Steed Preservations

I don't have any equipment for transfering these kind of reels. I would be more than happy to help start the process though with one of the labs I would refer. I offer to do all the leg work of sending them in and putting them into the correct format for making DVD's. It's simple and easy to get started. Just drop me an email or call me.

Yes, we offer both dual sided discs and dual layer discs. Keep reading to find out more...

We recommend 90 to 120 minutes of video per DVD. This insures the maximum quality possible. 90 minutes provides maximum quality. 120 minutes is the maximum that will allow acceptable quality for you and me.

Yes, you may combine VHS tapes to create a single DVD. If you will be combining video from multiple tapes for a DVD movie, use the table on bottom of the order form to give more detailed instructions. Label each movie tape with an easily identifiable title (e.g. 1,2,3). Add $15 for each additional source tape.

Chapters are specific scenes that have been detected within your video, and are very similar to chapters in a book which divide the story into related pieces. By indexing your video into separate chapters, our DVD allows you to skip to any chapter directly (without fast forwarding).

These are the way we move from picture to picture so that the effect is not jerky or cut like a slideshow. Transitions add an element of movement and life to your production. Our transitions range from the basic dissolves and wipes, to 3D transitions eg: one scene ripples into the next like a pebble when it hits the water. At Steed Preservations we have a toolbox filled with hundreds of quality special effects for transitions – our skill is in choosing the ones that will enhance your project rather than overwhelm it.

This feature can take old analog or new digital video that was captured in low or bad light and fix the colors to the extent of bringing out the original colors in the way you really remember them. This is a delicate process requiring time and patience to master.

What are muxing and demuxing?

They are short for multiplexing and demultiplexing, respectively. Multiplexing is the process of building a project in your authoring program so that it can be burned to DVD and read by a standard DVD player. This is normally the last step in making a DVD, though you will often multiplex to test the DVD as you author

What is MPEG-2?

We always use MPEG-2. MPEG stands for "Motion Picture Experts Group", which is the standards committee that dreamed up the MPEG-2 compression algorithm. MPEG-2 is the de-facto standard compression technology used for DVD video. Video must be highly compressed so longer programs can fit on a single disc. The longer the program, the greater the amount compression required fit it on the disc. Higher compression results in poorer video quality. That is why there is no standard bit-rate, or amount of compression, for DVD video. Instead, compressionists prefer to choose the highest bit rate they can (hence the lowest compression) that still lets them fit everything on the disc. The quality of a given MPEG encoder directly affects the quality of the video on the disc.

What bitrate will you use for my video?

I always use a variable bitrate to produce the highest quality possible. If you don't know what a variable bitrate (VBR) then continue reading below.

What do Constant Bit Rate and Variable Bit Rate mean?

CBR stands for "Constant Bit Rate", while VBR stands for "Variable Bit Rate". Bit rate is a measurement of how much your MPEG-2 video is compressed. DVD video (not including audio or overhead) can be anywhere from 1.5Mbps (Megabits per second) to 9.2Mbps. When performing a CBR encode, all video is encoded to MPEG-2 at the same (constant) bitrate. When performing a VBR encode, the encoder intelligently varies the bitrate up and down as appropriate to the given video segment. VBR is more efficient, because different video segments are more or less complex than other segments. By using a low bitrate on some, the encoder can then using a higher bitrate on others. The idea is to only lower the bitrate when the video is easy enough to encode that you won't notice the higher compression. As the compressionist, I define how much the encoder is allowed to vary the bitrate (typically by entering a minimum, maximum, and average bitrate).

In theory, you might think you should always use VBR because of its higher efficiency. In practice, however, encoders can make mistakes when they determine how much bitrate is needed for a given scene. If they guess to low, they can create ugly artifacts. For this reason, professional encoders offer features such as 2-pass VBR encoding and segment re-encoding to help reduce these errors.

A good encoder using CBR will look great on shorter programs (up to about an hour). At some point, you will decide it is worth it to use VBR. There is no precise threshold for when to invoke VBR, but most programs that runs more than 70 to 90 minutes will benefit greatly from it. Hence most all videos are long than 70-90 minutes and will be encoded using VBR

What are Regional Codes?

Regional codes are used to prevent playback of discs in various geographical regions. These codes are mostly supported by the movie industry and rarely used outside of it. There are 8 regional codes:

1: U.S., Canada, U.S. Territories
2: Europe, South Africa, Japan, and Middle East
3: Southeast Asia and East Asia
4: Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands.
5: Africa, Eastern Europe, Indian, North Korea, and Mongolia
6: China
7: Reserved
8: Special venues (airplanes, cruise ships, etc.)

What is CSS?

CSS (Content Scrambling System) is an encryption scheme that prevents Hollywood movies from being digitally copied. For more information go to DVD Demystified by Jim Taylor.

A program called A.Pack from DVD Studio Pro is what we will run the audio through. Once that is done we'Il run it through Sound Track Pro with the appropriate filter. We have successfully completed numerous projects with audio problems.

AC-3 is an audio compression codec created by Dolby Labs and is one of two audio formats that are universally compatible with all DVD players in all regions. The other is PCM, which is the same uncompressed audio signal that is on music CDs. Although "Dolby Digital" is AC-3 by another name, an AC-3 signal does not imply that the audio is in surround sound. An AC-3 signal can be mono, stereo, 4-channel surround, 5-channel surround, or 5.1-channel surround. By getting rid of sound information that humans have difficulty discerning, AC-3 is able to highly compress audio while retaining most of the perceived sonic quality. A stereo AC-3 stream typically runs at 192KB/second, compared to 1,536KB/second for uncompressed 16-bit/48KHz PCM audio. Even 5.1 surround sound in AC-3 format is typically encoded at just 224KB/second (surround sound is not supported in PCM format on DVD). Other sound formats found on DVD video include MPEG2 Layer 1 for legacy compatibility, and DTS for high-quality surround sound (neither of which have universal compatibility).

I have a specific Surround Sound System with a certain configuration, can you make my video fit specifically to my system?

You bet! I have seven different arrangments. Simply describe/draw in the notes section of the order form which configuration you have and it shall be done.

Can I have background music during certain segments of my video or is it an all or nothing deal?

No it is not all or nothing. Simply tell me where to start and stop the music where ever it is needed.

We have a selection of generic music you can choose from or you can send us any selections from your own music library.

We accept music on CD. AIFF or MP3 Format is the best though we can work with most anything.

It varies, depending on the length of your project, the most appropriate use of the song and the way the song is working with your photos/video etc. We can also, and often do, fade songs up and down early (ie: shorten them). You can either direct us in this area (via the order form), or give us permission to use our discretion.

What if the song I select is actually shorter than the menus or scenes in my home video?

Not a problem, we can either add some of our own filler music, or you can send us an additional song to fade to.

If I only want part of a song and I'm burning it to a CD to send to you, should I only record the part of the song I want?

No, please send us the entire song, and just direct us as to when you would like us to fade it up and down. If you feel it is too difficult to explain in writing then give me a call and I would love to chat.

One song per menu or you can use the same song for all the menus needed. For backrground music to video segments the music needs to be as long as the segment of video or we will replay the same song for the segment.

The number of Menu’s can range from 1 to 5 depending on the number of chapter markers and what kind of transfer you are getting . I usually like to make an “Intro menu” with a "play movies" button and a"scene selection". Each menu would have background music playing. Each of the pictures below could be in motion or not depending on your preferences.

The following menus (after the introduction menu) are the scene selection menus. There would be multiple menus to use the rest of the chapter markers/names you have chosen. Each menu would have background music playing. Each of the pictures below could be in motion or not depending on your preferences.

Simple photo-to-dvd projects will be completed in five to seven working days after we have received your material. Intricate projects like Gold or Platinum DVD transfers can take approximately one to two months to complete once we have accepted the job and made room for it on our production schedule. There can be a lengthy waiting list for this service so contact us soon if you think you'd like to proceed.

In the case of VHS-to-DVD, you can expedite your project by paying a Rush Fee. Also, when space on our production calendar allows, you can also pay a Rush Fee to have Picture Projects and other more extensive projects completed in record time.

It's a fee we must charge to cover overtime and additional production and courier fees. It can be up to 25% but that depends on the urgency of the project.

For VHS to DVD and Photo to DVD orders, simply fill out the order form, enclose your payment and drop it off or mail it to us with your raw materials (ie: photos, cds for the music, video tapes etc). We'll let you know as soon as it arrives through email or phone and when you can expect the finished product.

For most Platinum, Gold and Silver VHS to DVD transfers we will need to get in touch with each other, so send us an email or give us a call to arrange a suitable time to discuss your needs.

Depending on the length of your project, we can supply in your chosen format/s including on:

We require 100% of payment up front before beginning any project. As a small and specialized business, we try to devote our energies and enthusiasm to your project, rather than focus on debt collection for other slow paying clients.

Only technicians, who are carrying out your editing instructions or doing quality checking during DVD production, will view your videotape, and then only those portions that they are working on. During this processing, however, if material is discovered that is outside our policy to accept, we will terminate processing.

How can I find out if the DVD you make will be compatible with my DVD player?

Unless your DVD player is several years old (older than 2001), it will probably be compatible. See a player compatibility page for lists of compatible and incompatible players. If you have an incompatible model, you may want to consider upgrading, as prices of DVD players have fallen to $75 or less.

Call us for trouble-shooting help. We also highly recommend you upgrade your player if this is the problem for greater satisfaction, as prices have fallen now to $75 or less. But if you do not upgrade, or if the DVD is defective in some way, you may return your DVD to us for a full refund.

You Bet!! We guarantee you'll be happy with the final product. Why? It's because we put our heart and soul into every job we do and we collaborate with you during the process. Because you've been an active participant along the way, we'd be surprised if you're not happy with our work, but if you're not and you let us know within 7 days of receiving it, we'll re-do it for you!