How long is my tape? What’s the format?

Like most people, you will likely have a box full of old tapes and films stowed away in your loft or garage somewhere. You are probably wondering about how to transfer video to dvd. Well, transferring video to dvd is not easy if done well and there are many pitfalls to be wary of. Perhaps you are even in the process of digitising them, and for this we applaud you. It’s a smart thing to do and will benefit you and your videos. But how are you to know the lengths of the film in that disordered box of the film? Or the size and standard of the film? And crucially, is that at all important in the process of digitisation? The simple answer is; No. Here at Supaphoto, we offer services to digitise your tapes and films regardless of the length or standards they may be. We offer the whole service for a consistent and affordable price. In relation to how to transfer video to dvd, if you’re still intrigued as to the lengths and standards of the tapes in your collection, then there are several things you can do to determine this…

Transferring Video to DVD – Tape Length vs Playback time

A video tape’s length is defined in terms of playback time as opposed to its physical length. In the US, the system in place for tape speeds is NTSC, which has a faster running rate at 6.6 feet/minute compared to European (PAL) or French (SECAM) systems that run at a rate of 4.69 feet/minute. All this means is that the tape played on a PAL VCR will give you a longer playback time than that of an NTSC. When you convert video to dvd, if it’s a US tape then you’ve got a pretty high chance of guessing your tape’s operating system – likely to be NTSC. And if it is then it’s probably a standard T-120 tape, this will typically have a total length of 812 feet and a total runtime of approximately 2 hours.

How to Transfer Video to DVD – Recording Times for VHS Tapes

When looking to convert video to dvd, consider that recording times on your VHS tapes vary depending on what your VCR’s record speed is set at. There are several record speeds available on your VHS deck. These are SP/LP/EP. A T-120 VHS tape on SP (Standard Play)  will amount to about 2 hours. If it’s an LP (Long Play) it could be up to 4 hours long. EP (Extended Play) could be a recorded time of up to 6 hours. VHSc tapes will be shorter. On the other hand it could be one of a number of other video formats such as video 8, hi8, digital 8, Micro MV or mini dv Other formats for VHS such as T-160 and T-180 have an increased recording time. The simple formula to use is: The bigger the number = the more time u have when transferring video to dvd.

In Conclusion

Regardless of the length of your tape or in film, when thinking how much does it cost to transfer video to dvd, in both feet and time, is irrelevant to your digitising needs, long or short. The same goes for the format. At Supaphoto, we’ll convert every second to digital.