Project Notes > Technical > Video Notes >
13-Nov-2006 - Video Silo Experiment - Reid Smith
I converted a 2.5 hr S-VHS tape to DVD using a Sony RDR-VX500 
Video Cassette Recorder / DVD Recorder. The DVD variable bit recording MPEG2 compression options on this machine include 1hr (HQ), 1.5 hr (HSP), 2 hr (SP), 3 hr (LP), 4 hr (EP) or 6 hr (SLP). I chose LP, which is not quite optimal for a 2.5 hr recording. (Note that the newer Sony RDR-VX530 has two additional modes: 2.5 hr (LSP) and 8 hr (SEP).) It is a simple process to record a DVD, but the options for chapter menus, etc. are very limited.
To compare the quality of one of the many video services advertised on the Web, I sent the same tape to Video Silo. The process is simple. One submits an order by filling out a Web form, including the title label for each DVD. Video Silo sends a package in which to ship the tape, then returns a package with the DVD(s) and the original tape.
- I filled out the form on 27-Sep-2006. The shipping materials arrived on 29-Sep-2006. I shipped the tape on 30-Sep-2006. The finished product arrived on 13-Nov-2006. Total elapsed time: 47 days.
- I paid for an additional service which includes a thumbnail-based chapter menu, along with a solid black case. The total cost was $33.09 (Tape to DVD: $8.95; Enhanced Menus Service: $4.19; Three-Way Shipping: $19.95).
- Video Silo (like the other services) uses a 2 hr setting for all tapes. Hence, my 2.5 hr tape was returned as 2 DVDs. I regard this as a problem. It would be more useful to have the option of telling the service how much to put on a single DVD, as one can with a machine like the Sony.
- From an MPEG2 compression point of view, I could not discern a difference in quality between the Video Silo DVDs and the DVD I recorded, even though Video Silo applied a less aggressive compression scheme (2 hr vs. 3 hr).
- However, the Video Silo DVDs had noticeable "jitter", possibly from issues with the tape equipment used.
To summarize, the original DVD I made at home had better quality than the DVDs produced by Video Silo and the single DVD is more convenient. The plus for Video Silo is thumbnail-based chapter menus.
