Frequently Asked Questions about 8mm and 16mm movie film to video transfers.

FAQ: How do I know what "gauge" my movie film is?

16mm movie film is 16mm wide, it typically has two sets of sprocket holes - one on either side of the strip - and the frames run down the middle. Occasionally the movie film will have only one set of sprocket holes - usually but not always to make room for an optical sound track.

8mm (regular 8) movie film is 8mm wide and has wide sprocket holes down one side. The sprocket holes take up almost one quarter of the movie film's width.

Super 8mm movie film is also 8mm wide and has one set of sprocket holes along one side - but the holes are smaller, taking up roughly one eighth of the movie film's width.

FAQ: How do I know if my movie film has sound?

A Super 8mm strip of movie film with "copper colored" "magnetic" stereo sound tracks. For "mono" movie films, the single copper colored stripe is only on the edge opposite the sprocket holes.	Close-up of 16mm strip of movie film with stereo optical sound tracks (2 black "wiggly" lines on left edge) Note there is only one set of sprocket holes (on right side .Older or "mono" sound will only have the one "wiggly" stripe.

Standard 8mm movie film won't have sound.

Super 8mm movie film will have a stripe of coppery or sometimes silvery colored metal along the edge opposite the sprocket holes. If it's stereo, there will be a similar, thinner stripe one the same edge as the sprocket holes.

16mm movie film with sound is "optical". There will be a stripe opposite the sprocket holes, varying in width. The stripe is transparent. Stereo 16mm will have a pair of these stripes.

FAQ: Could you give me a mini-break-down about your products in simple terms -- maybe even defining the terms?

2011: Product Terms and Descriptions:
 (Very Important)

A “Set” of your project, assumes we are saying “a complete set”.
A complete “set” means an “unabridged” video compilation of “all” reels of your movie films – from the first reel thru the last reel.
A “set” is broken into “volumes” (see below) A “set” is usually expressed in conjunction with the physical media type – used to store the video.
Examples: A complete “set” of DVD Discs. A “set” of Blu-ray Discs. A “set” of MiniDV tapes. “Usage: “Could I order an additional 3 sets of DVDs?”

A “volume” means a “sub-set” of a complete “set”. A “volume” of video is roughly 1 hour – the largest amount of the highest quality video we can fit on both a MiniDV tape and a DVD.  Each “volume” of your video project contains multiple “reels” or “spools” of your digitized movie film. There is 1 volume per DVD.
Example: A 3.2 hour project typically has 3 volumes.

Disc = Disk – Two words meaning the same thing -- a platter medium data technology.
I try to restrict “disc” – to refer to “video” on an “optical platter” that “plays” on a DVD or Blu-ray “player” -- connected to your HDTV set (i.e. video disc).
I try to limit “disk” to refer to a mass storage platter technology used exclusively in your computer – for digital data and software.
Example:  A software installation disk or hard disk drive.

Home Movie Disc™ disc – is the concept of your home movies in a consumer usable product. 
We make a “physical products” – in two forms – DVD discs and Blu-ray discs. You are most likely very familiar with these type products. 
 We make a “virtual products” – in two forms – VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual disc and VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ virtual discs. More on these products below.

DVD Home Movie Disc™ (physical DVD) – The most commonly used optical platter medium today -- 4.7 Gigabytes (expressed as Gb). Plays in a CD/DVD drive built into both video players and computer read/write drives. Our DVDs are burned in the highest commercially available data density – XP (not SP) mode and rival the double density DVD disc density of commercially “pressed” DVD that you purchase or rent from the store.

Blu-ray Home Movie Disc™(physical Blu-ray)– State-of-the-art in optical 25Gb storage technology. Used domestically in a Blu-ray (BD) video player with an HDTV. Our disc is true HD: H.264 BD format -- formatted for “viewing” on HDTV.

NOTE: Our Blu-ray disc is NOT “ripped” from a DVD Disc and then  copied onto a Blu-ray disc – which is called,  “fake” Blu-ray (in MPEG2 format). “Fake” Blu-rays will play in your Blu-ray player, because DVD format is backwards compatible in most Blu-ray players.
NOTE: A “fake” Blu-ray can be detected, because it will play in your DVD player, too.
NOTE: Our video is NOT over-compressed AVCHD format – “crushed” onto a consumer grade SDHC chip – at time of capture.. Most companies do this and are producing “amateur grade” HD or Blu-ray products – hallmarked by using AVCHD format.

Virtual Home Movie Disc™ = Virtual Movie Disc™: In data processing terms, a “virtual disc” is a “simulated disc” – that “acts like” a physical disc – having ALL the same data structures and encoding –needed to run on a disc player or disc drive. This product is 100% digital and "runs" on a computer -- like a software application. The terms Virtual Home Movie Disc™  and Virtual Movie Disc™ are use in a broad marketing context -- when referring to “any type” of “virtual discs – loaded with your “home movies”.

We give you full instructions on how to use both types of Virtual Home Movie Disc™ virtual discs. For example, you can make physical discs form your Virtual Home Movie Disc™ virtual discs. You can make Home Movie Card™ memory cards (see below), you can play them – with out need of a DVD player or DVD drive; and, you can duplicate each Virtual Home Movie Disc™ virtual disc – as another “virtual disc” -- to share both with everyone.

VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ (virtual) disc; and, VIRTUAL-DVD™ (virtual) disc:
These terms always imply
1) VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ Home Movie Disc™ virtual disc or
2) VIRTUAL-DVD™ Home Movie Disc™ virtual disc:
NOTE: To use the VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ virtual disc to “burn” more Blu-ray discs, you must have a Blu-ray (read/write) drive.

We load both VIRTUAL-DVD™ AND VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ virtual discs onto your hard drive.  We load your Home Movies Card™ memory card (see below) with only your VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual disc.

Note: A Virtual Movie Disc™ virtual disc is an experimental product line. We give it to you, at no charge -- without warranty.
Mac Computers: This product has been tested to both “play” and to “burn” on Mac Computers. Blu-ray does require third-party software beyond that which is supplied by Apple in OSX.
Windows PC clients can “read and copy” a Virtual Movie Disc™ using standard Windows XP (and above).
To “burn” and “play” a Virtual Movie Disc™ – Windows PC clients must use third party software, like Roxio Creator, Nero, Dr. Shrink, etc.

Home Movie Card™ and USB-2 Adapter -- loaded with "virtual DVDs" -- "acts like" a DVD in a DVD player. This  Home Movie Card™ -- is shown with larger, optional USB-2 Adapter -- for use on a PC or Mac. The Home Movie Card, itself (shown in its plastic carrying case) plugs directly into a standard SDHC port -- found on most hand-held video devices (like a iPhone), most printers  -- with their own built-in Memory Card Reader/Writer -- and a variety of  USB Memory Card Reader/Writer.  The reader above cost $12, the Cards range from 1$ to $2 per Gigabyte.SDXC or SDHC Memory Card reader/writer. This 32Gb Card, slightly larger than a nickel, is loaded with 6 DVD Virtual Movie Discs.  No physical DVD player is required to play them; however, with access to a DVD Drive -- on a PC or Mac -- any or all of the virtual DVDs can be "burned" onto physical DVDs -- using the computer's DVD drive. The coin is a nickel -- showing relative size.

Home Movie Card™ memory card, is a SDHC “static RAM chip”, loaded with a complete “set” of VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual discs. The Movie Industry, calls their “near equivalent” memory card product, a “Digital Movie Card” (DMC).”.  These memory cards are rapidly replacing Blu-ray and DVD discs – while retaining the menus, background video, menu interlude music, custom setting, etc.. We call our memory card, a Home Movie Card™ (HMC). Unlike the DMC, you can copy from, or clone, your card content.

Send us a SDXC or SDHC Memory Card and we will make you a Home Movie Card™ memory card, at no additional charge.

A Home Movie Card™ memory card allows you to use your Virtual Home Movies Disc™ virtual discs on hand-held video devices – like iPhone, iPad, sub-compact computers – all without DVD drives.

The best way to teach kids their family history, is to give them their own Home Movie Card™ memory card, letting them use their own hand-held video devices. You can “clone” a Home Movie Card™ memory card for each youngster.  Similarly, from your Home Movie Card™ memory card, you can off-load your VIRTUAL-DVD™ discs -  to friends and family – who own other hand-held devices, or Mac or PC computers. Just hand them your Home Movie Card™ -- they most likely already know what to do.

Owners of Apple products – iPhone, iPad, iPod, Macs -- can “play” any VIRTUAL-DVD™ discs directly form a Home Movie Card™ using Apple’s DVD Player app – no DVD player required.  Windows based machines, using third-party applications, can do the same – like less popular video cell phones – with their own DVD Player “like” apps.

At family reunions, using anyone’s Mac – with a DVD drive reader/writer -- you can “drag and drop” a DVD Virtual Movie Disc™ onto their DVD “drive” – to “burn” a physical DVD. Disk Utility works, too.  Windows PC users use third-party software.

NOTE: A Home Movie Card™ is flexible to be used with any USB-2 port when plugged into a SDHC or SDXC Memory Card “reader/writer” – which cost $6 to $12 @ WalMart.

With your Home Movie Card™, home movies are not just “for home” any more! Don’t worry, we load your (one) Home Movie Card™ with all the instructions you will need to use it and enjoy it – with all your friends and family – and their video devices.

YOU SUPPLY US WITH THE PROPER SIZED MEMORY CARD, and -- at no charge -- we will load a complete “set” of your “VIRTUAL-DVD™ discs onto your Home Movie Card™ -- and we will test this product for you.

NOTE: See Part 2 of your quote for suggested Home Movie Card™ sizing.
NOTE: See Part 3 of your quote for Purchasing Instructions for Hard Drive & Home Movie Card™

CREATIVE EXAMPLE: Home movies are not just “for home” any more!

One of our clients visited the cemetery -- with a hand-held video device, with her Home Movie Card™ memory card, and her grandchildren – “to introduce them to their family”, she said. The overall experience – of home movies in the cemetery – beside the headstones of several relatives – who were also in her home movies -- got the kids’ attention.  “Seeing living images of my parents, at my age, and images of me – at their age – caused them to realize how all our lives overlap, and we can always be connected in our hearts – from this life, onto the next. I hope I started a new tradition. I hope, someday, someone brings these same home movies, with those of their own – to visit me – for many generations to come. Doing this has never been possible before; but now, it is possible -- from now on.”

Digital-Movie-Film™ Master Archive™ files are the “frame-for-frame” digital equivalent of your original movie film -- high resolution, full frame, full resolution digital video files. Storage media for your Digital-Film™(for short)  Master Archive™ files are both your MiniDV tape and your hard drive.  Hard Drive format is DV/DVCPro video in a QuickTime “wrapper” file with a “.mov” extension. 

We can provide Digital-Film™ Master Files™ in other commercial formats like DVCPRO HD and Apple ProRes, for additional cost; however, be advised that you must have professional, full 64 bit hardware and software to work with these files.

NOTE: Since there is only limited picture information (grain) in the image of a small movie film format, larger and denser video formats do not “boost” image quality significantly above that of Digital Video (DV) format. In fact, miss-matching movie film to a format can create artifacts in both color and resolution.  Also, a video format must be adaptable to downsizing and transcoding for use on the internet and many hand-held devices.

 

FAQ: What do I get when I use your service?

A typical order includes:

1 Hard Drive(s) Loading Service:
FREE* hard drive loading of the following:

A) Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ data file set; and,
B) VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ virtual disc set (see below); and,
C) VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual disc set (see below); and,
D) We can load these same data products (above) on up to 4 hard drives at same time – to establish 2 pairs of mirrored hard drives (4 drives total) -- to give you a "true archive solution" for your family.

NOTE: Additional hard drives may require a small increase to your shipping charges.
NOTE: YOU SUPPLY THE HARD DRIVE(S). We prefer a small 2.5” (inches wide) USB “drive which now come in 250Gb, 500Gb, and 1Tb storage sizes.
NOTE: Your Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ data file set is the "digital equivalent of your movie film -- frame-for-frame. These "master files" are identical to  the "master files" on your MiniDV tapes. 

Picture above are 2 USB Portable 2.5" Hard Drives loaded with 1) Digital-Film Master files, 2) DVD Virtual Home Movie Discs and 3) Blu-ray Virtual Home Movie Discs, and 4) instructions on how to use both the "master files" for editing and archiving; and, how to use the "virtual discs". For example, how to create your own Home Movie Cards (see card picture above) from your "virtual discs". The coin is a nickel -- showing relative size.

 

1 MiniDV Tape Set – made from Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ file set
NOTE: YOU MAY SUBSTITUTE ONE EXTRA SET OF MINIDV TAPES in the place of "Hard Drive Loading Service".

Picture of 2 MiniDV tapes loaded from your Digital-Film™Master Archive™files which will also be loaded on your hard drive. Clients usually get only 1 set of MniDV tapes as a "backup" to their hard drive.  These tapes do NOT contain any Virtual Home Movie Disc™ virtual products. You must have a MiniDV camcorder or HDV camcorder to use these tapes; and for archival purposes, we suggest you store these tapes with a camcorder and a USB2 cable -- with mini-jack on one end -- to connect to a computer.

 

1 Set DVD (physical) "confirmation DVD" --  No different from DVDs below. This is the DVD you approve -- before making final payment(s).
 5 Set(s) DVD Home Movie Disc™ physical discs (add the confirmation DVD set above to these sets -- to figure “total sets” of DVDs)
1 Set VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual disc(s) – FREE*

We can burn up to 9 DVDs in a single run. If you need more than 5 sets, let us know before we start burning discs.

 

 1 Home Movie Card™ memory card “loading service”. Loaded with one set of VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual disc(s).
NOTE: You supply the memory card(s)
NOTE: You can do this yourself -- from VIRTUAL-DVD™ virtual disc(s) and instructions on your hard drive, which you send us.

Home Movie Card™: A 32Gigabye SDHC Memory Card that will hold up to 6 VIRTUAL-DVD™ discs. Shown with a buffalo nickel for size reference. Plugs into most hand-held video devices, printers (with SDHC ports), and inexpensive USB-2 or USB-3 SDHC Reader/Writers adapters (see above).

 

1 Set Blu-ray Home Movie Disc™ physical disc(s) – True HD for HDTV 
1 Set VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ virtual disc - for making more Blu-ray Discs – FREE*
 NOTE: No Home Movie Card™ loading service for VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ virtual disc.

These are "true" High Definition Blu-rays burned in the least compressed H.264 HD format. We use 720p -- which is the best match to the shape of your original movie film. However, we can also make 1080i/p. Although these "rival" your Master Archive™ files, we do NOT regard Blu-ray discs or H.264 format as "archive worthy" as compared to your Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ files -- for many reasons.

 

*NOTE: “FREE*” MEANS: “Free with your purchase of movie film transfer services -- and your agreement to accept the terms of your quote.

(End of  typical order)

 

FAQ: Why so many DVDs?

Few of the projects we do for folks are for just one person or one family. The DVDs will be passed to others, and we think you should give them two DVDs. They will inevitably show a more distant family member who will recognize someone in the movie film, and ask "Can I borrow that so my nephew's son's boss's daughter's boyfriend can make a copy of that?" which puts your family member in the unenviable position of saying "yes" and not seeing the DVD for another 6 years, or saying "no" and having the asking family member angry at them for 6 years. If they have a second copy to loan out, they don't have to make the choice.

FAQ: Do I get my movie film back?

Yes you do - the movie film will have been gently cleaned (unless cleaning it risks damaging the movie film) and, in the case of small spools, consolidated on to larger reels.

FAQ: Can I copy the DVDs, Blu-rays and MiniDVs you send us?

Yes! Nothing we send you is copy-protected in any way. you have full legal rights.  In fact, that is what our line of "Virtual Home Movie Disc™ virtual products are all about.  You can use your VIRTUAL-DVD™ and your VIRTUAL-Blu-ray disc to burn as many physical discs as you desire. 

On a Mac computer, you can just drag-and-drop the Virtual Movie Disc™ onto the physical drive -- loaded with a blank DVD.  You can also use "Disk Utility" application.
On a Mac computer, you do need a Blu-ray Read/Write drive and software like Roxio Toast , Final Cut Pro, Compressor, etc., to burn Blu-ray Discs.
On a Windows PC,  you need third party software -- like Nero, Roxio Creator, Dr. Shrink, etc.to burn both DVD discs and Blu-ray Discs. 

FAQ: Can I edit out parts I don't want to keep?

Yes! The format of the MiniDV master and DV/DVCPro are well suited to editing - and is in fact a preferred format for small productions. We also can offer other formats like Apple ProRes, however, be advised that editing in the highest grades of ProRes, may require that you buy new hardware.  If you are editing "small format" movie film, then there is no good reason to edit in some formats, which exceed the standards of the original movie film.

FAQ: What format is the MiniDV Tape in?

The format used for MiniDV tape is the DV/DVCPro -- some times called DV Stream. This is an industry standard used by all MiniDV camcorders and editing decks. If you're planning on editing your transfer on your computer, you will find that your editing software naturally knows how to use the DV format. Many times, DV/DVCPro comes in a "wrapper file" called QuickTime -- with a .mov file extension.