FAQ
- General
+ Can I copy the DVDs that Videoscape supplies?
When companies such as Videoscape Productions transfers your valuable memories to DVD, the resulting DVD is never copy-protected. You can make as many copies as you like, or if you prefer, we can do the copying for you.
You retain full copyright.
However, in terms of the menus used or any additional content such as titles and so forth, the copyright for these would remain with whoever did the transfer.
Some businesses use this technicality to limit your ability to copy your own DVDs.
We do not think this is fair and do not implement any copy protection on our DVDs. We believe that the transfer we do for you, from your images, belongs to you to copy as you like. While we do not grant unconditional rights to any additional content, we do permit you to make copies.
Our business is safeguarding and restoring your memories. Not restricting them.
+ Why shouldn't I just buy a cheap USB video-to-dvd device and do it myself?
People often ask about the plethora of cheap usb devices for transferring video to DVD. They are available everywhere and can cost as little as $40 - if you shop around. Are they worth investing in? Should you buy one of those and do all your transfers yourself? Why wouldn’t you?
There are a number of very important factors to consider if you are thinking of getting your old video onto DVD. If you don’t think carefully and make the right decision, the chances are that you will regret it.
1. You get what you pay for.
Firstly, you must bear in mind that the cheaper the device, the more corners it will cut to deliver the video capture and subsequent encoding. There actually is a difference between a $700 dedicated firewire video capture device (such as we use) and a $100 usb video-to-DVD device. Here are just a few:| Our Video Copy Process | Cheap USB devices |
| Higher quality video capture | Low-quality video capture |
| Image stabilization using Line Time Base Correction (LTBC) | What’s LTBC? |
| Digital noise reduction | A pretty box |
| Instant cleaning and stabilizing of old VHS and Hi8 video signals in clean DV format | A pretty box |
| Superfast iMac Firewire error-free operation | USB2 port management issues and Windows inherent stops and starts |
2. GIGO (garbage in, garbage out)
We use commercial quality AG series video players as the source for video copies. These units are about 7 times larger than your domestic VHS and probably about 11 times heavier. They were designed for the pinnacle in playback quality. You must understand that copying video is not like copying a CD or DVD. Video (VHS, BETA, Video8) all play back using analogue signals. These were designed to degrade on play - as a means of minimizing copyright breaches. So to get a good copy, you need the absolute best quality player. Most domestic players are designed to produce watchable results, and that’s all.
3. Spaghetti Junction
Buying the USB device is easy. But then you have to get the computer and the video together, convince the PC to recognise your new Pedro-built video-2-usb device, iron out the software incompatibilities, work out what cable goes where.....
It’s not going to look like the picture on the box. The smilin’ girl, the amazing HD 3D effect - the reality will be messy to connect, complicated to make work and very average in terms of results.
4. The Scars of Time
Videotape does not age well. There is no such thing as ’antique’ videotape. With the passing of time there is damage from moisture, dust, magnetic fields; tape edges can easily be creased or bent; the very coating on the tapes oxidizes leaving you with unwatchable garbage. No, time is not kind to videotape.
If we transfer your tape, our equipment can help to reduce the impact of these problems. We can also clean your tape which can help considerably with oxidization. When you do it yourself, you run the risk not only of a very poor copy but of damaging each subsequent tape due to clogged video heads, damaged rollers and so forth.
5. We are your Round Tuit.
It’s the old story - you’ll do it when you get around to it! We are your round tuit. Even with the best intentions, most people will never actually copy their precious videos onto DVD. It takes time and it takes dedication. Usually, life is far too busy to spare the time to transfer your video memories onto DVD. Even when your nephew Shane offers to do it, you end up waiting months, years - or forever - because he’s got distracted with the iPhone or the iPad or the iHelicopter.
If you have videotape that contains something that you want copied to DVD, then it is worth getting it done right, with a minimum of fuss. If it’s worth keeping then it’s worth getting someone to do it right.
+ Can you copy my mother's singing from cassette to CD?
Certainly. We can also enhance the recording - reducing hiss and other artifacts of the recording process.
+ Can you put my picture on DVD labels?
We can certainly do that - with a minimal charge (if any).
+ Copyright - What are the responsibilities?
Copyright is a complex area of law and varies from country to country, however since Videoscape Productions operates mostly within Australia for Australian clients we are mostly bound by Australian law.
To over simplify things (and this is general guidance and not legal advice!) :
If you recorded it from free-to-air TV or cable TV then no-one is allowed to copy that recording.
If you bought a pre-recorded video tape then under certain circumstances, you can copy it to a different medium (e.g. DVD) however only you may legally do that - no one else. We are not even allowed to rent you the equipment to do so.
If you have a recording made for you (e.g. video of a wedding) then unless your contract specifies otherwise, YOU own the copyright.
If you wish to have production music (e.g. from your favourite CD) put onto a slide show then this is normally possible but does require the extra expense of an AMCOS/ARIA license and the resulting video may only be displayed at non-public events (e.g. to the family)
Of course, there is a lot more to copyright and licensing than this but it will give you an idea.
When you sign an agreement with Videoscape Productions to transfer images or video or to create some piece of media, part of that agreement consists of your assurance that you do possess all of the appropriate rights.
Where desired, we can organise the appropriate licenses to allow your choice of music but we also have an extremely large range of licence free resources that create mood and evoke emotion without evoking a higher price tag. We will always work with you to deliver that special experience that you deserve.
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