Film to Video, Film to DVD, 8mm film to video transfer tutorial page four

Only a few years ago, the "video format" a company used was dictated by the type and brand of equipment purchase. It was a kind of "one size fits all" situation and once the capital investment was made, no one gave "video format" a second thought -- unless you had to send a tape to another studio who, God forbid, had different equipment than yours. Otherwise, the general public used "vanilla or chocolate" -- VHS or DVD -- and that was that. Now days, that logic is upside-down and inside out. In my studio, I have every video format available to mankind to choose from -- and that is only the tip of the iceberg. For each of those formats I can customize every aspect of the format -- starting with the frame rates and pull-down patterns, right down to the shape of the pixels.

Choosing the right file format is an important decision that can be influenced by considering the limitations of hardware and software, the format of the final products, what equipment and software is available to the final end users,

We offer Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ files like Apple ProRes and DVCPRO HD and many others. For a fee, for our professional clients, we can even load "raw video" onto a hard drive. However, the extra benefit of these formats is debated -- with regard to "small format" film -- especially the older the vintage.

For function and cost effective considerations, for pro-summer and professional, we recommend DV/DVCPro as "best fit" for long term archiving and for future editing. As MiniDV tape is just a re-packaging of this format, we still encourage clients to accept this medium -- especially if they, or someone in the immediate family already has a MiniDV or HDV camcorder. In the wake of recent technology shifts, this is a "hard sell" but a "smart buy" -- when combined with Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ files.

The compelling reason for this is simple, as outlined in the following quotation from the Wikipedia on DV format found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DV

File-based media

Video is stored either as native DIF bitstream or wrapped into an audio/video container such as AVI, QuickTime and MXF.

In latest technology trends, "bigger" is not necessarily "better" because a "great" format has to stand up to technology demands of both the very big and the very small -- video devices. Transcoding -- converting one video format over to another video format -- is very time consuming and expensive. DV/DVCPRO -- now considered a "mid-sized" format -- transcodes very well into all variations of H.264 format -- for "progressive scan" applications for both "up-scaling" for Blu-ray on HDTV and "down-scaling" for web-casting and hand-held video devices -- like iPod, iPhone, etc..

Microsoft abandoned DV-AVI when it abandoned FAT16 and FAT32 hard disk architecture -- to which the AVI format was tied; however, DV/DVCPRO in a QuickTime for Microsoft "container" has filled this void -- on Windows PC platforms. Both QuickTime Player for Windows (free) and QuickTime Pro for Windows -- are available at Apple.com.

You can see why professional network news organizations are still hanging onto the DVCPRO format -- in a now "tape-less" master format --for both HDTV broadcasts and web-casting.

Last, but not least, again, DV/DVCPRO is a "best match" format for "small format" movie film.

TRUTH: Technically, it is impossible to make a "true" HD product -- like the movie, Avatar -- from Regular 8, Super 8, and 16mm movie film. Sorry to bust your bubble.

FACT: Your small format movie film -- Regular 8, Super 8, and 16mm movie film -- is miss-matched to High Definition (HD) video formats --
1) because of the shape of the movie film image and
2) because a "small format movie film" image is LESS resolute than standards for HD image resolution, and,
3) because the "running-time" -- "frames per second (fps)" -- of "small format movie film" is much slower than HD fps, which can reach 60 fps.

HDTV and HD are great technologies that we embrace and our Blu-ray and DVD products work great in an HDTV environment. However, there are many things to consider about an HD Product -- when talking about small format movie film transfers.

For Example: Due to "up-scaling" technology -- built into every Blu-ray player and every DVD player -- designed for use with HDTV -- we have found that the final observable difference between DVD products and HD products -- from small format movie films -- is only "significant' but not the quantum leap, most people expect.

For Example: Movie film in general has a "softness" to the focus -- which is actually desired in the movie industry. In HD, this "softness" is amplified when viewing 8mm and Super 8 movie film in an HD environment.

For Example: Because HD on Blu-ray uses partial frames, it can not be considered an archive medium. You still need "full frame" master tapes and Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ files. This is because you need a video format which is matched with movie film. You also need "full frame" video formats (more below) in SD format, which then can be both up-scaled i.e., (for HDTV) and down-scaled (i.e., for hand-held video devices).

As a leader in the industry, treating our clients as we would treat our family, we must say,
"We can give you HD master files -- and make more money -- BUT..."

TRUTH: Reality Check: Your Regular 8, Super 8, and 16mm movie film is simply not HD quality.

A small frame of 8mm movie film is 17,000 times smaller than a 32 inch HDTV screen – which is a small screen by HDTV standards. There is only a limited, finite amount of picture information in an 8mm frame of movie film that can be scanned from each frame of your movie film. Every frame is below the maximum resolution capabilities of your HDTV. That said, most people have only seen content on their HDTV in 720i or 720p -- which is standard broadcast quality for cable, satellite, and most DVD players with "up-scaling" technology.

TRUTH: Reality Check: Your Regular 8, Super 8, and 16mm movie film simply does not match the size nor shape -- say nothing of the resolution -- of an HDTV nor HD format.

Old TV sets (NTSC TV) were designed around "old movie film formats" of 8mm and 16mm movie film. SDTV and Regular 8 movie film and 16mm movie film has a rectangular footprint ratio of 4 to 3, that is to say it is a rectangle of 4 units of measurement wide to 3 units of measurement high.

HDTV has a rectangular ratio of 16 units wide by 9 units high. (expressed as 16:9).
SDTV has a rectangular ratio of 12 units wide by 9 units high (expressed as 4:3 which can also be express - if you do the math - as 12:9 ratio).

NOTE "The Math": To compare SD to HD, you simply multiply each side of the ratio 4:3 by 3 -- to get a 12:9 ratio. Yes, 12:9 is the same ratio as a 4:3 ratio. Now you can rationally compare the width to height ratios of HDTV 16:9 -- to SDTV 12:9. Using these numbers the following becomes clear:

HDTV has 4 units of measure MORE "width" than SDTV or YOUR movie film.
HDTV has 36 percent more "area" (9x4) than SDTV or YOUR movie film.

If you miss-match YOUR movie film with a "lossy" HD format, 1) you will greatly distort your image, 2) you will gain nothing over the quality of the original movie film, and 3) you will forfeit your ability to do "native format editing" on your movie film images -- without degrading the image -- UNLESS you edit in an "intermediate format like Apple ProRes 4:2:2 -- which may require a NEW COMPUTER for some people.

Last but not least, working with SD shaped video in an HD format, you MUST do something with the "extra black space" -- in order to "down-scale" for webcasting, and for use on hand-held video devices. It is "a pain" to work with, say nothing of the extra hours required in needless re-rendering -- just to get rid of the "black borders".

If you "match your movie film to a video format" that "best matches" it -- as a "best fit" -- then 1) you will have no image distortion, 2) you will retain the original quality of the original movie film, 3) you can edit your "native video" without degradation, and, 4) after editing, you have flexible migratory re-formatting options -- without compromising your original images on your master tapes and hard drive backups..

Example: (simple enough even for Grandma and Grandpa): Let one cup of "red dye" represent all the "DIGITAL COLOR INFORMATION" -- in one frame of your original movie film. Let an EMPTY pint jar represent MiniDV format and let an EMPTY gallon jug represent HD format. Now Pour one cup of red dye into the empty pint jar and pour one cup of red dye into the empty gallon jug.

"Both containers (formats) still have the same amount of red dye, that is to say both formats have the same amount of data -- about the original movie film image."

A problem presents itself when the information about the original movie film must be "inflated" to "fill up the format". HD is a heck of a lot bigger area to "fill up" than the smaller MiniDV (DV/DVCPro) format.

For our example, pour water into both containers -- to disperse the red dye -- to fill up the space in both containers. Even though both containers, each have the same amount of red dye (digital information), the larger container (format) "looks watered down (i.e,, washed out -- in video terms).

My point is, "larger" is NOT better -- when "larger" means "more filler" must be added in order to fill up extra space.

Your small format movie film has only "so much" image data before "digital filler" must be added -- to fill up the space in the format of choice. A "best match" of the movie film to the format is better than a "over-sized or under-sized compromise". Only AFTER you have achieved a good, solid "digital image" -- with a "good match" to both the movie film and the format -- can your move on to maintaining that "quality image" throughout a diversified range of "other" (not better) formats and products.

The smoke and mirrors of the digital world is a game of "connecting the dots" -- or in video terms -- "connecting the pixels". The better the initial "format match" is to a limited amount of data, the better both hardware and software can do its job of "connecting the dots". By way of line doublers and predictive frame analysis, frame blending, and other "digital slide of hand" you will be amazed at how well the empty space can be filled up.

One last point related to our experiment. If you capture into a very lossy format like MPEG2 or AVCHD you have greatly reduced the actual data of the original movie film -- replacing true image data with illusionary information -- like "smoke and mirrors". These formats were design to "crush" data into a very small space. When this data is "uncompressed" into an image, the digital magic is akin to erecting a house of cards. Any alteration (i.e., editing, color correction, etc.) to that "illusionary information" -- most of which is NOT original data from the original image -- will literally create "distortions" -- when compared to the original image. For this reason "color correcting" this type of data structure, in post-production -- becomes much like trying to paint a house of cards; and, up-scaling or down-scaling with changing frame rates and scan rates, reduce this video data structure to a pile of video rubble -- called artifacts and generation loss.

Bottom Line: Matching the format of your original movie film with a "matching" video format -- to create Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ files -- is very important. MiniDV (high resolution digital tape) or DV Stream (DV/DVCPro formats) are very good matches for both the resolution and shape of your 8mm and 16mm movie film. (More on other formats below).

In the visual arts, a "Master" is simply "the highest quality image of origination". That is to say, "The master" is the "only image" considered "second in quality to no other copy, that may exist -- if one exists.

Your physical "movie film" is your "Movie Film Master" or "Master Movie Film". Most people have NO back for their Master Movie Film -- "if "something happens" -- which is why you are reading these words. Unfortunately, you have treated your Master Movie Film as a "consumable", "non-durable" good -- all these years. What ever shape your movie film is in, it is still your Master Movie Film, and for better or for worse, it is all you -- and we -- have to work with.

What makes the situation worse, is your Master Movie Film, setting in a shoe box, is "going bad". Color dyes are getting "tired", the emulsion is cracking, the backing is getting stiff -- starting to curl and bow -- say nothing of yellowing, chemicals are breaking down, and in some cases, combining with chemicals in the (polluted) air -- to form crystals within the structure of the emulsion. Any sound tracks are diminishing and distorting from the tug from mother earth's magnetic fields. This is state of your Master Movie Film -- if you are lucky!

If you are NOT LUCKY, the "Triacetate Movie Film" -- the technical name for your movie film -- can get "vinegar syndrome". This is a slow chemical reaction within your movie film, that destroys it. If you are NOT LUCKY, mold can grow on and into the emulsion, obscuring and eventually totally destroying the image.

Your Master Movie Film is unique, priceless, and although your movie film -- itself -- can not be saved, the images on your movie film can be saved digitally - by "capturing" them to a digital video master format. We call this "digital master" -- of your original "movie film master -- your Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ file. All future video products and backups, will be NO BETTER than this "digital master". Using digital "magic", we are able to make these "master files" better than the original. Now that you know the significance of "master files", you can see why they need to be "the best they can be".

Some movie film we get, is in such bad condition that the last time we run it, is the last time it can ever be run. For better of worse, the Digital-Film™ -- of the "Master Movie Film" -- becomes "the highest quality image of origination". Thus, it becomes your "Archive Master™" file.

In our product lines, we go out of our way to minimize confusion between "archive products" and "end-user products".

Archive Products: The concept of a product called Digital-Film™ denotes the marriage -- a very close relationship -- of "original movie film" with the "digitalization process". The hyphen between the word "digital" and the word "film" denotes that "they are now one" and there is no turning back. The Digital-Film™ is there for "the highest quality image of origination" -- "an image second to none" and thus "archive worthy" -- which we call an "Archive Master™" File.

Thus the words Digital-Film™ Archive Master™ Files denote something that should be in a bank vault, not something casually used for family entertainment and at risk fo being lost during public transport.

Claiming "Digital-Film™ Master Archive™" Files are the digital equivalent -- of your original movie film, is a big claim. This means that for each frame of movie film, there is an exact matching digital frame of video. This means that even "grain patterns" -- tiny specks of silver halide -- in your original movie film are digitally duplicated. We call this "master" video of your original movie film, your Digital-Film™ Master Archive™.

A "digital video master" of a movie film -- which we call a Digital-Film™ Archive Master™ -- should be of such high quality that another movie film -- yes, I said "movie film" -- could be made from the "Digital-Film™ Archive Master™". Hollywood does this all the time. They shoot on movie film -- originally. Then, they transfer it -- via a lossless capture (like Raw Video) or lightly lossy capture (like Apple ProRes) to video -- called "digital movie film master" -- for digital color enhancement and special effects and editing. Finally, they transfer the "final cut" "digital movie film master" back to a new "movie film master" -- for theater distribution. However, the "digital movie film master" becomes "THE ONLY MASTER" for ALL digital products ever made "of that movie".

The "digital movie film master" is used to make ALL other "digital movie film master" backups, "digital movie film master" working masters -- which are then used to create all other video products. The "Digital-Film™ Master Archive™ video file is in reality nothing but a video file -- of special significance and quality -- "the highest quality image of origination"!

End-user Products are "consumable" products. They are to be "used" and even occasionally "abused" until they need to be replaced by yet another "consumable product. DVD, Blu-ray discs and Digital Movie Cards, are "consumable" products.

For our clients, there are MASTER "Virtual Discs" used for recreating these "consumable" products. These Master "virtual discs" can be duplicated as PLAYABLE "virtual discs" -- which are identical in every way to the Master "virtual discs". We make the distinction between "master' and "playable" only to create in our clients' minds, the concept of "one is an archive" and "one is for play". We generally try to initiate this "practice" by creating a "Home Movie Card™ -- for them to "play with" and loading their hard drives with "master files" -- to be "NOT USED" for anything but a "time capsule" and in "extreme emergency" -- only to make "other hard drives" -- working hard drives and other "mirrored pair" archives -- which brings us to my next topic.

Most laymen confuse the concept of "backups" with the concept of "archive". They are NOT the same. The following is a "backup" strategy:

Drive 1) designated as “Archive Master – YYYY-MM-DD”, where YYYY-MM-DD is the “current” Year-Month-Day; and,
Drive 2) designated as “Working Master from Master Archive” and
Drive 3) designated as “Rotating Backup1 from Working Master” and
Drive 4) designated as “Rotating Backup2 from Working Master”.

Once you finish editing -- adding photos, narration, music -- then your “Working Master” is re-designated as (the newly updated) “Archive Master YYYY-MM-DD”. This one backup strategy where you have generational aging and rotation with only one drive which is "current".

To achieve minimum Archive Integrity you must create 2 Pairs each of “mirrored and paired” Archive Drives: That is to say, you must have 4 hard drives -- each the mirror image of next - AND each hard drive is "paired" with a "mirrored" hard drive. Thus you have 2 pairs of "mirrored drives" -- each pair kept in separate locations. The more "pairs" that are made the stronger the archive strategy. The more family members having "a mirrored pair" of hard drives, the stronger the archiving strategy.

This is very simple, and very scary. Clone your most recent "Master Hard Drive" onto each of the remaining 3 hard drives -- to have 4 identical hard drives -- i.e. 2 pairs of mirrored drive.

Hard drives are cheap. I advise my clients to purchase 4 of these small, inexpensive, matching drives USB 2.5" hard drive – to get started correctly. You may even ask for a discount for buying 4 drives. Use them as a "backup system" and, when you are finished editing and making new video products, convert to using the 4 hard drives a your archive system.

VERY IMPORTANT THOUGHT: If you want to be remembered – and pass your movie film memories on - “implement A TRUE ARCHIVE strategy first” – then pass it to the next generation, with instructions.

Passing on only one hard drive -- with these instructions -- is like playing Russian Roulette -- with only one bullet missing. Longevity of your memories are all but certain to be doomed.

Video Format Diversity™ strategy for Digital-Film™ archives, and
Virtual Disc Diversity™ strategy for Digital-Film™ archives, and
Digital Media Diversity™ strategy for Digital-Film™ archives.

We are unique in that we try to diversify our clients from the beginning to maximize the probability that their film legacy will survive the frailties of video and the volatility of technology shifts -- now and in the future. This is more Applied Computer Science than it is "film transfer".

Video Format Diversity™ is a simple concept that you should archive several formats according to "format function". In the video world, there is the function of the "master files", which I talked about above -- basically to edit and create "end-user" products. We supply one complete set of "master files" -- matched to "format function" and to "original film". We call this product Digital-Film™ Archive Master™ -- and I think you know what that means at this stage in the tutorial. For most of our domestic clients that format is DV/DVCPro format, but others are available.

The other "format function" is "end-user". End-user functions are for "playing the video". At this time, DVD and Blu-ray are the 2 obvious choices for this "format function". We provide our clients with both formats in 2 forms -- one in a virtual format and one in a physical format.

Virtual Disc Diversity™ is the concept of freeing video from any physical media -- to minimize the impact of technology shifts on the video itself -- which is a "digital product" -- not a physical product. This is a "cutting edge" concept which is exploding. For example, a DVD is made up of a "collection of data structures". Some are "just information" some are "executable modules" (software). The combination of the 2 -- on a platter -- are what we call a DVD or Blu-ray movie. If you suddenly remove the physical media -- you have what is called a "virtual disc". This "virtual disc" can still "act like" a DVD or Blu-ray movie -- without any physical restraints of media. For example, a "virtual DVD" can be "played without a DVD drive or DVD player -- directly from a hard drive. This same "virtual DVD" can be played from a static memory chip -- like our Home Movie Card™ -- which is nothing more than an SDHC card, like what you use in your little pocket camera or iPhone, etc. This idea of "virtual products" -- which are free of their traditional physical limitations, is a radical "technology shift". Future generations will NOT have DVD or Blu-ray, or even Memory cards. They will own "virtual products" in cyber-space. This has already happened.

Examples are Apple's iTunes Store -- where you can buy (virtual movies and music). They don't call them that, but that is what they are. Another example is Audble.com and Amazon.com. You buy "virtual books" and download them or just keep them "on-line" some place. Who cares where they are or what physical media they are on -- just as long as you can "get to them when you want to use them".

For our clients, we make 2 virtual product lines -- DVDs and Blu-ray. This "virtual disc diversity" is just the "state of the art" way to own your video product, to share them, and pass them on -- to the next generation. We are the first company to do this in our industry.

For our DVD products, we load them on two media, Hard Drive and a SDHC memory card, which we call our Home Movie Card™.

For our Blu-ray products, we load them on our clients hard drives. Because these are true HDTV products, they are too big to put more than one on a single SDHC Memory Card -- and they are not "cost effective" for our clients -- at this time. That will change as SDD Drives are adapted to portable pocket devices. There are also other technical restrictions for the use of Blu-ray as "playable" virtual products, however, they are great for digital transport images -- to put on someone's hard drive -- so they can burn physical Blu-ray discs -- for other family members -- when ever the need arises.

Finally, our Digital-Film™ Archive Master™files are a "virtual product" of sorts, too. Master Data files, free of physical restraints of media -- like proprietary tape and disc formats -- are our most important product.

As you can see, our clients have Virtual Disc Diversity -- Digital-Film™ Archive Master™ files on hard drive, VIRTUAL-DVD™ discs, and VIRTUAL-Blu-ray™ discs..

This is our simple concept. Load our clients up with as much physical media as we can -- for every occasion and every need.

We provide our clients with MiniDV master tapes, DVD, Blu-ray. We load Hard Drives, even Flash Drives, and SDHC and SDXC Memory Cards. We test clients' USB Card Reader/Writer with their newly loaded Cards - thrown in for good measure. This Digital Media Diversity will not only explode the "ease of use" for a diversity of family members, but this diversity of media will "create demand" for each generation to think of creative ways to use and re-use, create and re-create, the "home move" experience. This is a very important element in keeping interest alive in family history and family memories.

Summary: When you stop to think about it, Strategic Archiving™, is the only way to create a "foundation to be built upon" -- for every generation. Your "home movies" are part of "their" story, too. With solid Strategic Archiving™ -- Video Format Diversity™, Virtual Disc Diversity™, Digital Media Diversity™ -- you create a strategic plan to be followed -- to add their own unique story to "their own family's film legacy".

We have already talked about "master files". What about the world of "play only" formats and media? Let's get basic.

A copy is simply an inferior version of a master. In the video world, the word "digital copy" -- unless specifically defined otherwise -- is NOT used to mean "digital master". Most "transfer mills" use the word "copy" freely - to imply "master" quality.

Because of 1) aggressive compression, 2) massive frame loss to "partial frames", and 3) the relatively low bit streams of MPEG2 format, DVDs -- of all kinds -- can only, at best, be defined as "digital copies" of original movie films. The same applies to Blu-ray discs which are NOT made from "master grade" video -- equivalent to the original movie film.

Because of DVD-R/+R longevity, 2 to 5 years, writable DVDs do NOT qualify as "archives". Writeable Blu-ray longevity is untested, but as they are made from basically the same materials as DVDs, "like" longevity is implied. Blu-ray writeable disc are NOT considered to be "archives" for your digital data.

Because of "artifact corruption" -- caused by copying a DVD to higher resolution digital format, a DVD "copy" can NOT be used to "re-master" anything -- except another DVD -- of same format and same or lower density.

When you think of "copy" and "master" you have to think beyond "medium". A DVD or Blu-ray disc is just a disk -- just like a hard drive is "just a disc". It is the "format of the video file(s) on that disc that make it a "master" or a "copy".

AVCHD, MPEG4, HDV ("HD" MPEG2 on tape), formats -- are widescreen formats -- being codified in a 16:9 aspect. They are all HD formats. Does that make them "better formats". Unfortunately, these formats are regarded professionally as "view only" formats -- due to high "lossy" compression and the use of partial frames -- at the expense of "throwing away" full, complete master frames. Also, for professional consideration, these formats present formidable post-production obstacles to editing. They "can" be edited, even in native format, but not without at a price and with limitations.

There are three criteria for choosing an "archive worthy" format for "master files" from small format movie films.
If a format fails one of the criteria, then it is rejected as "archive worthy".

For example, HDV cameras do in fact use MiniDV cassettes. HDV camcorders are "backwards compatible" -- capable of playing standard definition MiniDV tapes. This compatibility extended the life of MiniDV format. As such, this format could have satisfied the "Safe Criteria" for an archive -- were it not for the fact that HDV did not prove itself in the market place. Two versions of HDV -- JVC & Sony -- were battling for market dominance -- before HDV tape format lost market share to flash drive, hard drive, and SDHC card technologies. Memory Card technology, introduced to camcorders, literally killed all domestic tape based video technologies -- at the consumer level. HDV fails the "Safe Criteria".

As it turned out, HDV format was "experimental"; therefore, this format fails the "Accessibility Criteria". Unlike MiniDV tape, HDV tape was never accepted by the masses nor, more importantly, professionals.

At a closer look, HDV fails the "Equivalency Criteria". The format "HDV" -- is a very nice marketing name -- but in the grand tradition of "selling" (snake oil, among other things) is nothing but modified, repackaged version of MPEG2 -- which uses partial frames and is very "lossy". HDV format is controversial among professionals because -- like old analogue technology -- HDV -- again because of MPEG2 format -- has a digital version of "generation loss" between edited generations. Last but not least, small format movie film -- Regular 8, Super 8, and 16 mm -- are NOT widescreen formats. HDV fails the "Equivalency Criteria".

SDHC Memory Card used with the new camcorders, ditched the HDV format and instead use the MPEG2, MPEG4 and AVCHD formats -- at "consumer grade" levels. Again, these formats are shunned at professional levels for editing.

What criteria do transfer "mills" use to sell the idea of DVD as "archive worthy"?

There are two very different methods of making DVDs -- that the DVD manufacturers "kinda" forgot to fully disclose to the public -- when they introduced writable and re-writable DVDs into the computer market. Transfer "mills" who buy these DVDs, to re-sell to you, just "kinda" forget to disclose the same information.

1) Etching or Pitting Technology: The data surface of the disk is physically "burning" data "pits" -- to mimic data bits and bytes -- in the data layer of the disk. These physical "holes" in the surface are permanent and "theoretically" should last as long as the physical disk. These disks are very expensive to make and require very specialized equipment and environment. These DVDs are what you buy at the store with movies "burned" on them. They will last a long, long time -- so we are told.

2) Dye-Based Technology: The data surface of the disk has "light sensitive" layer of dye. The laser light discolors the dye so that you have light dark "spots" on the disk surface that can be read -- just like a hole or pit in the surface can be read. Unfortunately, the "spots" have a tendency to "go away" over time -- like disappearing ink! These are the disks used on computers and used by the film transfer industry.

Transfer "mills" "imply" their disks (#2 above) have the longevity of #1 above -- not #2. They just "kinda" forget to mention they are using disks -- with "disappearing ink" (dye) to "archive" your movie films. These DVDs are "NOT SAFE" -- for archive purposes.

Dirty Little Trade Secret™

Transfer Mills try to make you believe their DVDs are a digital equivalent for your original movie film. They don't tell you 1) DVD's compression throws away duplicate frames in your movie film. They also don't tell you 2) DVD's compression strips out every-other-line of horizontal resolution. For these two very good reasons, you should NOT re-master your movie film to a DVD.

DVD is very functional as a temporary, convenient "view only" medium. Few homes are without a DVD video player. The new generation of 'up-scaling" technology -- making a DVD look better that it ever did on an NTSC TV -- is a giant leap forward for most viewers.

Unfortunately, for archive purposes, MPEG2 -- the video format of DVD -- uses very aggressive compression -- literally throwing away data from your original movie film.

Add to that the recent news that writable DVDs have a shelf life of only 2 to 5 years,

DVD fails to meet the "Safe Criteria" for your family movie film archive.

MiniDV uses Digital Video (DV stream) format -- Otherwise known as DV/DVCPro fomat. Until 2010, DV was a standard in both the consumer, prosumer, professional video industry. It was 1) high resolution and 2) full-frame. Because --as a tape technology -- it is 1) compact and 2) tough and 3) has a long shelf life, MiniDV became the "acquisition" medium of choice for the broadcast networks and News outlets. It is still, routinely "up-scaled" to HD and SD and "down-scaled" for webcasting -- so popular with the networks. MiniDV was developed as a compact alternative to full-size, commercially used DV cassettes (same tape different cassettes).. An industry wide standard, MiniDV is still around and still sold in professional equipment lines. That said, MiniDV TAPE - not to be confused with the DV format, which has many flavors -- has been eclipsed by camcorders that have hard drives, solid state drives, SDHD chips, and hybrid solid state/hard drives.

Even though we are now diversified into ALL HD formats and ALL mediums of both storage and distribution, the irony is that MiniDV format STILL satisfies all three criteria for archiving small format movie films

better than any other widely available media. As a computer scientist, I can back this statement -- no matter what the "transfer mills" are trying to sell you. Yes, it is a "hard sell", but it is the truth and as such, MiniDV is still part of our product mix -- along with Blu-ray, DVD, and high res formats loaded onto your drive of choice.

For example: You only need 2 MiniDV tapes and a camcorder, to have a secure "Archive Strategy" for your master files. To have the equivalent "security" on hard drives, you need 4 hard drives. It takes over an hour to wipe-out an entire MiniDV tape. It only takes a milli-second to wipe out a hard drive. Drop a MiniDV tape, and nothing happens. You can't say that about a hard drive.

8mm Movie Film, Super 8 Film, and 16mm Movie Film
to Digital Video
Tutorial

Getting your movie film transferred

Mastering Concepts:

File-based media

8mm Movie Film, Super 8 Film, and 16mm Movie Film to Digital Video Tutorial

Getting your movie film transferred

Mastering Concepts:

File-based media

8mm Movie Film, Super 8 Film, and 16mm Movie Film
to Digital Video
Tutorial