There are several ways of transferring personal videos from tape to DVD (more specifically - from tape to digital format for use on PCs and DVD players).
The expensive way is to seek out a specialist company on the web, but that means sending off the original tapes for transfer. For safety you would want to retain copies of the original tapes, although that would inevitably mean loss of one 'generation'. I.e. the copies would be slightly less good than the originals. You will receive back a DVD of the original tapes in digital format that can be played and edited on PC. The advantage is that the quality will be high, and can be copied for evermore without losing quality, and can be edited on home video PCs to create family DVDs and as many copies of same as are required for relatives. The disadvantage is the cost and the need to send off valuable original tapes.
Another option is to beg, borrow or otherwise obtain a video conversion device that will accept the original (analogue) signal from the tape, and convert it to digital format onto the PC. This method of conversion is not such high quality as the professional conversion. Thereafter editing and DVD film production is as above.
The final option on offer is to plug the video source player (either a VHS player, or the original camera) into a good quality domestic DVD recorder. The recorder will then record the tapes onto a DVD disk. With careful use of the 'rec pause' on the DVD recorder, and the FF or REW buttons on the VHS player or video camera, it is possible to skip scenes from the original video, or reorder the clips onto DVD. This is how I have archived my family videos BUT I have no idea how to use them for editing purposes on a PC even though the films are now in digital format! An expert will be needed to crack that one!
The expensive way is to seek out a specialist company on the web, but that means sending off the original tapes for transfer. For safety you would want to retain copies of the original tapes, although that would inevitably mean loss of one 'generation'. I.e. the copies would be slightly less good than the originals. You will receive back a DVD of the original tapes in digital format that can be played and edited on PC. The advantage is that the quality will be high, and can be copied for evermore without losing quality, and can be edited on home video PCs to create family DVDs and as many copies of same as are required for relatives. The disadvantage is the cost and the need to send off valuable original tapes.
Another option is to beg, borrow or otherwise obtain a video conversion device that will accept the original (analogue) signal from the tape, and convert it to digital format onto the PC. This method of conversion is not such high quality as the professional conversion. Thereafter editing and DVD film production is as above.
The final option on offer is to plug the video source player (either a VHS player, or the original camera) into a good quality domestic DVD recorder. The recorder will then record the tapes onto a DVD disk. With careful use of the 'rec pause' on the DVD recorder, and the FF or REW buttons on the VHS player or video camera, it is possible to skip scenes from the original video, or reorder the clips onto DVD. This is how I have archived my family videos BUT I have no idea how to use them for editing purposes on a PC even though the films are now in digital format! An expert will be needed to crack that one!
