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How to Bring Old Memories Back
to Life |
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By Jim Miller
Converting
old photographs, home movies and even vinyl records into DVD or CD
format is known as digitizing, and it’s a smart move that will help
protect and preserve your family memories as well as make them a lot
easier to share. Here are some good resources and tips to help you get
started.
Photos
If you have hundreds of snap shots your easiest
option is to send them to a bulk scanning service.
Scanmyphotos.com (949-474-7654) is one of the quickest and least
expensive costing $50 (including shipping) for 1,000 photos, or 5 cents
each. You’ll get JPEG files on a DVD in a few days, along with your
original pictures.
If, however, you have some old photos you’d like
to upgrade, try
Scancafe.com (866-745-0392) which offers a higher 600 dpi (dots per
inch) resolution scan and will make color corrections for 27 cents per
picture. These services can also convert old slides and film negatives
too. Or, you can also do-it-yourself if you have a home computer and a
scanner.
Home Movies
The best way to convert your old home movies from
film to DVD is to outsource it. Companies like
Mymovietransfer.com (800-865-7172) and Moviestuff.tv (830-966-4664)
digitize 8mm, 16mm, and super 8 film for around $20 for a 50-foot reel
of 8mm film, which is about 4 and a half minutes of running time. Or, if
you have bunches of old film try
Homemoviedepot.com (866-386-6843), which converts a box full for
$199.
If you’d like to do the conversion yourself, one
option is to project your old movies on a screen or white wall and use a
digital camcorder on a tripod to record the images as they play. The
results won’t be as good as the outsourced options but it will digitize
your film.
Videotapes
If you have old video tapes you’d like to digitize,
you can use a video-conversion service like
Digmypics.com which will transfer a two-hour VHS to DVD for $15. Or,
you can do it yourself if you have a DVD recorder and a VCR. If you
don’t have a recorder, consider Sony’s compact DVDirect VRD-MC5 for
around $200. This nifty device lets you plug in your VCR, pop in a DVD,
and record. It also lets you transfer high-definition home videos
directly from a camcorder to a DVD, as well as record digital photos to
a DVD as a slideshow or just for photo storage.
Old Records
A great way to convert your old vinyl albums is
with the Ion iTTUSB (www.ionaudio.com;
$120), a specialized turntable that plugs directly into your PC or Mac
via a USB port. To convert cassette tapes you’ll need the Ion TAPE 2 PC
($150). These devices let you easily transfer music from records or
cassettes to your computer. Once it’s on your computer, you can listen
to your music, record it to CD, or transfer it to an iPod or MP3 player
and take it with you.
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Jim Miller creator of Savvy Senior, a
syndicated information column for older Americans and the
families who support them that is published in more than 400
newspapers and magazines nationwide and can be found online at
savvysenior. Jim is also
a regular contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author
of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and
Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004). You can reach
jim at
jim@savvysenior.org |
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