How to Save and Easily Share Generations of Memories

VHS and camcorder tapes were once a suitable way to capture life's special moments, but an imperfect way to store them. Over time, home videotapes degrade and deteriorate with each viewing. Protect your family memories by digitizing your old media with video conversion.

Step 1
Understand the Benefits of Conversion

Transferring videotapes, movie reels and still photos to a digital format, such as DVD, provide several benefits including:

• Video and images are easy to watch and share on a DVD player. DVDs are organized into menus and chapters that make it easy to find your favorite scene.

• Sharing images with others in finally an option since the slides and prints are converted to digital files, which are easy to share via email and on the web.

• Having slides and photo prints transferred to DVD is a great way to archive and organize one's collection.

• Converting to digital will make it easier to move footage onto whatever medium technology advances bring us, thus securing footage and images for future generation 20, 30, 50 years from today.

• Video conversion preserves those memories without any further losses in video or audio quality.

Step 2

Sort Through Generations of Memories

Collect all your old media such as photo prints, 35mm projector slides, 8mm movie film, VHS and camcorder tapes and decide which memories you want to preserve.

Step 3

Choose The Right Transfer Service

Once you are ready to digitize your old media, select a transfer service. Many companies offer digitization services for video and images. Some things to consider when evaluating media conversions services include: convenience, media formats, quality, security, pricing, personalization, organization, online viewing, sharing and archiving.

Step 4

Complete Your Order

After selecting your transfer service, it's time to complete your order. Many national retail locations like Costco, CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid, Ritz/Wolf Camera, and Walgreens offer a drop-off service through companies such as YesVideo's YesDVD transfer service, a trusted name in video conversion. Simply bring your tapes, reel and slides to the photo counter and pick up your finished order in about 3 weeks.

Resources
Film Forever: The Home Film Preservation Guide
YesVideo: Video Transfer Frequently Asked Questions