Super 8 vs. Standard 8 film

One big question when looking at old 8mm film is whether it is Super 8 (production started in 1965) or Regular or Standard 8.

The easy way to tell is to look at the holes in the film and hold the film up to the light. Unwind anywhere from a foot to a few feet until you get past the actual leader (the white or clear part of the film). If it is Super 8, when you hold the film up to the light, you will see one hole that is centered adjacent to each frame. If it isn't, then you don't have Super 8. Sometimes it is difficult to see where the frame starts. I recommend holding the film about chest level and moving the film around until you get the light to reflect just right and show the lines between the frames. Another way to tell is by the first frame on the strip (where the film leader is connected). One last way is the holes are bigger on Std 8mm than the Super 8, and Std 8mm the hole and space around it take up about a quarter of the width of the film. Oh wait, here is one more way. As far as I can tell Std 8mm reels have a smaller circle in the center of the reel. It is about half the size of Super 8. Super 8 appears to be about 1/2 in in diameter. After you look at a dozen or so, you'll get the idea. ;)

Another big question is when looking at that same film, how do I know if it has sound or not. Basically, if you have sound there will be a copper or silver stripe on one or both edges of the film on the bottom of the film (flip it over you will see it if it is there. It will be obvious).

If you want more information, check out:

For a simple and great explanation with real picture (examples): http://www.film-to-video.com/faq.html

For exceptions see: http://www.kolumbus.fi/puistot/S8Manual.htm#Sprocket%20holes

Converting VHS to DVD or Computer Media

General Tidbits I learned

http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-91509.html

Use s-video instead of standard composite (RCA) when possible. S-video will give you the best possible quality and less loss of signal. Well, see below for this debate. :)

VHS or VHS-C is 330×480 (250 lines)
DVD is 720×480 (520 lines)
8mm film (including Super 8 film) is about 1000 lines (I don't know how many pixels that is)
HDV (MiniDV) is: 1440×1080 (810 lines) NOTE: This file format uncompressed is enormous (like 50GB per hour!!!!)

DV, AVI, and MPEG-2 have a max resolution of 720x480 pixels

It is best to store video from film as AVI uncompressed on hard drive (Windows) or store on MiniDV. DVD has the resolution to hold it, but really we are talking about the MPEG-2 standard when we talk about DVDs. This is a lossy technology and not good for frame based film.

This means VHS can safely be archived on MiniDV or AVI. MPEG-2 / DVD may be good enough also. If it is good enough for DVD, it is probably good enough for VHS sourced video. MPEG-2 has a great resolution than VHS, so only issue is the lossy algorithm, but again, it is usually not noticed. Look at all the DVD's we accept as great. However, with High Definition TVs now, some DVDs don't look as good as they used to. It is hard to say if VHS as an uncompressed file would look any better than MPEG-2. Theoretically it is, but will anybody every see it, that is the question. I think the answer is: maybe. ;)

Recording Formats:
http://dvr.about.com/od/dvrs/f/ancamform.htm

Good Overview of different formats used in video records (i.e. camcorders)
http://www.high-techproductions.com/formats.htm

File Formats
NOTE: The following table shows the data rates and file sizes of various compression schemes and their most likely application. Formats were converted from a 30-second DV file. Unless otherwise noted, all formats were produced at a frame rate of 30 frames per second (fps), with CD-quality audio (44.1 kHz, 16-bit sample rate).

File format
Frame size
File size (MB)
Data rate (KB/s)
Application/comments

DV
720x480
103
3527
Excellent quality. DV captured with IEEE 1394 card. Output back to DV, Hi-8 or S-VHS.

AVI uncompressed
720x480
893
30519
Excellent quality but file size and data rates are too high for convenient storage and playback.

MPEG-2 (high data rate)
720x480
39
1336
Excellent quality. Suitable for output to DV, Hi-8 or S-VHS.

MPEG-2 (medium data rate)
720x480
19
657
Excellent quality, but under some conditions compression artifacts may occur. Suitable for output to DV, Hi-8 or S-VHS.

MPEG-2 (low data rate)
720x480
3.6
123
Quality ranges from fair to good, due to obvious compression artifacts. Suitable if large frame size is required, where quality is less important.

MPEG-2 (medium data rate)
640x480
18.5
631
Excellent quality. Suitable for output to Hi-8, S-VHS, or full-screen computer video.

AVI compressed (Indeo video 5.06 compression)
640x480
47
1622
Quality ranges from good to excellent, depending on the compression codec and setting.

AVI compressed (Cinepak compression)
320x240
25
860
Good quality. Suitable for output to standard VHS or video in a window.

MPEG-1 (medium data rate)
320x240
7.2
246
Good quality. Suitable for output to standard VHS or video in a window.

WMV (ASF, MPEG-4)
320x240 Audio: 16 kHz mono
0.39
13
Fair quality. Extremely low file size and data rates make this format ideal for Internet e-mail or posting to the Web.

REAL Video
320x240 Audio: 16 kHz mono
0.39
13
Fair quality. Extremely low file size and data rates make this format ideal for Internet e-mail or posting to the Web.

Copied from: http://www.techimo.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-5551.html

Analog and Digital Signals
Excellent breakdown of each of the types of signals and if they are digital or analog. S-Video and component video are analog.
http://www.rivercable.com/cable3.html

Computer Formats:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_codecs

Different Media and Resolutions:
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-VHS

Analog:

• 350×240 (260 lines): Video CD
• 330×480 (250 lines): Umatic, Betamax, VHS, Video8
• 400×480 (300 lines): Super Betamax, Betacam (pro)
• 440×480 (330 lines): analog broadcast
• 560×480 (420 lines): LaserDisc, Super VHS, Hi8
• 670×480 (500 lines): Enhanced Definition Betamax

Digital:

• 720×480 (520 lines): D-VHS, DVD, miniDV, Digital8, Digital Betacam (pro)
• 720×480 (400 lines): Widescreen DVD (anamorphic)
• 1280×720 (720 lines): D-VHS, HD DVD, Blu-ray, HDV (miniDV)
• 1440×1080 (810 lines): HDV (miniDV)
• 1920×1080 (1080 lines): D-VHS, HD DVD, Blu-ray, HDCAM SR (pro)

Cable to use
Source: http://dvr.about.com/od/howtos/ht/a2dvdr.htm
In short use the best possible that your player has. For example if your camcorder has s-video then use s-video. If it or your vcr only have composite (RCA) then use that. According to about.com, you don't need s-video unless your source is something better than vhs such as s-vhs.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video
Here is one way I thought about it. Theoretically since S-Video is a signal, not a format it is best to always use s-video over composite because it eliminates the dot crawl and other less desirable "features" of composite signal. The way I understand it is that VHS cassette is a medium, and audio and video information is written on it using magnetic encoding. This is analog, not digital. I can output that video information using composite or s-video signal. In this case, I am not using all the resolution possible in s-video, but I still get the other benefits of it. This is similar to plugging your dvd player into your tv using composite or s-video, but reserve logic. In this example, the video is at a hight resolution than s-video and composite. Using composite is still limiting my output to the constraints of composite. A digital example of this would be watching a video you download off the internet that is at a low resolution. Your Monitor can display high resolution video, but it doesn't have to if the source is not high.

Wikipedia says:
"The situation with VCRs is a bit unusual; the common S-Video connector was designed for Super VHS and Hi8 VCRs as a high-bandwidth video connection, and has been used for the same purpose on a great number of other consumer devices, coming into greatest prominence with the rise of the DVD format. Many digital, and all Hi-8, and S-VHS-C camcorders support S-Video out as well. Standard VHS VCRs do not put out a high enough resolution signal to saturate an S-Video connection, and therefore most such units, even those in combination units with DVD players (which commonly use S-Video or component outputs), require the output from the VHS deck to go through a composite video or RF connection."

I have read in forums of people stating that they DVD / Combo unit does output VHS via s-video, so I don't know who to believe. If the people in the forum are right, how is this being done by the manufacturers?

I also read from a person in another forum that you should not convert back in forth unless a good reason. For example if source was originally recording using composite then transfer to DVD using composite. I'm not sure that makes sense to me. S-video is a signal used to transmit the video information over the cable, not an encoding of information on the tape itself.

Here, someone else says the opposite: "Composite i/o will subject the signal to much more processing (and quality degradation) than S-video will. A copy made via composite i/o will always look worse than a copy made via S-Video i/o no matter what the source format is. Also, the copy will always be inferior to the master (source) tape in terms of quality. All you can do is limit the amount of damage you do to the signal.

I have no clear proof of whether s-video is better to use for analog camcorders that didn't have s-video output, but it makes sense to me that s-video should always be used when possible. However, I have found some hard evidence and reasoning to use s-video. (My logic was right). I think I found the best reason and clear explanation of why to use s-video over composite. The answer is dot crawl and it is only in composite, not video. It basically makes the picture not as clear. It is recommended to use S-Video to transmit analog video (which is what vhs is). Check out the info here.

The real question is what is the best and most cost effective way of getting VHS to be transmitted on s-video. There are three options.
1. Get a S-VHS vcr. They seem to be extremely expensive and for the most part professional equipment (with a couple of exceptions). I think I found a consumer model for around $500 if I remember correctly. The rest where professional line and cost in the thousands typically. I can't see this as being very economically feasible for the difference between composite and s-video.

2. Get a VCR/DVD combo. Most of them seem to have s-video built into them. The only question is which of them run the vhs out on them. I have read that some of them only use the s-video for DVD, and not the VCR. So, this may be trial and error until the right unit is found that uses s-video for vcr also. Do NOT worry about the up-conversion features even the ones that say they do it for VHS also. It just doesn't matter since it is display only. Meaning you have to use the HDMI connection and connect it to you tv. I don't know of any computer that accepts HDMI as a source for video capture.

The second part of this choice is whether to get the DVD Recorder instead of just a DVD player. This is a nice option if you want to not use a computer and just burn to the DVD directory from the tape. Please be advised that DVD's have a relatively short shelf life and will need to be recopied every 2-5 years or so. The source for this is: http://www.film-to-video.com/dirty_little_secrets.html and http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/303864 or just do a google search for dvd shelf life and you will see. The manufacturers of DVD's (the ones we burn with our dvd burners on our computers, not commercially produced ones) clain much longer shelf lives, but user experience and physics say differently. Some people have experiences issues with DVDs only 6 months old. This may be because of cheaper quality DVDs, but this is unknown. Play it safe, if you are going to buy a DVD or CD for that matter, make sure it is a high quality disk. The easiest way to do that is to stick with name brands. MiniDV is still one of the best archive mediums as they can last between 30 and 100 years. No medium is forever though. A quality Hard drive is a good choice also.

So, this is why I am choosing Hard Drive and a backup of that drive also that will be stored offsite for all my family archives. DVD's are nice for convenience, but not for archiving.

whether or not to buy a dvd/vcr combo just to get s-video output that may or may not work on a particular model and if it does, is it really helping the quality of the signal. I guess one way of looking at it is if I buy a combo unit that has a dvd writer built in, I don't really have to think about it, and just hope they chose the best way to do so. If I do this, I can also try the s-video out port with vcr to see if it works. Hey, I can even compare the the machine vs. computer made dvds. :)

It hit me after looking for s-video vcrs. Why not go to component video, it is analog as well and provides superior quality to any other analog medium! Unfortunately, my capture card does have connectivity for it. And I don't think I want to mess with component video given the less than industry standards that exist. I think I will be able to get much more consistent results with s-video.

Regardless of whether you choose s-video or component video, I have found that http://www.crutchfield.com is an EXCELLENT place to research the connections each DVD/VCR combo unit has and if they work for VCR or DVD or both. So far, I have found the following units that they say have s-video and / or component video for the vcr portion of the unit.

LG RC797T $299
LG RC700N $199 (may work, it doesn't say for sure)
Sony RDR-VX555 $229
Toshiba D-VR650 $250 (My guess is that it will work, but it is not clear Crutchfield or other Toshiba manuals). Toshiba also seems to have bad reviews in general, especially for their low end models. I can't really recommend this one based on that.
Panasonic makes a model that has "DVD priority" output like the Toshiba (no bad reputation though that I know of), but again, I don't know exactly what that means. This product was not on Crutchfield though.

Analog to Digital Capture Cards and USB devices for computers
http://www.videoguys.com/vidcap.htm

Good article on how to convert VHS to DVD
http://www.signvideo.com/conv-v-to-d.htm

Calibrating Oven

Believe it or not ovens need to be calibrated periodically. If you don't you may not be setting the oven to the temperature you think you are. For example, if you set the temperature to 350, it may be more like 375 or maybe 325. To calibrate you oven here is what you need to do.

1. Go to someplace like Bed Bath and Beyond or Linens N things and get an oven thermometer.
   
2. Make sure your new thermometer is calibrated and reliable. To check this, boil some water. Water boils at 212 F. Hang the thermometer above the waterline (it is NOT waterproof). The steam will also be 212 F as long as you hang it right above the waterline. The thermometer should read 212 F when the water is boiling. Don't touch the thermometer. It is HOT! Wait for it to cool before trying this.
   
3. Now put the thermometer into the oven and set it to say 350 F (or any temperature you can easily read on the thermometer and oven). Once the oven is heated completely, check your thermometer. It should say the 350 F in this case. If it doesn't it means your oven is out of calibration and might be the reason your cooking times are always off.
   
4. To calibrate your oven varies between ovens so check your manual. Many ovens with the turn knobs can be pulled off (pull straight out), and there is likely an adjustment knob on the back. Each tick may be about 10 degrees. If you have an oven with a digital display, you may need check the owners manual to determine how to calibrate it.
   
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the oven and the thermometer show the same temperature.

Some helpful facts to help you minimize the impact of rising gasoline costs

These tips were submitted by an employee of a major gas company.

Some helpful facts to help you minimize the impact of rising gasoline costs

Actually these gas types have been around for a long time, so I thought I'd share with you.

Gas Tips (Every penny counts).

Here are some tricks from a person who has worked in the petroleum industry for about 31 years to help you get more of your money's worth for every gallon.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY . The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.Another reminder. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

How to make a decision

Decision making doesn't have to difficult or traumatic. Just think of it as a process, not a finality. You will not always make decisions that are "optimal," but you move through them, learn (gain knowledge for your next decision process), and move on. Here are some steps to help guide you through the process.

1. Frame & Organize

2. Gather information & develop alternatives

3. Create opinion & conclude

4. Deploy

5. Learn

Law of 72

The Law of 72 says that if you divide 72 by the percent return on investment you expect, then the result is the number of years it will take for your initial amount to double.

For example:

Law 72

If assume 10% rate of return then it will take 7.2 years to double.

So, if you have $1000 today, in 7.2 years invested at 10% you will have $2000 ignoring taxes, cost of investment, etc.

Some other examples:

72/10% = 7.2 years to double

72/7.5% = 9.6 years
72/5% = 14.4 years to double

72/2.5% = 28.8 years

72/1.25% = 57.6 years

Best rate on a hotel

Some hotels in the California area appear to be a little to significantly more expensive during the week when you buy them on portal sites such as nexttag.com, orbitz.com, priceline.com, hotelsale.com, cheaptickets.com, etc. OK, this isn't always true by any means, but it is sometimes. The point is that you really need to shop around. A variety of factors affect the hotel price. Don't assume that weekends are more expensive than weekdays. It really depends on the class of the hotel, the company, events in the area, business travel bookings, etc. Do a little home work and you can learn and save a lot. Sites that I mentioned above generally seem to be the same as what you can get if you book on the portal site or the website of the hotel itself.

Another strange thing I noticed is that hotels on these sites are a little to significantly cheaper if you wait until the last minute (same day even) versus doing it a couple weeks in advance. I think the hotels or resellers get desperate when they have a bunch of rooms still available and want to fill the room so they don't lose the income. Again, this is probably not the norm, but don't assume you have to pay a high price for booking at the last minute.

The more economy style hotels like Best Western, Good Nite Inn, etc tend to keep their prices the same regardless. The Radisson, Holiday Inn, Hilton, etc tend to vary the most depending on when you book. According to the Radisson Hotel, rates are based on demand. The essentially means how many rooms are available. In general it is better to book a head of time to get the best rate. This is not always the case when there may be a special event in the area that is booking many of the rooms. So, it makes sense if you have the flexibility, to check days and weeks around the time you want to go to get the best rates. According to Best Western the rates are the same for the weekend and weekday. Internet rates are discounted versus walking up and asking for a hotel.

For higher end hotels like Radisson, the rates seem to consistently be consistently higher on the weekdays versus the weekends. For example, when booking over a month in the future the rates during the weekday was $135 a night versus $90 a night for the weekend. If you walk in, it is $165. Amazing differences to me. So, shop around.

If you can help it, never just show up at the hotel. Rates are the most expensive that way. Even if you book just before you get there online you will generally get a much better rate.

Unfortunately, I haven't found a sure fire way to get the best price. There are just too many factors to come up with one rule. Here is the best have come up with.

1. If you are flexible with your dates, then try different days around the day you want to be there.
2. If you are not flexible with your dates, then try different hotels in the area. In particular, you may be able to stay in a nice hotel instead of an economy style hotel if you get lucky.
3. Book well in advance like over a month in the future and you are likely to see what the best deals are. Though, you may be able to get a deal last minute as well.
3. Consider different area if all else fails.