Price is not the only consideration!

Too many times, the only question that is asked of us is “how much?” How much does it cost to transfer my videotape to DVD? How much does it cost to transfer my family film to DVD? How much does it cost to videotape our wedding? How much does it cost too….well, you fill in the blank.

We here at McKenna Video Services are very conscience and sensitive to price-we make some of our decisions based on price too. Decisions like where do we go to get the best price on a particular box of cereal. Or maybe what particular store is that coupon redeemable at. Or even where we get our next tank of gas (with some exception since cheap gas can actually damage a car engine). But we certainly do not shop price when it comes to unique or important items.

Such is the case with transferring video tape or 8mm film to DVD. While McKenna Video is certainly not the most expensive video services company, we admit that we are not the least expensive (there are lots of fly-by-night, discount, and online companies). Having said that, there are questions to ask when trusting your treasured memories to the hands of others.

Here is a list of considerations to factor in when determining where to send your media:

• Quality, both in terms of the DVD media and in terms of the process (be sure to ask what the process is and if there is an intelligible answer);
• Timeliness: how long will the transfer take;
• Location: where is the transfer being completed (FYI-McKenna Video does not send your tapes and films to Mexico like our competitors do);
• Loss Rate: what is the loss and error rates with the companies that you are considering;
• Do I get my original media back;
• Can we edit, move reels around, place custom titles, add a soundtrack, voiceover or other audio content, can I custom author a DVD?

Of course, there are many other factors that you personally might consider important, but in terms of actually completing the transfer these should be highest on your list. Be sure to look beyond the lowest price when determining who to trust your precious memories to. Remember the old adage “you get what you pay for?” The same is very true with video services.

God’s blessings.

Chris.