the crimes that could have taken place have just moved to another location or are committed at a different time.

Computer and video games are a favorite pastime among people of all ages, especially kids. But many of the video games of today are quite different from classics like “Pac-Man” and “Asteroid.” The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which assigns video game content ratings, offers the following tips for parents to help them choose the games they consider appropriate for their families, as well as to be prepared for the realities of playing games online.

* Check the ESRB ratings for each game you purchase. The rating symbol on the front of the package indicates age appropriateness, and content descriptors on the back provide additional information about game content that may be of interest or concern.

* Talk to other parents and older children about their own experiences with video games.

* Monitor your child’s video game play, just as you would with TV, movies and the Internet.

* Exercise caution with online-enabled games. Some games let users play online with other players, and can contain live chat features or other user-generated content that may not be reflected in the ESRB rating. Many of these games carry the warning: “Game Experience May Change During Online Play.” Newer game consoles offer the ability to disable the online game play feature as part of parental control settings.

* Be aware that most PC games can be altered by downloading “mods” on the Internet, which are created by other players and can change or add to the content in a game that may be inconsistent with the rating assigned.

* Learn about and use parental controls. Newer video game console and handheld hardware devices let parents limit the content their children can access. By activating parental controls, you can ensure that your kids play only games that carry ratings you deem appropriate.

* Consider your child’s unique personality and abilities. Nobody knows your child better than you do; consider that knowledge when selecting computer and video games.

* Play computer and video games with your children. This is not only a good way to have fun together, but also to get to know which games your child finds interesting and exciting, and why.

* Read more than the ratings. Game reviews, trailers and “demos” that let you sample games are available online and in game enthusiast magazines, and can provide additional detail about game content.

 

Drawing a line between what is right and what is wrong is the responsibility by parents to their children. This also goes with what type of movies and television shows the children should watch and what are not. But more importantly, the responsibility of choosing the right kids games solely relies to the parents. Since kids would want to play, play, and play some more, providing them with toys and kids gadgets are essential. And while studies suggest children who play more are healthier than those who do not, it does not give children the freedom to play any type of game they like.

As we live in the digital world, children are introduced with video consoles that would probably eat more of their time than their studies do. And protecting them from unfit games at their age becomes more difficult than before. And to make sure you provide them with the right kids games, consulting the ESRB should be help you decide.

To know the type of video games that are proper for your child, consulting the ESRB rating is a wise choice. You can see the ESRD rating printed at every video game covers. Knowing the meaning of every initial is essential.

There are 7 ratings assigned by the ESRD or the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. Here are those:

EC or Early Children. The games with this rating are suitable for children age 3 years and below to play. Such games have no content that could be dangerous to a developing child.

E or Everyone. Everyone here means the age bracket of 6 years and above. The type of games with this rating contains minimal violence with occasional use of mild language.

E10+ or Everyone 10 years and older. Games with this rating are suggested for children 10 years and older and contain cartoon, mild violence or fantasy, and use of mild language.

T or Teen. For children 13 years and older do T rated games are suited. These types of games involve more violence, minimal blood, use of strong words, and crude humor.

M or Mature. Games with these rating are suited for ages 17 years old and up. Mature games are not for kids for it have graphic display of violence, sexual content, blood and gore, and use of strong language.

AO or Adults Only. Games with this rating should not be played by kids. It is intended for adult players for it displays frequent blood and gore, violence, use of strong words, and graphic display of sexual content including nudity.

RP or Rated Pending. This rating is given to games waiting for final rating.

Kids games should only limit to video games with EC, E, and perhaps E10+ ratings. Any games without these ratings should be avoided. If you have games you think inappropriate to their age, put it in areas where they cannot access it. Playing the right games for kids must be imposed at all times. This will ensure that they get the right games with respect to their age.

Kids games let your children enjoy their playing time at the same time providing them with entertainment and venue for learning. And with kids games around, you are secured to leave them in front of their consoles alone without worrying so much of the content of the games.

 

The Apple iPhone and AT&T, is exclusivity a good thing? The answer to the question depends on what side of the market you fall. If you are a consumer, exclusive agreements are rarely a good thing. On the other hand, if you are a retailer or provider of services, exclusive contracts can help increase profitability and market share. Here is a discussion of both sides of this coin.

Apple entered into an agreement with AT&T so that AT&T is the official and exclusive provider of cell phone service for Apple’s highly coveted iPhone. If you happen to be Apple or AT&T this is a great thing. Apple makes money off of the sale of every iPhone and it collects royalties from AT&T for every cell phone contract sold to an iPhone user. Not a bad deal for Apple. AT&T profits because in theory every Apple iPhone sold will have to activate an AT&T cell phone agreement. Nice piece of the cell phone service pie for AT&T. As far as these two companies go, there is a lot of money to be made from this agreement. Furthermore, it saves Apple the hassle of having to make different phones or different SIM cards for all of the major cell phone service providers. From the perspective of Apple and AT&T this is a great arrangement. However, this agreement of the Apple iPhone and AT&T has opened up the door to a massive hacking movement. I am not sure that this is such a bad thing for Apple, although they claim different. Owning and using an unlocked phone is a status symbol in itself. A way of “sticking it” to corporate America. Apple may just be selling more phones because of this. It is free and effective advertising resulting in sales for Apple. I’m sure AT&T does not appreciate the hacking, as they have nothing to gain from it. This is the corporate end of the Apple iPhone and AT&T equation.

What does the exclusive agreement with the Apple iPhone and AT&T mean to the consumer? It means that there is a limited way of acquiring this phone. If you already have a relationship with a cell phone service provider other than AT&T and do not wish to change, then owning an iPhone is going to be difficult. What if you love the iPhone’s music and content features but do not want to use it as a cell phone. The Apple iPod does not offer internet access. One of the main selling points of the iPhone is internet abilities and music functionality. If you love MP3′s, videos, TV shows, and movies then the iPhone is a dream come true. However as soon as you go to open up your iTunes account and plug your phone into your computer you will be asked to sign up for AT&T’s cell phone service with your credit card. If you do not pass their credit check or if you do not want to use AT&T this limits you and actually excludes you from using the iPhone. In this scenario the Apple iPhone and AT&T agreement is bad for consumers because it limits free and open competition in the marketplace. AT&T has no incentive to offer any deals on cell phone service to iPhone customers.

However, no one likes to be excluded not even once. Stating you have an exclusive agreement is an open invitation to every hacker on earth to prove your agreement is not exclusive and they will find a work around. This is exactly what has happened and in this case the consumer may have a partial victory. There are free unlocks available for your iPhone on YouTube for versions of their firmware up to 1.1.3. There are software programs available for under $100 that will unlock your iPhone in seconds, with just a few clicks. An unlocked phone will work with T-Mobile and AT&T in the US or on any other standard GSM cell phone network. All you will need ids the correct SIM card. In addition, with the unlocks available, you do not have to use the cell phone service at all. You will still be able to download content to your phone either via your computer or via WiFi. Furthermore, you can get Skype VOIP service for your iPhone and get around the whole cell phone issue entirely. This is how the Apple iPhone and AT&T agreement has ended up. It looks like in the long run AT&T could be the loser.

 

When preserving your favorite movies or memories, the standard used to be VHS video tapes. But with the advancement of DVD technology, the advantages of DVDs proved to outweigh those of VCR tapes. Video tapes can wear out over time, becoming bent, damaged or dirty. The cassette casings are vulnerable to damage as well, rendering the tape inside useless. Storage is easier with DVDs since they take up less space than videos. Not to mention the quality of picture and sound is higher on DVDs.

So the question becomes, how do I convert my video tapes to DVDs in order to preserve them for my future enjoyment? There are several options. First, you could use a VHS to DVD conversion service that will do the transfer for you. However, if you have a great deal of videos to convert, over time you’ll save money by doing the conversions yourself in the convenience of your home.

The computer savvy among us will use their computer to transfer their videos to DVD. It requires copying the video to a digital file on the computer using an analog converter. The file gets compressed into MPEG-2 format before being burned onto a DVD. This method takes some time, but it does allow you to make changes to the video, like special effects or music, before you burn it to the DVD. Depending on the burning software that you use, you might be able to add a menu or other special features. However, the process can be quite slow because you have to transfer the file twice: first from the video to the computer and then again from the computer to the DVD.

So in order to save time and effort, you can copy the tapes to a DVD without the use of a computer. There are two ways to do this:

• The first involves buying a DVD recorder that allows input from another source. You simply connect your VCR by cable to the DVD recorder. Then while the video plays, it is also recording. If you choose this option, consider purchasing a video processor called a proc amp or a time base corrector. These devices stabilize and improve the quality of the analog video as it is fed to the DVD recorder and can greatly improve the resulting images that you get on the DVD.
• The second option is to purchase a combination DVD/VCR recorder. It does the same thing as the previous option without needing to connect any cables. If you are planning to copy a lot of videos, it is worth your time and effort to find out what kind of processing the machine does to the analog signal from the video tape before it converts it to the digital signal that gets recorded in DVD format. You want the best possible result that you can get.

If you do the conversion yourself, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure you capture the video appropriately. Make sure that you have cleaned the heads of the VCR between copying videos. Old tapes carry a lot of dust or other particles that can clog up your VCR. And since you are copying directly from the video to the DVD, whatever picture quality issues you have with the video will appear on the DVD. Understand that if you have videos which are recorded at SLP (6 hours of video on a tape) you will not get the same quality of recording onto a DVD as if the video was recorded at SP (2 hours of video on a tape). If you find the quality is not acceptable for you, consider changing your method of converting videos to DVD. However, for many people, the time and energy saved in converting the videos on their own will outweigh any concerns over video quality.