Hot Topics: Review: ScanDigital Video and Film to Digital Transfer Service
No longer do old 8mm films, BetaMax and camcorder tapes need to fade away in your closet or garage. ScanDigital is popular photo and video digital conversion service that allows people to preserve, share and archive their old photos and home movies. Video to digital transfer services have become increasingly popular with people looking for ways to protect their home movie collection from deterioration, and who want to view and share old family films and videos that were recorded in obsolete formats. Standouts of ScanDigital are their high quality conversions, excellent tracking system and the fact that customer materials are processed in the U.S. and not shipped overseas. Here is a complete rundown of their film and video to DVD transfer services.
Save 20% on Photo Scanning with ScanDigital
Save up to 25% on Video Conversions to DVD.
Go to ScanDigital
Types of Film and Video ScanDigital Can Convert
ScanDigital will convert VHS, VHS-C, Hi8, Digital 8, MiniDV or BetaMax video and 8 mm, Super 8, 16 mm film. They also offer 35mm slides, photos and negative scanning to DVD.
ScanDigital's Conversion Process
ScanDigital uses top-of-the-line equipment and technology and an expert staff. The digital remastering process includes:
- Inspecting, cleaning and splicing all film prior to transferring
- Making a frame-by-frame digital conversion
- Enhancing and editing the footage for color, clarity and lighting via patented technology with built-in automatic-correction
What You Get Back
DVD
One DVD will fit about 1500 feet of film. During the transfer process ScanDigital uses barcode scanners to ensure that each reel of film will be a separate chapter on the DVD. They use an automatic scene-detection feature that cuts the footage into segments/chapters based on changes in scenes. Customers receive a high quality DVD for DVD player use ( if customers want the video files to use on their computer, they can provide that upon request). The personalized DVD case cover features the customer’s name and order number, and a custom title if they provided one. It also displays still-shots from the first frame of each chapter on the front and back, and the spine of the case has the DVD title.
Hard Drive Option
While ScanDigital does currently not offer the capability of previewing your home movies online after the conversion (they are looking at cost-effective storage options), they will work with you to customize your video with editing, menus, chapters, etc. A hard drive is recommended for those wishing to edit their movies post-conversion. With the hard drive option, customers may either send their own hard drive with their order and ScanDigital will load it at no additional charge, or they can purchase an External, 2.0 USB Hard Drive from them. They'll get editable files and Still Image Capture Software through VLC Player.
Sending Your Films and Videos to ScanDigital
ScanDigital makes the process very simple. There is no need to count, sort or organize your film and videos. You can ship your movies as-is. For security and safety of your material, ScanDigital recommends that you use their integrated shipping process with UPS. When you place your order, a shipping label and tracking number is generated. Thus your package can be tracked from pick-up point thru delivery to their facility. Once received, all material is barcoded and tracked throughout the process.
Are Your Movies Safe
Safety is always a concern when you let one-of-a-kind items out of your sight. ScanDigital states that materials are individually inspected, bar-coded and converted to digital by experts using ScanDigital's proprietary process. They maintain high security and customers' materials never leave the company's El Segundo, CA headquarters until it is shipped back to the customer Their Essential Tracking System lets customers track their materials in real time. You get email alerts each step along the way so you know exactly what is happening to your material.
How Much Does Film or Video Conversion Cost?
As with other video & film transfer companies, reels of film and priced by the foot and VHS videos are priced by the minute. ScanDigital offers 2 levels of transfer service.
Premium Transfer is the standard, high quality transfer
and recommended for most users. Customers get mpeg 2 files if desired, along with their DVDs.
Expert Transfer is designed for serious enthusiasts and experts and requires a 1TB hard drive for digital files that will be delivered as uncompressed AVI files for video editing, in addition to the DVDs to watch on a DVD player.
The cost is $0.28 per foot for Premium Transfer of 8mm, Super 8 and 16mm. Expert Transfer is $0.38 per foot. For video, the Premium service is $19.95 per tape and $29.95 per tape for Expert. Tapes over 2 hours will incur extra charges. ScanDigital offers several discounted prepaid video conversion packages: $70 for 3 tapes, $105 for 5 and $200 for 10, including a free DVD for each tape and free roundtrip UPS ground shipping.
Turnaround Time
The turnaround time for VHS, VHS-c and MiniDV tapes is approx two weeks; about three weeks for Hi8 tapes. During typically busy times like the holidays, it would be smart to send in your movies as early as possible if you're planning on them as holiday gifts.
Bottom Line
While you can buy or rent the equipment and convert your old film and video yourself, why bother when ScanDigital makes it so easy? You also get much better quality and security than you would with drugstore film/video transfer services (who contract it out); the prices are reasonable and your material is safe. ScanDigital is a great option especially for people who have large collections of old movies. Convert your old home movies to DVD with ScanDigital.
Special Offers:
- Save 20% on Photo Scanning with ScanDigital
- 20% off reel-to-reel transfer to DVD. Use Coupon Code: 20filmDVD
thru Aug 31
- Save 25% on ScanDigital Vouchers
- Save up to 25% on Video Conversions to DVD.
- New Customers: Get a FREE Video Conversion to DVD!
ScanDigital will waive the standard $19.95 tape transfer fee, and convert your tape to DVD for free!
Go to ScanDigital Video and Film to Digital Transfer Service
