Frequently asked questions
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How do you create a DVD from slides?
We use Nikon equipment exclusively here. Each slide is cleaned, individually color balanced, exposure
adjusted and stored as a low compression (high quality) JPG file. Details are available here. The JPG
files are then organized into a slide show with transitional fades, background music and divided into
chapters as desired. The slide show is encoded into a video file and written to a top quality Verbatim®
Datalife DVD-r DVD. In addition, we store the original JPG files in a "DATA" folder on the DVD for access
through a computer for printing. The DVD is thermally labeled with a title and subtitle of your choice.
Why are you so much cheaper than everybody else?
We've streamlined our operation to the specific task of creating a video DVD slide show using jpg files we
create from virtually any slide mounted in a 2" x 2" plastic or cardboard mount. We believe we offer what
the vast majority of families with large slide collections need. Most other businesses provide a whole
range of services including slide montages with music and/or narration, incorporation of photographs, raw
scans, VHS tape transfers, gold/silver/lead service levels, etc. There's nothing wrong with offering variety
and if you want:
- jpgs suitable for making 16x20 posters from your families' slide collection we cannot do that for you.
- a customized audio narration track incorporated into your slide show, we don't offer that.
- to have slides along with some camcorder clips & photos merged into a show, we don't do that either.
But if you want to have hundreds of old family slides that haven't been viewed in many years transferred
into a form that is easily viewed on your TV or computer, can be distributed to other family members and
you can make normal size prints from you've found the company that specializes in meeting that need.
Can I get prints from the DVD?
Yes! Every slide image is stored on the DVD within a file folder named "DATA". You'll find all the images
of your slides as JPG files there. At 2000dpi images from 35mm slides are 2699 x 1803 pixels and are
suitable for creating a 6x9 print. Images from 126 slides are 2069 x 2069 pixels for 7x7 prints. More
information on the JPG files we create is available here. For those who want to make larger prints we also
offer 3000dpi allowing prints of 9x13-1/2 from 35mm slides and 10x10 from 126 slides.
Is 2000dpi enough? Your competitors offer anywhere from 1500dpi to 4000dpi.
We offer both 2000dpi and 3000dpi. Which you choose depends on what size prints you want to make
from the jpg files. In general, higher resolution allows you to make larger prints and/or do more cropping.
With a 35mm slide 2000dpi allows you to make a print that is 6 inches x 9 inches. In other words, 2000dpi
is suitable for making a standard 5 x 7 print with a little room for cropping. A 5 x 7 print made from a
4000dpi jpg will not be any sharper than a 5 x 7 print made from a 2000dpi jpg because the limiting factor
is the output resolution of the printer. In addition, to fully utilize the benefits of a very high resolution scan
the slides need to have been taken using a good quality camera, preferable using a low grain film and
developed in a quality lab.
In a nutshell, here's a list of the common input resolutions and the largest standard size print that should
be made from the corresponding jpg file (assuming a 35mm slide):
1500dpi = 4 x 5 print
2000dpi = 5 x 7 print
3000dpi = 8 x 10 print
4000dpi = 11 x 14 print
2000dpi also exceeds the requirements for display on a high definition TV. 2000dpi is a very cost effective
choice for families with old slides they want to get out of their closets and viewed, shared and enjoyed!
For just a small additional cost we offer 3000dpi for those who want the higher resolution. More here.
Do you ever out source work to other companies or locations?
Never! When you choose SuperiorSlides you'll know who is doing the work. This is a good question to
ask of any company you're thinking of entrusting your irreplaceable slides with. There's one company
based in California that sends your slides to India to be processed! They do offer to pay you a settlement
if your slides disappear though! Another company in Florida sends your slides to Costa Rica! They don't
mention this in their websites but if you ask them directly they'll tell you where the processing is done.
SuperiorSlides is a husband & wife business we run in our home in Michigan. It is our full time job and
your slides never leave our possession from the moment we receive your order to the moment we mail
your completed order back to you.
How many slides will fit on a DVD?
400 - 600 35mm slides with background music will fit on a DVD depending on the resolution you select,
2000dpi or 3000dpi. The 28¢ charge for 2000dpi or the 32¢ for 3000dpi includes one set of DVD(s).
There is no extra charge if we have to use multiple discs to fill your order.
Will the DVD you make play on any DVD player?
Virtually all DVD players made since 1999 can play DVD-r DVDs. Unless you have a very old DVD player
the DVD we produce should work. It is best to check your owners manual or you could try a Google search
on the model number of your player. Please be aware, we do not offer refunds for equipment
incompatibilities. If you'd like to test your equipment you can request a sample DVD.
Will the slide show be divided into chapters?
Yes. Just as a book may contain a table of contents that lists the chapters in the book, the DVDs we
create will display a "table of contents" when you insert the DVD into your player. When you send your
slides to us you can divide your slides into groups and we'll create a chapter for each group. The table of
contents contains a thumbnail image of a slide in each chapter. You select which chapter you'd like to
watch by clicking on the thumbnail. You can also name your chapters and we'll display the group name
along with the thumbnail image (see TOC example). The instructions in Step 1 describe how you can
divide your slides into chapters.
Can I make copies of the DVD?
Yes! It's your DVD and you can make as many copies of it as you like. If you prefer, we can make copies
for you. We use high quality Verbatim® DataLife DVD-r discs and thermally label them with a title and
subtitle of your choice. Although thermal printing is expensive we feel it is the best method for labeling an
archival DVD. Other methods of labelling DVDs have serious drawbacks. The glue on sticker labels will
eat through the thin protective coating on a DVD and eventually destroy it. Another popular method is to
use inkjet printers to label DVDs but inkjet ink fades over time, is not waterproof and lacks durability. We
also include a high quality 5-1/4" x 7-1/2" Amaray® video DVD hardshell case (see picture).
Can you add music I provide to the slide show?
We do not accept customer supplied music for slide shows we create. Instead we purchased the rights to
legally offer a selection of beautiful acoustic music as background music and we include it at no additional
charge. We have four background music groups you can choose from. Samples are available here. Why
don't we accept customer supplied music? Based on our understanding of copyright law owning a music
CD does not give the owner the right to extract all or part of its content and distribute it to anyone (including
family members). We are aware 'everyone does it' but it is nonetheless illegal. It is also our
understanding even if music is in the public domain the free use of the music refers only to the sheet
music and although such music can be performed freely the recorded performance of any music is
protected by copyright laws and cannot be copied without written permission from the copyright holder.
Do you offer quantity discounts?
Everyone gets a discounted price here. Instead of only discounting large orders we offer the same low
price regardless of the number of slides in your order and that price includes everything you need except
the return postage fee.
Do you offer a discount if I just want the JPGs without the slide show?
Sorry. One of the reasons we can provide the service we do at such a low cost is because we don't offer
multiple options and various service levels but you'll find our service is less expensive with the slide show
& image corrections than others are for just raw scans.
Can you use CDs instead of DVDs?
CDs simply don't have the capacity to store a slide show of sufficient size and video quality to make them a
viable storage medium. We do realize not everyone has a DVD-ROM on their computer so we do offer the
option of storing the JPG files on CDs. You'll still get the standard DVD we create with the slide show and
the JPG files stored on it plus we'll write the JPGs to CDs. This is an extra charge option. Note: because
of their low capacity it can take many CDs to store all of your JPG files.
I'm concerned about sending my slides through the mail.
Our experience with the post office has been simply outstanding. To date we've received, processed and
returned over hundreds of thousands of slides and haven't had a single loss. Despite what you might
hear, the post office does a super job! It seems as long as a package has a legible mailing label on it the
post office will get it there. As extra insurance and at no extra charge we create a backup copy of all DVDs
we create and keep them on file for up to one year. If your DVD is lost or damaged we can create a new
DVD for a nominal charge. Step 3 provides complete mailing instructions. Note: we ship to USA
addresses only.
How long does it take?
Current turnaround times are available here.
Christmas is a very busy time for us. If you want to ensure your order is ready for Christmas we
recommend getting your slides to us early. As examples, for Christmas 2006 we couldn't accept any more
Christmas orders on November 15th, for Christmas 2007 we were booked on November 8th and for
Christmas 2008 we were booked on November 14th.
My dog/cat/son/daughter/hamster/goldfish chewed on my DVD and it won't play anymore. Do I have
to send all my slides back to you so you can make a new DVD for me?
No! We keep backup copies of all DVDs we create. We can make replacement DVDs from our backup
discs for a nominal charge (price and availability subject to change without notice).
Are you guys for real?
This isn't just a Frequently Asked Question it's also one of our Favorite Asked Questions and the answer
is YES! My wife and I took early retirements from very well paying 9-5 jobs, myself computer programming
in a Fortune 500 company and my wife in the public school system to start SuperiorSlides. Since its
creation in April 2005 we work 7am to 8pm earning a fraction of our former pay and we couldn't be happier!
My coworker is my wife and companion for the past 33 years and we work in the home we built ourselves
26 years ago. We find it very rewarding not only to own our own business but it's a business that
produces a product that makes people happy.
We use Nikon equipment exclusively here. Each slide is cleaned, individually color balanced, exposure
adjusted and stored as a low compression (high quality) JPG file. Details are available here. The JPG
files are then organized into a slide show with transitional fades, background music and divided into
chapters as desired. The slide show is encoded into a video file and written to a top quality Verbatim®
Datalife DVD-r DVD. In addition, we store the original JPG files in a "DATA" folder on the DVD for access
through a computer for printing. The DVD is thermally labeled with a title and subtitle of your choice.
Why are you so much cheaper than everybody else?
We've streamlined our operation to the specific task of creating a video DVD slide show using jpg files we
create from virtually any slide mounted in a 2" x 2" plastic or cardboard mount. We believe we offer what
the vast majority of families with large slide collections need. Most other businesses provide a whole
range of services including slide montages with music and/or narration, incorporation of photographs, raw
scans, VHS tape transfers, gold/silver/lead service levels, etc. There's nothing wrong with offering variety
and if you want:
- jpgs suitable for making 16x20 posters from your families' slide collection we cannot do that for you.
- a customized audio narration track incorporated into your slide show, we don't offer that.
- to have slides along with some camcorder clips & photos merged into a show, we don't do that either.
But if you want to have hundreds of old family slides that haven't been viewed in many years transferred
into a form that is easily viewed on your TV or computer, can be distributed to other family members and
you can make normal size prints from you've found the company that specializes in meeting that need.
Can I get prints from the DVD?
Yes! Every slide image is stored on the DVD within a file folder named "DATA". You'll find all the images
of your slides as JPG files there. At 2000dpi images from 35mm slides are 2699 x 1803 pixels and are
suitable for creating a 6x9 print. Images from 126 slides are 2069 x 2069 pixels for 7x7 prints. More
information on the JPG files we create is available here. For those who want to make larger prints we also
offer 3000dpi allowing prints of 9x13-1/2 from 35mm slides and 10x10 from 126 slides.
Is 2000dpi enough? Your competitors offer anywhere from 1500dpi to 4000dpi.
We offer both 2000dpi and 3000dpi. Which you choose depends on what size prints you want to make
from the jpg files. In general, higher resolution allows you to make larger prints and/or do more cropping.
With a 35mm slide 2000dpi allows you to make a print that is 6 inches x 9 inches. In other words, 2000dpi
is suitable for making a standard 5 x 7 print with a little room for cropping. A 5 x 7 print made from a
4000dpi jpg will not be any sharper than a 5 x 7 print made from a 2000dpi jpg because the limiting factor
is the output resolution of the printer. In addition, to fully utilize the benefits of a very high resolution scan
the slides need to have been taken using a good quality camera, preferable using a low grain film and
developed in a quality lab.
In a nutshell, here's a list of the common input resolutions and the largest standard size print that should
be made from the corresponding jpg file (assuming a 35mm slide):
1500dpi = 4 x 5 print
2000dpi = 5 x 7 print
3000dpi = 8 x 10 print
4000dpi = 11 x 14 print
2000dpi also exceeds the requirements for display on a high definition TV. 2000dpi is a very cost effective
choice for families with old slides they want to get out of their closets and viewed, shared and enjoyed!
For just a small additional cost we offer 3000dpi for those who want the higher resolution. More here.
Do you ever out source work to other companies or locations?
Never! When you choose SuperiorSlides you'll know who is doing the work. This is a good question to
ask of any company you're thinking of entrusting your irreplaceable slides with. There's one company
based in California that sends your slides to India to be processed! They do offer to pay you a settlement
if your slides disappear though! Another company in Florida sends your slides to Costa Rica! They don't
mention this in their websites but if you ask them directly they'll tell you where the processing is done.
SuperiorSlides is a husband & wife business we run in our home in Michigan. It is our full time job and
your slides never leave our possession from the moment we receive your order to the moment we mail
your completed order back to you.
How many slides will fit on a DVD?
400 - 600 35mm slides with background music will fit on a DVD depending on the resolution you select,
2000dpi or 3000dpi. The 28¢ charge for 2000dpi or the 32¢ for 3000dpi includes one set of DVD(s).
There is no extra charge if we have to use multiple discs to fill your order.
Will the DVD you make play on any DVD player?
Virtually all DVD players made since 1999 can play DVD-r DVDs. Unless you have a very old DVD player
the DVD we produce should work. It is best to check your owners manual or you could try a Google search
on the model number of your player. Please be aware, we do not offer refunds for equipment
incompatibilities. If you'd like to test your equipment you can request a sample DVD.
Will the slide show be divided into chapters?
Yes. Just as a book may contain a table of contents that lists the chapters in the book, the DVDs we
create will display a "table of contents" when you insert the DVD into your player. When you send your
slides to us you can divide your slides into groups and we'll create a chapter for each group. The table of
contents contains a thumbnail image of a slide in each chapter. You select which chapter you'd like to
watch by clicking on the thumbnail. You can also name your chapters and we'll display the group name
along with the thumbnail image (see TOC example). The instructions in Step 1 describe how you can
divide your slides into chapters.
Can I make copies of the DVD?
Yes! It's your DVD and you can make as many copies of it as you like. If you prefer, we can make copies
for you. We use high quality Verbatim® DataLife DVD-r discs and thermally label them with a title and
subtitle of your choice. Although thermal printing is expensive we feel it is the best method for labeling an
archival DVD. Other methods of labelling DVDs have serious drawbacks. The glue on sticker labels will
eat through the thin protective coating on a DVD and eventually destroy it. Another popular method is to
use inkjet printers to label DVDs but inkjet ink fades over time, is not waterproof and lacks durability. We
also include a high quality 5-1/4" x 7-1/2" Amaray® video DVD hardshell case (see picture).
Can you add music I provide to the slide show?
We do not accept customer supplied music for slide shows we create. Instead we purchased the rights to
legally offer a selection of beautiful acoustic music as background music and we include it at no additional
charge. We have four background music groups you can choose from. Samples are available here. Why
don't we accept customer supplied music? Based on our understanding of copyright law owning a music
CD does not give the owner the right to extract all or part of its content and distribute it to anyone (including
family members). We are aware 'everyone does it' but it is nonetheless illegal. It is also our
understanding even if music is in the public domain the free use of the music refers only to the sheet
music and although such music can be performed freely the recorded performance of any music is
protected by copyright laws and cannot be copied without written permission from the copyright holder.
Do you offer quantity discounts?
Everyone gets a discounted price here. Instead of only discounting large orders we offer the same low
price regardless of the number of slides in your order and that price includes everything you need except
the return postage fee.
Do you offer a discount if I just want the JPGs without the slide show?
Sorry. One of the reasons we can provide the service we do at such a low cost is because we don't offer
multiple options and various service levels but you'll find our service is less expensive with the slide show
& image corrections than others are for just raw scans.
Can you use CDs instead of DVDs?
CDs simply don't have the capacity to store a slide show of sufficient size and video quality to make them a
viable storage medium. We do realize not everyone has a DVD-ROM on their computer so we do offer the
option of storing the JPG files on CDs. You'll still get the standard DVD we create with the slide show and
the JPG files stored on it plus we'll write the JPGs to CDs. This is an extra charge option. Note: because
of their low capacity it can take many CDs to store all of your JPG files.
I'm concerned about sending my slides through the mail.
Our experience with the post office has been simply outstanding. To date we've received, processed and
returned over hundreds of thousands of slides and haven't had a single loss. Despite what you might
hear, the post office does a super job! It seems as long as a package has a legible mailing label on it the
post office will get it there. As extra insurance and at no extra charge we create a backup copy of all DVDs
we create and keep them on file for up to one year. If your DVD is lost or damaged we can create a new
DVD for a nominal charge. Step 3 provides complete mailing instructions. Note: we ship to USA
addresses only.
How long does it take?
Current turnaround times are available here.
Christmas is a very busy time for us. If you want to ensure your order is ready for Christmas we
recommend getting your slides to us early. As examples, for Christmas 2006 we couldn't accept any more
Christmas orders on November 15th, for Christmas 2007 we were booked on November 8th and for
Christmas 2008 we were booked on November 14th.
My dog/cat/son/daughter/hamster/goldfish chewed on my DVD and it won't play anymore. Do I have
to send all my slides back to you so you can make a new DVD for me?
No! We keep backup copies of all DVDs we create. We can make replacement DVDs from our backup
discs for a nominal charge (price and availability subject to change without notice).
Are you guys for real?
This isn't just a Frequently Asked Question it's also one of our Favorite Asked Questions and the answer
is YES! My wife and I took early retirements from very well paying 9-5 jobs, myself computer programming
in a Fortune 500 company and my wife in the public school system to start SuperiorSlides. Since its
creation in April 2005 we work 7am to 8pm earning a fraction of our former pay and we couldn't be happier!
My coworker is my wife and companion for the past 33 years and we work in the home we built ourselves
26 years ago. We find it very rewarding not only to own our own business but it's a business that
produces a product that makes people happy.
We transform your slides into movies! ™
Copyright SuperiorSlides LLC, 2005 - 2012. All rights reserved. |
| Report copyright violations and receive a 25% discount on your order. DETAILS HERE |
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