Video and Technology Blog

The DVD duplication process is converting data and audio onto a DVD recordable disc very much like CD duplication. The big difference between a CD and DVD is the amount of information you can store on each disc. The DVD can store 4.7 gigabytes and the CD will only hold 700 megabytes or about 75 minutes worth of music. The DVD data stored can be dynamic or static. The large DVD storage capacity is due to the closer tracks and smaller bumps. If you are looking for a lot of data storage you can always turn to the blue ray disc. The blu ray disc can hold up to 50 gigabytes and also is capable of storing high definition video.

In today’s world most companies are staying up with current technology and backing their data up on disc or hard drive. The days of keeping important documents or financial reports in a paper format are slowly going away. CD and DVD duplication are very common in today’s corporate world which comes in high demand now that the prices of the media and duplication equipment are very competitive. Some companies have their own duplication department to meet the high demands in the amount of copies they require, while others will turn to a professional duplication facility to handle the job.

DVD Duplication San Diego

If you are looking to convert your 8mm film to DVD you will want to choose a company with the most up to date equipment.  This will ensure you are receiving the best quality possible. Some of the questions you will want to ask are what type of transfer unit is being used. The most common is a telecine using high quality glass to project the image.  The next important item is what type of video camera is being used to pick up the image. A quality company will be using a broadcast 3 chip camera along with the telecine. The 3 chip cameras will produce high quality images along with great color reproduction. Next will be what are they recording the film to, usually it will be a digital tape or a computer hard drive. If all they offer you is a DVD and no other backup media I would stay clear of that type of transfer. The reason is if something were to happen to your master DVD disc and there were no other copies, you would need to start the transfer process all over again that is if you still have the original film.

If you are planning on having a lot of film transferred I would recommend taking one reel in and let the company transfer it as a sample.  If you are satisfied with the results then place the rest of the order, if not move on to another company. Your master DVD should look as good as the 8mm film and remember you can also have titles and background music added to enhance the viewing pleasure.

Film to DVD San Diego

Do you have family videos put away in a closet somewhere and are wondering what to do with them? The days of VHS tapes are gone for good along with other analog video tape formats. Since technology keeps advancing, you will need to keep up with today’s standards so your memories can be properly preserved. So here is the problem, how do you take your analog video tapes and get them transferred into a digital format? You have two options, do it yourself or take it to a company that specializes in video tape transfers. If you are going to take on the project yourself you are going to need a piece of equipment that will hook up to your computer so you can convert from an analog to a digital format.  There are devices available that have analog in and will connect to a usb port on your computer. Transferring your video tapes to a digital format has other benefits. The picture quality can be improved for brightness and sharpness, you can improve the sound quality all by taking a little time to bring them into editing software that comes with your computer. For the Pc there is movie maker and for the Mac is Imovie.  Both of these programs are easy to use and you now have the ability to edit, add titles, voice over and background music. You will also want to make sure your computer has a DVD burner in it so you can create your DVD master. The other nice thing about having your video tapes on your computer is you can now share them with relatives and friends by using Youtube, Facebook or other media outlets.

Video to DVD San Diego

Having your 35mm slides professionally scanned is great move forward in preserving your family memories.  Once in a digital format they can be transferred onto your computer, put on a SD card or upload to the internet.

Before taking your order in for scanning there is some preparation that needs to be done on your part. You will want to go through the slides and number them.  This way they are in a numerical order when you receive them back. You will also want to make sure the slides are clean of any dust particles. Anytime your slides have been in storage for a number of years you can bet they will be dusty. Most professional companies also advertise they will clean your slides for you before they are scanned.

When you have a professional service scan your slides you want to have them scanned at 1200 dpi (dots per inch) or higher. Once scanned they should be able to offer some basic color correction and enhancement on each slide. You will want them to save your pictures as a PNG, JPG or BMP. This will assure you a high quality picture. After all your slides have been scanned and saved to disc I would recommend a few back up copies for protection. One scratch on the bottom of the master CD and you will need to start the process all over again.

Slide Scanning San Diego

A corporate video can tell a story about your company, what values does it have, how did it come into existence and what type of people make the company work. Being able to convey that type of message about your company can be beneficial in bringing in investors, new customers and accounts.

Listed below are some of the benefits of having a corporate video produced.

• Help train your employees
• Distribute your video to media outlets to gain exposure
• Have a better website presence
• Show your company goals to attract new investors
• Increase your sales

All businesses want to get a step ahead and a corporate video can offer you’re company an upper edge on your competition. This is today’s marketing tool that has the ability to impress everyone it reaches. There are a variety of media formats that can be used throughout different outlets. You can create a DVD, put it on your website, internet streaming or upload it to a media outlet like Youtube or Facebook.  It is a very useful tool that can help your company leap ahead of your competition.

Be careful of getting a low cost bid, remember this is the video that is going to reflect your company. Here are a few things to look for when picking a video production company.

• A creative team with experience and someone who is willing to listen to your company requirements
• A company that is up to date with the latest production equipment to ensure the quality of your final product
• Do they offer various packages so you can choose one that is right for your budget and goals?
• Do they have a current demo video that shows you the quality of their work?

There are many video production companies out there to choose from, make sure you do your homework before putting down your deposit. This is the video that is going to represent your company, so you want to make sure your production company of choice can deliver a strong message.

Here is what you want to look for in your final product.

• Good clean graphics
• A story that delivers a strong message
• Excellent picture quality
• Good clean audio

To sum it up the final product should meet or beet your highest standards. This is the video that represents your company and will need to impress your clients, investors and other businesses.

Video Production San Diego

What is CD duplication? Cd duplication is when you copy the CD to a hard drive in a computer or use a duplication tower.  The process for small quantities is less expensive and simple to do. When only copying a few cd’s the duplication process can be done in your computer by copying the information over to your hard drive then making CD duplicates. You will need a CD burner in your computer to do this. If you are going to be making multiple copies I would look into investing in a small CD duplication tower.

When using a cd duplicator it will extract the information from your master disc and write it onto the internal hard drive of the duplication tower. Once loaded into the tower you are ready to make your cd copies. This is a great way to make multiple copies in a short period of time.

Once your CD has been duplicated it is now time to label the disc.  This can be done by printing up labels and applying them to the disc or printing directly on the disc.

I prefer to print directly to the disc because it gives it more of a professional look.  There are many printers on the market today from single disc printers up to multiple disc printers. The last piece of the puzzle is going to be your packaging.  There are many choices available so do your homework to find out what packaging will suit you best.

CD Duplication San Diego

Do you have old family photos stored away in a closet or attic collecting dust? Over time these photos degrade and loose there color. If the answer is yes then it is time to get them scanned into a digital format. By putting your old photos onto a digital format it will allow you store them on your computer, put them on a cd or store them on the internet for family and friends to see. There are many providers like photo bucket or Facebook to display your photos online. Scanning your photos on your own can be a huge undertaking if you have boxes of photos, so it may be worth pricing it out to have them professionally scanned.

If you are going to take on the job of scanning them yourself then you have two options, use a flatbed scanner or use a digital camera to transfer them to a digital file. If you are going to scan them you will need software that is able to crop, touch up and size the photos.  Your scanner could have come with this type of software or there are many free down loads on the internet.  A good way to save time is to scan multiple images at once then you can digitally cut them up and separate them out. When doing a large scanning job this can save a lot of time. You can average about 90 scans per hour then you still need to factor in the color correction and retouching time each photo might require. To get the best quality your photos should be scanned at 300 dpi or higher.

Photo Scanning San Diego