Digital is Better Than DVDs, but…

The simple answer is that if you are comfortable with digital files, VHS to Digital (or any videotape to digital) is the best option.

The only exception to this is if you have family members or others who have no other method for watching videos, then a DVD is still a viable option.

Many customers do both formats for safety, shareability, and reasons of convenience.

Reasons to Convert Videotape to Digital.

There are many reasons to convert old video tapes to digital, including Hi8 to digital, VHS to digital, miniDV to digital, and VHS-C to digital. A smaller and newer format, microMV, also needs to be converted if it is to be preserved.

The most urgent reason to convert old videotape is because video cameras and decks to play videotape are no longer manufactured for the most part. As the existing used cameras and decks wear out, there will be no way to play them OR to convert them. It is critical to realize that some method of playing the tapes is required to view them OR to convert them. If decks and players for videotape disappear, there will be no way to convert them, either.

This is the primary reason for converting videotape at all: to preserve it while at the same time making it viewable again. VHS tapes were usually played on VHS players, or decks. While decks were available for the other formats, these were usually for professional applications. Most consumer tapes after VHS (and VHS-C) were played back through the cameras that they were used for taping.

The complexity of connecting a camera to a TV while having the camera always in its bag, ready for the next soccer game, is inconvenient. Many tapes have never been watched again after taping; conversion is the first time that they will ever be viewed.

On addition to preserving videotapes and being able to watch them again, there are several desirable side effects as well. Once a tape has been digitized, the file can easily be backed up for safety, shared with friends, family, and coworkers, edited to eliminate unwanted footage, and enhanced through modern software.

Backing up video is simply copying computer files. The simple version is to just copy your converted files to multiple other locations. Common examples are hard disks, potentially on multiple computers, external hard drives, extra USBs for small projects, and cloud file services.

Cloud services often have a very convenient feature that not only backs up your files but synchronizes your files with a hard drive on a computer, always providing two copies, automatically synchronized, and available on local devices for real time modification.

Using the internet and/or cloud technology enables you to share video instantly worldwide, wherever there is internet. Shipping is no longer required. This is especially valuable for remote offices that need to view and update common documents.

Benefits to Convert Videotape to DVD

While the benefits of transferring VHS to DVD (or other videotapes to DVD) are fewer than converting to digital, if viewing them is the primary consideration, then DVD is a great option for those who watch video primarily through DVD players.

The risk is that DVD players will no longer be manufactured, just like VHS and other players.

The benefits of DVD conversion include the ability to watch old videos at all and worldwide market acceptance.

Sharing DVD videos requires making extra copies and shipping them, risking damage and loss. Likewise, backup consists of simply making DVD copies.

Editing DVDs is possible but requires extra steps of converting the DVD to an editable format then recutting a new DVD.

Benefits of Converting VHS to DVD and Digital Format

Several situations require conversion to both DVD and Digital formats.

Some viewers watch via digital files, and some on DVD players.
Viewers use DVDs but want to preserve files in a permanent format.

If both formats are needed, then it is simple to create both formats. Many vendors offer a discount for the second format if converted at the same time.

For those customers who use DVDs, the digital format is still valuable.

DVDS come with increased risk. If DVDs are damaged in the future, the digital format can be used to create new DVDs without converting the videotape again. Second, the digital format can be backed up in ways that the DVD cannot. Finally, if there are ever future viewers of the video, then a digital format could prove invaluable.

Click HERE to read in detail how to convert VHS to DVD.

Convert DVDs to Digital in the Future

A growing trend is to convert DVD to mp4 for the same reasons as converting videotapes to digital. Many new computers no longer offer DVD players and DVD owners want to share their videos with children and friends.

Click HERE to see DVD to mp4 conversion in detail.

Digital can be considered cheap insurance if you choose DVDs.