How Our DVC to Digital Service Preserves Your Legacy



Your MiniDV video tapewon’t last forever, but you can preserve your captured memories and experiences with high-quality digital conversion using Capture.

Create digital format versions of your DVC cassette tapes in 3 easy steps:

Create your order using the button below. Then, gather your DVC and MiniDV cassettes as well as any additional information you want to give us

Send us your DVC tapes by adding a shipping label during the checkout process and dropping them off at your local UPS store.

In less than 30 days, you will receive digital copies of your DVC cassettes as well as your original copies in the same condition (or better if they require cleaning or repairs!).

Why Should You Convert Mini DV to Digital?

There are many reasons to transfer video tapes to digital copies, including: :

MiniDV tapes wear out and deteriorate over time. So, transferring them to a digital video can preserve them for the future.

By digitizing your DVC tapes, you can protect your precious memories from unexpected events like wildfires, burglaries, and floods. .

With digital video capture of your DVC tapes, you can organize by renaming, archiving, and adding additional information to the home movie files.

When you convert DVC tapes into digital copies, you can store the files on a hard drive, Mac or Windows computer, USB flash drive, or in the cloud (iCloud, Google Photos, Dropbox).

To view DVC tapes, you need a MiniDV player, which are not as common nowadays due to newer video playback technologies. They won’t work with a VHS adapter or VCR player, but a digital version can be viewed on almost any modern device in real-time playback so your loved ones can enjoy for years to come.

By transferring DVC tapes to digital formats, your loved ones won’t have to fight over physical copies. Plus, you will be able to share with loved ones anywhere in the world online, on social media, or by email.

When you convert MiniDV cassettes, you can immediately take advantage of advanced features on platforms like Google Photos, including search, archive, and reminder functions.

With digital files, you can use video editing software to enhance the original media to HD video quality or create new memories by combining old home movies with new footage

What is the Difference Between DVC, MiniDV, and VHS Tapes?




MiniDV and DVC are interchangeable terms used to refer to the same type of cassette format. The DVC tape was released by Sony and Panasonic in 1995 as a smaller alternative to VHS tapes. This made it easier to film home movies using a MiniDV camcorder than it would be using a full-size camcorder that uses bulky VHS cassettes.

In addition, MiniDV tapes offer vibrant color and resolution that is unavailable on VHS, VHS-C, and Betamax tapes. Despite the developments and benefits, the release of the DVD player and HDMI connections ended the era of cassettes, which is why it’s so important to convert DVC to digital to preserve the memories contained on the nearly obsolete format.

What options are there to convert DVC to digital?



You have many choices when it comes to digitizing your DVC tapes including DIY options and done-for-you professional services.

A digital converter is a good DIY option to transfer Mini DV tapes. You can find affordable options on Amazon that use a USB cable to connect to your computer and an RCA cable to connect to your DVC video camera or MiniDV-compatible player, including the ClearClick Digital Converter, which costs around $159.99 or the more affordable DIGITNOW option for $49.99. However, you may need an adapter if your MiniDV camcorder or VCR has an IEEE 1394 FireWire Port instead of a standard USB port.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Produces good results if you know what you’re doing

Cons

  • Time-consuming with real-time digitization for every DVC cassette
  • Designed for tech-savvy users
  • You will need an original DVC camcorder or player (and may require extra cables, too)

Screen recording involves playing your home movies on a projector or television and then recording it with a digital camera, or smartphone. As you might have guessed, this option offers poor-quality outcomes. However, it may be worth trying if you just want to quickly preserve your videotapes before choosing another option for higher-quality digital files.

Pros

  • Easy because you simply stabilize the camera and record
  • Affordable, possibly even free, if you already have a camera

Cons

  • Low-quality results because you are recording, not converting, the original home movies
  • The result could show glares and other imperfections more than other options
  • Time-consuming because you must record in real time

Capture is the only brand that can maintain the highest quality standards while getting your original MiniDV tapes and digital copies back to you in less than 30 days. We guarantee the safety of your original media with security tracking every step of the way and will even complete minor repairs when necessary. If you aren’t satisfied, we will even reprocess your DVC tapes for free!

Pros

  • Professional quality results every time
  • Transfer DVC to digital in 30 days or less (counting shipping!)
  • Produces your choice of DVD, digital download, or USB flash drive
  • Satisfaction guaranteed

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer video editing services or enhanced color or resolution

There may be local stores in your area that offer digitization services. In addition, major retailers like Costco, Walmart, and CVS offer digital conversion services fulfilled by Capture, which means you get all the benefits of professional digital files, efficient processes, and friendly customer support that we offer every customer.

Pros

  • Fulfilled by Capture at many retailers for professional quality service and results
  • Good customer support and guaranteed satisfaction
  • Efficient compared to the industry standard of 10 to 12 weeks

Cons

  • Pricing depends on the specific retailer’s fees
  • Not every retail location offers DVC to digital services

What Makes Capture the Best Choice to Transfer DVC to Digital?

Trusted by top retail brands

Exclusive partnerships with major brands like Costco, Walmart, Google Photos, and CVS.

A state-of-the-art tracking and security system

We know exactly where every piece of media is, through which hand it passes, in which box it ships… every step of the way.

Guaranteed results

If you’re unhappy with the results, we’ll reprocess it for free.

Auto integration with Google Photos

API integration to allow automatic transfer to your library. We also help iCloud users to upload media to their accounts.

Sensitive information protection

Our secure system guarantees only customers have access to their memories.

Complementary backup

We offer a complimentary 60-day backup of your digitized media, giving you extra peace of mind.

Fast Turnaround Time

You will receive your digitized copies within 30 days – this is much faster than the industry standard of 70+ days.

Quality Care

We take great care in handling your DVC or MiniDV tapes because the memories they contain are priceless.

Media Repairs

We fix issues like broken cases and mild ribbon damage, as well as clean mold from DVC videotapes. We repair ahead of processing to ensure the best quality.

Rated 4.9/5

12 Million Happy Customers

Henry

They did an excellent job! The transfer of my vhs camcorder cassette to dvd looks great, and I had good email updates throughout the process to know where it was at.

Massachusetts

Mike

I highly recommend Capture for VHS to DVD transfers. They do quality work. The music they use to showcase certain footage enhances the quality and the memories.

US

Phil

It was amazing what you did to digitize my 40 year old movies. They appear to be better than the original movie itself. Picture quality is very sharp and crisp.

Conneticut

M. Camp

This means so much to me – you don't know. My dad was a movie taker, and now it's me who is passing along the tradition.

Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

A DVC tape is a type of compact cassette that, like Betamax and VHS tapes, uses magnetic tape to record home movies. They are also known as S-size, small cassettes, and MiniDV cassettes. Unlike VHS tapes, they stored digital video instead of analog, which means they offer higher resolution, better colors, and other benefits.

While both DVD and DVC store digital video, a DVC tape does so with a cassette box and magnetic tape, while DVD uses an optical disc. They were both developed and released in the mid-90s, but MiniDV tapes were more likely to be used for home movies at that time.

1. Once we receive your DVC video tapes, we will carefully clean the tape, check for damage, and scan through the video.

2. Then, we use professional-grade converting equipment to convert your home movies by hand into the highest quality digital format.

3. Before sending the original and digital versions back to you, we will check the color, inspect the quality, and save a backup to ensure your memories are never lost and always exactly as you remembered them.

4. You will receive your original DVC tapes and digital copies in less than 30 days including shipping so you can cherish your memories forever.

There are 4 primary grades of Mini DV tape: Premium Series (PR), Videographers grade (VG), High Definition (HD), and the standard consumer-grade DVC tape. Capture can convert all DVC types into long-lasting digital copies.

DVC and MiniDV tapes will start to degrade after approximately 20 years, which can reduce video quality or make the tapes unviewable altogether. This occurrence is more likely with extreme temperatures, light, and humidity. To avoid losing your precious memories forever, it’s a good idea to convert DVC to digital as soon as possible.

What Other Formats of Videotapes Can Capture Preserve?

Betamax

Video8, Hi-8, Digital8

DV, DVCAM

MiniDV, DVC