Video to DVD Transfer Service FAQ's

We try to provide as much information as possible regarding our home movies to DVD transfer service on our main video to dvd transfer page but have provided the following frequently asked questions below just in case you could not find the answer you were looking for elsewhere.

Will my video tapes be safe when I send them to you for transfer?
How long will it take to transfer my home movies to DVD?
Do you return my original tapes with my new DVD?
Must I use Royal Mail Special Delivery for the return of my tapes and DVD's?
Will you keep a copy of my videos in case I need to order more DVD's in future?
Do you transfer cine film to DVD?
I don't know what format my video tapes are. Can I still send them to you?
What will the quality of the video on my DVD's be like?
Why can you only fit a maximum of 2 hours of video per DVD?
My VHS video is in NTSC format. Will you still be able to transfer it?
Will my new DVD play in other countries?
Will you transfer a television recording or a commercial VHS movie to DVD?
Will I be able to easily access any part of my new DVD?
Can you assure me of a totally discreet and confidential transfer service?
I want to upload my videos to the internet. Can you convert them to a suitable format?
My video contains several shots I would like removed - is this possible?
How do I know my new DVD's will play in my DVD player?
Will I be able to transfer my new DVD to my computer in order to edit it myself?
Can I make my own copies of my new DVD?
I am not sure if some of my tapes are blank. Will I still be charged?
My camcorder is broken and I have no idea how much footage is on my tapes. Can you provide an estimate of cost before starting the transfer?
I live quite close to Chesterfield. Is it possible to bring my tapes to you and collect them when they are ready?
I do not use credit or debit cards. Will you accept payment by cheque?

Will my video tapes be safe when I send them to you for transfer?

Yes. We always take the utmost care of any video tapes that are sent to us for transfer to DVD. Each tape is carefully logged for identification purposes and then passed through our modern, reliable, professional equipment just once. No tapes have ever been damaged as a result of our equipment or lost whilst in our possession. And we use a proper postal address as opposed to a P.O. Box number so you know exactly where your tapes will be. We also provide a telephone number where you can actually speak to us for reassurance.

How long will it take to transfer my home movies to DVD?

As soon as your tapes are received we will inform you of their safe arrival and also let you know how long the transfer will take. We try to turn around transfers the same working day that we receive them. During busy periods the transfer may take a little longer depending on our workload. If you require your DVD's in a hurry simply telephone us prior to sending your tapes to verify our current turnaround times.

Do you return my original tapes with my new DVD?

Yes your original tapes will be returned to you in exactly the same condition that we received them in. If you do not require your original tapes back please let us know and we will shred them for you at no extra cost. This will also make the return postage less expensive.

Must I use Royal Mail Special Delivery for the return of my tapes and DVD's?

No you don't have to but we highly recommend that you do, especially if your original tapes are of commercial or sentimental value and you do not have any backup copies of them. By using Royal Mail Special Delivery we are able to track and trace your order online. We do not delete your footage from our systems until we have confirmation from the Royal Mail website that your new DVD's and original tapes have arrived safely back with you. If you choose not to use Royal Mail Special Delivery your footage is deleted from our systems as soon as it is dispatched. Furthermore we cannot be held responsible for items that go missing in the post. If you do not have any backups this could mean your videos and DVD's are lost forever. We do not make any profit from postal charges so we firmly believe the additional security and peace of mind offered by Royal Mail Special Delivery is well worth the relatively small additional cost.

Will you produce a master copy of my DVD if requested in case I need to order more DVD's in future?

Yes. If you feel you may require additional copies of your DVD at some time in the future we can produce a master copy for an additional charge of £5.00 plus V.A.T. per DVD. This service can only be ordered at the time of your transfer. This will alleviate the need to send your original DVD back to us for duplicating and the postage costs involved in doing so.

Do you transfer cine film to DVD?

No unfortunately we do not offer this service. For this service we recommend contacting your local branch of Jessops or visiting their website by clicking on the following link: http://www.jessops.com/dnp/FilmDVD

I don't know what format my video tapes are. Can I still send them to you?

If you are unable to ascertain the format of your video tapes it is advisable to call us first on 01246 555190 and provide a description of the tapes. We will then be able to confirm if we can accept your format. We are able to transfer most past and present consumer video formats to DVD. To see a list of our acceptable formats click here.

What will the quality of the video on my DVD's be like?

Generally speaking, the quality of the video footage on your new DVD will be exactly the same as it was on your original video tape. Of course, once your recordings have been transferred to digital format on DVD, there will be no further deterioration in quality as would be the case if they were left on tape. If possible always send the original camcorder tapes to us as footage that has been copied onto a VHS tape will already have lost a considerable amount of quality.

Why can you only fit a maximum of 2 hours of video per DVD?

This is mainly for quality purposes. In order to fit video onto a DVD it is digitally compressed. Up to 2 hours of video can be compressed to fit onto a DVD without suffering any loss in quality. Anything over 2 hours requires greater compression and subsequent quality loss. Our equipment is also optimized to allow a maximum of 2 hours of footage per DVD.

My VHS video is in NTSC format. Will you still be able to transfer it?

Yes we can transfer NTSC footage to DVD but the resulting DVD will also be in NTSC format. Providing your DVD player will play NTSC DVD's this will not be a problem. Indeed this method of transferring NTSC footage provides the best quality and is the most cost effective way of being able to watch foreign video recordings. Many DVD players will quite happily play NTSC DVD's (including some very inexpensive models) so it is worthwhile checking if yours will before incurring unnecessary expense. Please note we can only provide this service for VHS tapes and not any camcorder tapes that have been recorded in NTSC format.

Will my new DVD play in other countries?

The DVD's we produce will be in PAL format so it depends on whether the DVD player abroad is able to play PAL format DVD's. If this is not the case our DVD's will play on any computer in the world providing it has the necessary DVD drive and software installed.

Will you transfer a television recording or a commercial VHS movie to DVD?

Under normal circumstances no. This material is copyright protected. Some television and film production companies are happy for consumers to make archive copies of copyright material for their own private use but this is still a very grey area. If you are able to obtain written permission from the copyright holder to transfer the footage we will be very happy to do it.

Will I be able to easily access any part of my new DVD?

Yes you will. We place chapter points at all the major scene changes throughout your DVD as part of our transfer service. These chapter points are accessible by pressing the CM (Chapter Mark) buttons marked |<< and |>> on your DVD player's remote control. This makes searching for your favourite scenes easy and convenient.

Some of my footage is very personal. Can you assure me of a totally discreet and confidential transfer service?

Yes absolutely. The majority of our transfer process is fully automated and we do not keep master copies of client's original recordings or DVD's unless requested to do so. All material is deleted from our systems once the transfer process is complete. We have built lasting relationships with many regular client's who have gained complete trust and confidence in us. They feel totally at ease sending even their most private and personal footage to us safe in the knowledge that their privacy would never be compromised. If you require reassurance on any matter or have any questions please feel free to Contact Us.

I want to upload my videos to the internet. Can you convert them to a suitable format?

Yes we can convert camcorder tapes and VHS tapes to high quality web format. The most common formats for internet video are Flash and QuickTime but we can also supply Windows Media Files or indeed any other high quality format you may require. Bear in mind that it is best to keep web videos relatively short - we recommend a maximum duration of around 10 minutes. If you are unable to edit your tapes yourself simply tell us which part of your video you need converting and we will do the rest.

My video contains several shots I would like removed - is this possible?

Yes certainly. We can provide this service as part of our transfer package without additional charge. Simply tell us which parts you would like removed from your finished DVD.

How do I know my new DVD's will play in my DVD player?

We only use top quality branded Sony or Verbatim DVD-R discs for our video to DVD transfer service. These DVD's are compatible with the vast majority of DVD players available today. From the thousands of transfers we have completed we have never had a single disc returned.

Will I be able to transfer the files on my new DVD to my computer in order to edit them myself?

Yes you will be able to transfer the files from your DVD to your computer but you will not be able to import these files directly into editing software. To do this you will need DVD ripping software such as Imtoo which is available for download on the internet. This software will import the files from your DVD and convert them to a format that is compatible with most editing systems. You will need a reasonable powerful computer to do this successfully and import and export times can be quite long.

Can I make my own copies of my new DVD?

Yes certainly. We do not impose any restrictions on copying your new DVD's. After all, if your videos are home movies the copyright of the original footage belongs to you! Most CD/DVD Burning software such as Nero or Toast will be able to make duplicate copies of your new DVD. Simply insert the DVD into your computer's DVD drive, copy the files to your hard drive then write the files back to a new DVD. There are, however, two main reasons why client's prefer to order additional copies from us for the sake of an extra £5.00 plus VAT. Firstly it is simple and hassle-free and secondly they prefer the professional finish of the on-disc graphics and presentation cases which match the original DVD.

I am not sure if some of my tapes are blank. Will I still be charged?

Certainly not. If any of the tapes you send us are blank we will simply return them to you without charge. Our aim is to offer exemplary customer service and develop lasting relationships with clients so we do not believe in charging for products or services we have not provided.

My camcorder is broken and I have no idea how much footage is on my tapes. Can you provide an estimate of cost before starting the transfer?

There are two ways to get an idea of cost. Firstly, the capacity of most video tapes is etched on the cassette casing. In the case of VHS tapes this is usually next to the security tab on the lower left of the spine. For example an E-60 tape contains 60 minutes of footage while an E-180 tape contains 180 minutes. Simply add these numbers from your tapes together then divide by 120. This will give you an idea of the maximum number of DVD's required. Naturally if all your tapes are not full we would reduce the cost accordingly. Secondly, you can send your tapes to us and request an estimate before the transfer is commenced. We can quickly analyse your tapes and provide an exact cost before any work is started. This service is completely free and you are under no obligation to proceed should you feel the cost is too high. Your tapes will simply be sent back to you and you will not even be charged for the return postage!

I live quite close to Chesterfield. Is it possible to bring my tapes to you and collect them when they are ready?

Yes most certainly. We have many clients who prefer to bring their tapes to our premises personally and welcome all visitors. If you can bring your tapes to us in person it will also save on postage costs. You can make payment when you collect your new DVD's by any major credit/debit card or pay by cash/cheque. Please call us before starting your journey and we will reserve a car parking space and make sure fresh coffee is available on your arrival.

I do not use credit or debit cards. Will you accept payment by cheque?

Yes we do accept cheques if you prefer this method of payment but it does extend the turnaround time. Please do not include a cheque with your tapes. Simply let us know that you would prefer to pay by cheque when you send us your order. We will then inform you of the total amount due as soon as we know how much footage is on your tapes. You can then post the cheque to us made payable to JBP Media. Please note that cheques will have to be cleared before any orders can be dispatched.

We hope you have found the answers to your questions from the above information. If you still have questions you would like to ask please do not hesitate to contact us either by e-mail or by telephone on 01246 555190.

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