As technology moves on, so do the file formats we use for our own media. So, if you want to save the hours and hours of footage you may have on your old VHS tapes, you may want to consider converting them to a digital format.
But why should you take the time and energy to bring your VHS tapes into the 2020s? Read on to learn how it could benefit you to digitize video tapes.
1. Preserve Your Memories
The most obvious reason it’s beneficial to convert video tapes to digital formats is that it allows you to save your memories. Converting your files will keep them safe and sound for years to come. Once your files are in a digital format, you’ll be able to move them between devices and platforms with ease.
Plus, you won’t just be saving your memories for yourself. Your loved ones will be able to watch your videos no matter where they’re located. And, when you transfer your videos to a digital format, they’ll be available for people to watch even long after you’re gone. You’ll be able to pass on the first-hand history of your family for generations to come.
2. Improve Your Resolution
Digitizing your tapes can actually improve the video quality. Old VHS tapes can get fuzzy and in formats that don’t suit our modern television screens. And, because of how much technology has evolved, there are major jumps in the quality of your footage once it’s transferred over.
Plus, when your footage gets converted, you’ll be able to improve the video resolution more using different video editing softwares. You can color correct your footage to ensure your footage looks its best or just to give it some artistic flair.
You can zoom in and out to find things in the background you may not have noticed previously to make your memories of the events you have filmed even more fleshed out. You can boost the sound levels to make sure everyone can be heard and filter out background noise or buzzing to make the audio more clear.
Change the framing of your footage so it can be more easily viewed on digital devices. There are so many options for transforming your footage out there. You may just have to experiment a little and find out what looks best.
3. Ease Of Use
With today’s technology, it’s much easier to navigate digital files than it is physical videotapes. Video tapes are easily damaged, and therefore are prone to failure. And, you may not even have a VHS tape player in your home anymore. Converting your tapes to digital formats allows you to view your files on any device at your convenience.
It’s also just much more convenient to view your files on your computer, rather than having to wrangle your VHS player, tons of different wires, and the physical video tapes.
And, you’ll be able to edit and share your footage much more easily when it’s converted to a digital format. You can create your own films out of the clips from your old VHS footage.
You’ll even be able to combine your footage with files converted from other formats. Some of the other formats you’ll be able to convert your digitized footage with include:
- Betamax
- Footage shot on DSLRs
- Umatic 3/4
- Mini DV
- Footage shot on smartphones
- 8 mm
- Helical Scan EIAJ 1/2
By digitizing your footage, you’ll be able to cut clips and share them straight onto social media. You might be able to create the next viral sensation from your old VHS footage. Just don’t post anything online that you don’t want the whole world to see.
4. Save Space By Digitizing Your Tapes
Physical video tapes take up a lot of space in your home. Plus, if you need to move or simply want to show off your tapes to a friend, it can be a huge hassle. When you digitize your videotapes, you’ll be saving a ton of space in your home.
So, if you’re looking for more storage space in your home, and you’re at the end of your rope, digitizing your tapes is a quick and easy way to clear out some room. You might even end up saving yourself money if you were paying for a storage space to keep your tapes outside of your home.
5. Avoid Damage To Your Tapes
Over time, your VHS tapes may become damaged. They could wear out from overuse, or the tape could snap or become tangled. Weather can cause the tapes to warp or become moldy.
Bugs or rodents could invade your home and bite through your tapes. Any children or pets in your home may find themselves curious about your VHS tapes and end up damaging them while they try and figure out how they work. If your tapes aren’t stored properly, the damage can be even worse.
Even if there isn’t something done to physically harm the tapes, the general aging process can still cause the footage to fade and your tapes to become unusable.
You’ll also be able to easily create backups when you digitize your VHS tapes. This means that even if your computer crashes, you’ll still be able to access your files.
Digitize Video Tapes Today
There are so many reasons it might be helpful to digitize video tapes it’s hard to even know where to start. But, the sooner you digitize your VHS tapes, the happier you’ll be.
Do you want to start the process of preserving your memories in a digital format? Start shopping for the services you need with Envision Video Services today.