StashSpace Blog

Can I take my mini dv to a store to convert it to dvd?

2009-07-09T10:57:32-07:00

Yes. However, keep in mind that although you can bring your tapes to Walgreens, Costco, Rtiz Camera, Rite Aid, and CVS none of those stores actually do the conversion to DVD onsite. They send your videos off to a 3rd party to be converted for you. This can be convenient, but with the StashSpace video transfer service you can go straight to the source for the best price, quality, and care of your tapes. Before you convert your tapes find out what to look for in a video transfer service.

At StashSpace we can convert mini DV for $6.95/tape. You can get DVDs right away for $9.95 each or go online and use our video editor to watch and personalize your videos into custom DVDs. The entire conversion process takes place here at our headquarters in Winthrop WA.

We take great pride in what we do and have outstanding customer service. Feel free to contact us, we pick up the phone right away, respond to e-mails quickly, and offer live internet chat. We would be happy to answer any of your questions and help you get started converting miniDV to DVD.

Video Transfer to DVD to Preserve your Family Memories

2009-07-08T06:00:00-07:00

We live in an age of digital technology. It is sometimes easy to forget that just 10 years ago DVDs were just being introduced - and blank DVDs were $45 each instead of $.30 each! Online video was just getting started, and iPods were nowhere to be seen.

Gone are the days of Analog Audio and Video - we can now download our audio and watch video direct from the web and take it with us wherever we go on our computer or portable media player. Few people watch videos on a VCR - now we use a DVD player. Our old VHS Camera, VHS-C Camera or Hi8 Video Cameras have been replaced by MiniDV Camcorders, Hard-Drive Camcorders, Digital Cameras or the easy-to-use Flip Video.

While we all are enjoying the rapid advances in digital technology, there is one big drawback to the process - what happens to all your memories that are stuck on old analog video formats? Maybe you never replaced their VCR when your last one broke, you just upgraded to a DVD or Blue-Ray DVD player. And that old Sony Hi-8 Camcorder? Well, it's been replaced by a digital camcorder, and you have no way to play that stack of 8mm, Hi8 or Digital8 videotapes on the shelf.

This is where StashSpace.com can help with our video conversion service. We can take your memories from old Analog video formats such as VHS, VHS-C, Hi8, 8mm, and BetaMax, and transfer the video to DVDs. By converting your Video to DVD, you can then watch and relive your memories without requiring an older technology video player to do so. It's also very easy to share the memories with others by sending them a DVD copy, or simply sharing your video online with family & friends.

As we begin to celebrate 10 years of providing video transfer services, we invite you to learn more about our video transfer process, and what you should look for in a video transfer service.

How to email a video?

2009-07-07T12:14:25-07:00

Sending a video via e-mail doesn't have to be difficult. Instead of attaching a video to an e-mail, upload the video to an online video server (such as StashSpace) and send a private link to your video using e-mail.

Why attaching a video file to an e-mail is a bad idea:

By nature video files are large in size, so attaching video to an e-mail is a bad idea because even with a fast internet connection sending the several megabyte file will take a long time, it will likely get blocked by e-mail spam/content filters, and it will clog up your recipients inbox. However, you can still share a video with e-mail.

How to send a video by e-mail:

Make the video sharing experience better for you and your recipients by uploading your video to the StashSpace video streaming server using the free StashBox video editor. You will be able to send private e-mail invitations to view your video allowing for a seamless viewing experience. Streaming video allows your recipients to start playing your video instantly without having to download anything. Plus your videos will automatically be optimized for online video sharing at the time they are uploaded so your upload will be faster. Sharing a video by e-mail has never been easier! Check out our private video sharing page to learn more or sign up for a free video sharing account and get started today!

What should I look for in a video transfer service?

2009-07-06T15:54:47-07:00

Your family home videos are important, they capture memories that are close to your heart allowing you to re-live the past. Making the decision to transfer home videos to DVD will help preserve these wonderful memories. However, not all video transfer services are created equal.

Find out what makes some video transfer services better than others and what to look for in a video transfer service:

Quality- Videotapes degrade over time, in fact one of the most common reasons to convert video to DVD is to preserve image quality. Make sure your video transfer service knows what they are doing. Check to see how long they have been transferring video to DVD? Do they use top of the line equipment? What do they say about video quality? Can you preview your video online? Do they guarantee their DVDs?

At StashSpace we began transferring VHS to DVD in the 1990s for professional videographers. We capture video at an optimal 3 Mbps with a frame size of 720 x 540 for a stunning video image. We use top of the line equipment, skilled and caring technicians, and take great pride in producing the highest quality video from your tapes. Our software even allows you to view an internet optimized stream of your video to watch, edit, and share. You can order customized DVDs online or get a direct DVD or each tape. All DVDs are of the highest quality and guaranteed to play on your DVD player.
>> StashSpace Video Transfer Service

Trusted and Safe- Your videos are one of your most prized possessions. Make sure your video transfer service can be trusted to keep your home movies safe. Whether your video transfer service is online or a brick and mortar store make sure you can follow your tapes through the video transfer process. Can you easily contact the company to check on your order? How long have they been in the video transfer business? How will your videotapes be cared for? Will you get back your original tapes after they are converted?

At StashSpace we always provide the highest level of care for your video tapes. For the past 10 years StashSpace has been one of the premier preservation and archiving services in the country and we believe keeping video memories alive for years to come is of utmost importance. All videos are transferred on-site here in Winthrop WA by skilled technicians with many years of experience. We keep you updated during the video transfer process so you always know the status of your tapes. Have additional questions? We are always happy to help and you can easily contact us via phone, live-chat, or e-mail. And, yes; we send back your original video tapes after they are converted to digital. Rest assured your family video memories are safe with StashSpace.
>> StashSpace Video Transfer Service

Price & Value- The cost of using a video transfer service will likely be a big factor in your video transfer decision. Most video transfer companies charge between $20-$30 for a complete transfer to DVD (including shipping), but there are bargains to be had. Be sure to check for special offers and promotions.

At StashSpace we have a simple pricing structure that gives you the utmost flexibility. The are two fees associated with video to DVD transfer. The transfer to digital, and the burning of the DVD. You pay $6.95 per video tape for the transfer to digital. DVDs are either $9.95 for direct to DVD, or $14.95 for customized DVDs ordered from the stashBox video editor. All orders include 60 days of online editing, sharing, and backup.

We also offer extended online video storage, sharing, and editing for a subscription fee of $99.95. We are currently running a promotion with our subscription service where the transfer to digital fee is waived. So for a limited time you can transfer all of your video tapes to digital for FREE. For more details and a more in depth look at our video transfer options visit the video transfer options page.

Easy to Use- Transferring your video should be an easy process, especially since you are paying a video transfer service to do this for you. A good video transfer service should have an easy to use site, excellent customer service, and a simple and intuitive order process.

At StashSpace we take great pride in making your video transfer order easy and enjoyable. Our video transfer order page lets you quickly enter your tape names and place your order. You get an e-mail with your order number and detailed instructions on sending your tapes to StashSpace. We also have a vary easy to use video editing software, called stashBox that you can use to enjoy your videos, share and make personalized DVDs, even upload video from your computer.
>> StashSpace Video Transfer Service

Additional Features and Services- There are a lot of features and services that can be nice to have with a video transfer service. Find out what additional services are included and available from your video transfer service.

At StashSpace we offer a full range of video services. Such as the ability to:

preserve your videos with online video storage
watch and customize videos into personalized DVDs
share video online with friends and family
combining multiple tapes onto one DVD
video transfer for all tape types: VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Hi-8, Video8, Digital8, miniDV, microMV...
film transfer
and more.

>> StashSpace Video Transfer Service

How do I convert VHS to dvd?

2009-07-05T19:15:00-07:00

You can easily convert VHS to DVD with the StashSpace video transfer service. It's easy! You send StashSpace your VHS tapes and they convert your VHS to digital ($6.95/tape).

You can get DVDs right away for $9.95 (for an un-edited DVD that is a direct copy of your tape), or $14.95 for a customized DVD (go online with the stashBox video editor and create a personalized DVD).

How to transfer hi8 tapes to dvd?

2009-07-04T14:52:00-07:00

Transfer hi8 tapes to DVD with ease by using the StashSpace hi8 transfer service. You simply place a Hi8 tape to DVD order and mail your hi8 tapes to StashSpace. Your hi8 tapes will be transferred to digital for $6.95 a tape.

You can get DVDs right away of each of your Hi8 tapes for $9.95 or you can go online with StashSpace.Com's free video editing software to watch and customize your hi8 tapes into personalized DVDs for $14.95. Combine multiple hi8 tapes onto one DVD, add custom titles, split the video into scenes, and remove unwanted footage.

For more information on why you should transfer your hi8 tapes to DVD and how to transfer hi8 to DVD visit our hi8 to dvd transfer page.

How do I transfer MicroMV to DVD?

2009-07-03T09:55:20-07:00

Sony MicroMV tapes are the smallest videotape format, about the size of two quarters. They are a proprietary tape format created by Sony to dramatically reduce camcorder size and weight. MicroMV camcorders are digital and have a FireWire interface to connect the camcorder to a computer. However, MicroMV does not record digital video in DV format, so it can not be captured using the stashBox video editor. To convert MicroMV to DVD, the Micro MV tape must be encoded into the DV format.

Send your MicroMV tapes to StashSpace to be transferred to digital. It costs $6.95 to transfer a MicroMV tape. Transfer your MicroMV to DVD directly for $9.95 a DVD, or use the StashBox video editor to personalize and combine multiple MicroMV tapes onto one DVD for $14.95.

Learn more about MicroMV to DVD transfer.

Can I transfer video from my MiniDV camcorder without a FireWire port on my computer?

2009-07-02T14:13:18-07:00

Unless you have a special video capture card built into your computer you will need a FireWire cable. FireWire is also referred to as Sony iLink or IEEE 1394. You can easily add a FireWire port to your computer via the PCI (desktop) or PCMCIA (laptop) slot. Check out our Fire wire Guide for all the details.

A USB cable, or USB to FireWire adapter will not work for transferring miniDV video because the transfer rate is too slow. MiniDV video is transferred to your computer in real-time as the video plays back on your camcorder. It the cable connecting your computer and camcorder can not transfer the data fast enough you will loose audio and video frames resulting in a really poor video capture.

Visit the capture camcorder video page for more information on importing camcorder video onto your computer.

An alternative to adding a FireWire port to your computer is to have a video transfer service transfer your miniDV video to a digital file for you. At StashSpace we can transfer your miniDV tapes to digital for just $6.95 tape. You then have several differnt options for retrieving the digital content:

Online- Use the StashBox video editor to watch, share, and edit your digitized miniDV tape. You can order a DVD of your personalized movie for $14.95
DVD- Convert your miniDV tape to DVD directly for just $9.95. Enjoy playback on your computer or DVD player.
StashDisc- Get the raw digital file created when we transfered your miniDV tape to digital. A stashDisc is a data DVD that allows your to copy the digital file onto your computer. A stashDisc is not finalized so it won't play on your DVD player but you will be able to stick it into the DVD-ROM of your computer for playback.
Portable Hard Drive - We'll send you a Western Digital hard drive containing your raw digital files so you can watch and edit right away.

To place a miniDV transfer order visit our video transfer order page

StashSpace Questions of the Day

2009-07-01T13:39:00-07:00

Let the video experts at StashSpace answer your video transfer, video sharing, video editing, and video storage questions. Or any other video related questions for that matter. Simply leave a comment detailing your question on our blog or easily Contact Us via phone, live-chat, or e-mail.

Everyday we will feature a new question on our blog. As always we'll try and respond to each question as quickly as possible. If we feel others have similar questions or would also benefit from the answer to your question we will post it on our blog.

We're here to help, so ask away!

Free Video Tape Transfers! Convert VHS, Hi8, miniDV and more to DVD

2009-02-01T16:12:00-08:00

Preserve and Share your Old Home Movies FREE
Face it! Your old home movies are just collecting dust in your garage, rarely being watched or seeing the light of day. Wouldn't it be great to bring them back to life? Now you can add all of your video collection to your stash for FREE!

Upgrade your Account to Premium Level, and add your videotapes at no additional cost
With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can edit, create and share your videos of family birthdays, vacations, anniversaries and more. Heck, you can even just spend some time watching those special times you had all but forgotten.

We've made it as easy as 1 - 2 - 3

1. Sign up or Upgrade your account to Premium Level (Only $99.95/year!)
2. Send us your videotapes
3. Watch, edit, store, and share your movies online with family & friends!

Any of your videotapes can be ordered directly onto DVD for playback on your DVD player. It's a great way to enjoy your memories or give them away as a gift. Your videos will remain online and available for you to edit and share as long as you remain a Premium member.