Converting Home Movies?

[sandersmr]

Does anyone know of a good site for converting home movies to DVD - mostly 16 mm, but probably some 8mm as well.

[raevyncent]

Don't know of a site, but BITD when me and the ex had an old (new then) VHS camcorder than sat conveniently on your shoulder, we just took all her family's old 8mm and recorded them as we played them on a good projector screen. if yours are anything like these, you won't be worried about any loss of quality as there is not too much there to begin with. And the videos looked better in the end than the old films anyway.

[dreemes]

There is a device that looks like a little black box that you point your projector into once side and aim your camcorder into another side.

Look for "cine converter" on Ebay.

One note: you may need to be able to manually adjust the shutter speed on your camcorder or you will get black screens as the shutter in the camcorder and the shutter in the projector won't be and sync and your camcorder will be capturing shots of a closed shutter on the projector.

[Jim]

I converted many hours of 8 and super 8 to DVD. Let me tell you, all you need is a projector, screen, a dark and quiet room, and camcorder. The little black box does not work so well, IMO. I was able to get better quality stretching out on the screen.

[sandersmr]

Well, folks, it's the projector part that's got me. That's one reason for the conversion - plus the archiving factor. Right now, all those canisters of film are useless and there are a lot of memories tied up in those films.

[markfh]

There's a company here in town that does conversions and I have URL's of others. I had my Super 8mm converted. When I get to the computer in the office I'll post them for you.

The advantages of having them converted are it's a digital process (with most of the companies I contacted a couple years ago), the film gets cleaned, the ability to do color correction, and some minor repair if needed. They will usually look better than if recorded from projection. Black boxes are a definate no no.

The disadvantage of having them converted is the cost.

[srdanz]

If you decide to have it converted by someone else here in Austin, beware of what you sign.
I did that with one roll, and decided to do the rest later with the camera/projector combo deal and that store no longer exists.)
I had to fight over not signing the paper (that I believe is a boilerplate contract they use for photos they were also doing) where I do not have the right to copy the resulting DVD or do anything with it. My goal was to just transfer raw film from one format to another, and then cut it and edit as I please, but they apparently considered that some sort of IP to which I disagreed with. I only let them do about 25min roll, and they did a decent job, but it was $100 and I did not like the terms & conditions so I decided to wait for another time to do the whole batch.

[dreemes]

I didn't have that bad of luck using a black box.
And I've seen some of the ads for companies that convert. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
And that could run up there if you have a lot to be converted.

[David Whatley]

There is a Video Store here in Hurst that I have used several times and have been very happy with. Their prices are also good.
Mike's Video Transfer www.mikes-video.com
630 W Bedford Euless Rd, Hurst, 76053 - (817) 268-2491

[sandersmr]

David - I used to have opportunity to come to Bedford - I had an aunt and uncle live on Brown Trail - but they no longer live there. But I will keep this in mind, if I don't find a site closer to Houston.

[David Whatley]

MAggie, if you want to send them, to me, I will hand deliver them for you/