Preserving Multimedia Memories

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• The prospect of organizing and transferring old
  family films from 8mm to DVD, or other media,
  like slides to DVD, can be overwhelming,
  especially if youre thinking of doing it
  yourself.
• As your stash of personal and family histories
  accumulates, those films, photos, videos, and
  other memorabilia are aging, and probably
  deteriorating.  
• The longer you wait to act, the more damage is
  done, and the more obsolete old equipment
  becomes. Placing media in piles of boxes is not
  the same as preserving them. There are years of
  valuable family history locked away in those
  boxes.

• Save them all to enjoy now and share with future
  generations by converting them to a convenient,
  safe DVD format.

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• Before sending materials off to a professional
  group for conversion, take some time to organize
  everything. This means handling sensitive old
  photos and film, so review these tips for safely
  moving and sorting them
• Wash hands before handling photos and films, and
  only hold them by the edges. Wear clean, white
  cotton gloves found in hobby and craft stores.
• Keep materials out of exposure to sunlight,
  chemicals, liquids, foods, or even strong indoor
  lighting.
• Never use damaging glue, tape, or other adhesives
  unless they are specified as safe for photos.

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• Sort and separate items by type of media. Group
  according to approximate dates, individual
  person, or family. Separate those you dont care
  about preserving.
• Films are best stored in special vented canisters
  made of archive-safe material to avoid a build-up
  of harmful gases.
• Other formats store photos and slides in acid-
  and lignin-free albums with non-PVC plastic
  sleeves. Videotapes last up to a max of 25-30
  years, so convert special wedding and other life
  event videos to DVD storage for the long haul.

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• Once you have stabilized the originals and
  created an archive, decide on a source to
  transform your 8mm films to a DVD record.
• Next, decide which ones are most important or
  worth preserving. Talk with the professionals at
  8mmtoDVD.com to help evaluate the condition of
  your original films and videotapes.
• Factors to consider in evaluating your materials
  
• Are they too badly damaged to render a satisfying
  reproduction?
• DVD is the most reliable digital format
  available, when you choose a vendor with deep
  experience and technological know-how.

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• Nothing beats the immediacy of leafing through
  old family albums, reminiscing about great times,
  or wondering what an ancestor youve never met
  was really like.
• Be sure future generations have a chance to do
  the same. There are several ways to preserve
  photographic slides

• DVD-video ideal for viewing your slide show on
  television, using your DVD player to pause or
  control.
• JPEG scans with higher resolution at 3000 dpi,
  they are adjusted for color and exposure, and
  include digital image restoration. Scans can be
  saved to a data DVD or CD, creating an easy
  format for editing, printing, or emailing.

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• You are probably gathering quite a volume of
  video and photo images on your smartphone or
  digital camera. Preserving your digital records
  presents a new kind of challenge that requires
  specific actions.

• Maintain multiple back-ups by downloading images
  to your computer hard drive every few days, and
  creating back-up DVDs for them.
• You can also load images directly into your free
  Dropbox app by syncing up with your mobile
  device. It will grab new photos and download them
  directly to your computer with no extra steps.

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• Make sure theres no mystery when future
  generations start digging for images and family
  records.
• Create a handy spreadsheet in the simplest format
  (likely to be adaptable to future technologies),
  listing archive elements, names, dates, anything
  family members can reference to know what is
  where.
• Whether you choose DVD, CD, or another method for
  preserving and sharing films and photographic
  records, youll be prepared in case of unforeseen
  emergencies.
• Best of all, you have preserved a legacy that you
  are now a part of, one that will be appreciated
  by future generations for years to come.

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• 8mmtoDVD.com is the largest 8mm film to DVD
  transfer company in the U.S. They preserve all
  formats onto DVD, with backup archiving, fast
  turnaround, and fair, all-inclusive pricing. They
  are known for high quality reproduction using the
  best professional imaging equipment and methods.
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• Founded in 2002, they have transferred more than
  40 million feet of 8mm to DVD, and received seven
  Gold Star Awards from the Better Business Bureau.
  For more information about transferring your 8mm
  and other old films, videotapes, and slides to
  DVD, call 866-331-FILM (3456) or visit
  8mmtoDVD.com.