Basics of DVDs
The DVD that you received from Skydive City is pretty much the same as any other DVD you buy at the store, or rent from the Video store. You can play it in your DVD player on your TV or play it in your computer, if your computer has a DVD player built in.
1. First, make a copy of your DVD - Regardless of what you do.
Your DVD is special in many ways, but most of all, please note that there is ONLY ONE copy made. If you lose, damage, scratch or otherwise damage your Skydive City DVD, we will not be able to replace it. We only make one copy for you and we do not archive any of our Tandem or AFF videos.
So if you have a DVD burner, usually in your computer, then most likely your computer came with software, like Roxio Creator or Nero which allow you to make an EXACT copy of your DVD. This is always a good idea in case yours gets damaged. You can also make copies to give to your friends and family.
Following the steps below will also save your Skydiving video to your computer - another great way to keep a backup of your DVD. Most photo shops and similar services can also make copies of your DVD for you for a small fee.
1. The easy way to get the DVD into your computer for use on YouTube
You cannot simply 'copy' the DVD to your computer as a video file to upload. To prevent video 'pirates' from stealing and copying movies, DVDs cannot be loaded to a computer unless you have that special 'pirating software' that allows you to do that. This software is also called 'DVD Ripper' software that will decode a DVD and make it into a computer file.
These software packages are available online, some for free and some for $$. But they are becoming increasingly popular since many people want videos for their iPhones, iPods, laptops, cell phones and such.
If you look at www.download.com here>>, you can find several ripper packages to use. Be careful what you download or buy from the internet. A website like download.com is probably a reliable site to get a product from. Other searches might find you free software, but they could also be software diguised with viruses, spyware or trojans.
Most of these packages will allow you to save the DVD in many different video formats. You will have to check with YouTube or your iPod/iPhone to see what is the best format to save it in for that device.
2. The 'Other Way' to get your DVD into your computer
This is a 2-step process and requires the use of a video camera that has external connections for video/audio and a USB or Firewire port.
a. Record your DVD from your DVD player to a Camcorder
You can connect your DVD player to a camcorder, using your camcorder as a VCR for recording.
Set your camcorder to "VCR" mode, connect a regular audio/video cable from your DVD player to the camcorder. When you hit "Play" on your DVD player, your can then hit "Record" on your Camcorder and capture the whole video onto your camcorder. Almost all camcorders allow you to do this and usually come equipped with the necessary cables.
You can also use the Super-VHS (SVHS or S-Video) connector if you want, instead of the regular video connector, it depends on your DVD player and camcorder and whether or not you have the cable. All this info should be in your Camcorder Owner's Manual.
Now you have your DVD video available and recorded on your camcorder.
b. Record from your Camcorder to your Computer
Now you need to connect your Camcorder to your Computer.
Almost every Camcorder sold today comes with a USB cable to allow you to connect it you your computer. Some also have a Firewire Cable. If your computer has a Firewire connector, you can use either the USB or the Firewire to connect your computer to your Camcorder.
If you run Windows, then Windows Movie Maker is the program that will most likely start automatically when you plug in your Camcorder. If you use a Mac, then it is even easier. Most Mac OS X computers are equipped with everything you need to capture the video into your Computer.
We will not go into detail on how to do this, there are many options and such and it depends on your connections and your computer and what you want to do with your Skydiving video. You can also save you video on your computer in many different formats. AVI files, MPEG files, MOV files, all different formats on different computers, but all usable for what we are trying to do here.
c. Upload your video from your Computer to You Tube.
You Tube makes it easy to upload videos, but you do need an account with them to do it. Once you create an account, just follow their steps to upload the video file from your computer to your You Tube account. Now the whole world can see it!
Remember to add some of the keywords in your video description. SKYDIVE CITY ZEPHYRHILLS Z-HILLS TANDEM or AFF and when you come back to Skydive City for your next jump, we will apply a discount for your 'advertising' for us.
You can then link your You Tube video to your own web page, your MySpace or Facebook account, and more and more people can see you take the plunge at Skydive City. |
