Video Graphics, Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
What are your business hours?
Video Graphics, Inc. is open during our corporate clients' regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday 9-5. If these hours are not convenient, we happily accept shipped orders. Payment can be made over the phone upon the order's completion, and the finished products will be shipped to the client (normal shipping rates apply).
Where are you located?
Our shopping plaza is located on Route 30 East in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. We are across from the Barnes and Noble by Westmoreland Mall, and our plaza contains Giant Eagle, Chick-Fil-A, Taco Bell, and PNC. We're in the back left corner of the plaza next to Fun Party Stores.
Will you keep a copy of my DVD on file?
VGI does not keep copies of consumer DVDs on file unless the client believes many will be ordered in the future. If you need additional copies of the work you've had done, simply bring in one of your finished DVDs or CDs and we'll be happy to make you more.
Do you send any products out to be processed?
Absolutely not! All products and services are provided in our office. There is never a chance your order will be lost in transit.
Do I need to make an appointment to drop off my order?
You never need an appointment if you're dropping off a simple tape to CD or DVD order or a duplication order. You'll want to schedule an appointment if your project will need edited, if you need a special design for a DVD or CD label, or wish to talk about producing a video or commercial. We work with many clients simultaneously and want to make sure we have an employee available to work with you.
Tape, DVD, and CD Questions
What is the difference between a DVD and a CD?
DVDs and CDs may look the same, but they have very different functions. DVDs are used for video and are meant to be watched on a television, although many modern computers will play DVDs as well. CDs contain video or audio and are meant to be played on a computer (if it's video or audio) or in a CD player if it's an audio CD.
Can I put more than one tape onto a DVD or CD?
Video Graphics does not put more than one tape to a DVD because of the high chance of error.
What will my DVD look like when it is finished?
The DVD you receive will look exactly like the tape you submit. The quality cannot be improved in this process.
Can I get a high-definition DVD?
This is a common question. Currently, there is no technology that allows high definition burning to a DVD. This would require burning the project to a Blu-Ray format, which is much more expensive than a common DVD. The original footage must be in high definition for a high def final product.
Can you duplicate a DVD, audio tape or CD I bought at the store or taped off the radio?
Federal copyright laws prevent VGI from duplicating any CD, DVD, or tape that contains copyrighted music. Copyrights can last indefinitely, so without written permission from the copyright holder, ASCAP, or BMI, we cannot duplicate their work.
How much time does one DVD hold?
One DVD holds two hours of video. If the DVD recorder is set to record more time, the picture becomes pixelated, especially around movement on the screen.
How long will my order take to complete?
Small orders of DVDs and CDs will usually take one to two business days. Larger orders may take longer. Call our office with an approximate number of tapes and their lengths to get a more exact estimate.
How do I know if I have a tape or film?
A tape is what comes out of a camcorder, usually within the past thirty years. Early tapes can be put into a VCR or an adaptor to be put into a VCR. You have a reel of film when it must be put onto a projector and projected onto a wall.
Can you make the paper inserts that go into the jewel case with the CD or DVD?
VGI includes mastering the program to DVD or CD, printing a label (1/4 coverage), and the jewel or poly case with its duplication rates. We do not offer paper printing such as pictures, CD, or DVD inserts. We recommend Office Max for this service.Will I be able to take my DVD and edit it on my computer?
We use stand-alone DVD burners at VGI, which burn the DVDs with DVD formatted files. Since these aren't computer data files, your computer may be able to play your DVD but will most likely not be able to take the files into an editing program. If you need to edit your video, please let us know and we will make computer files (AVIs) that you will be able to edit on your home computer. This service is billable at $65/hour of video. Please note that the data DVD you receive with the AVI files will not be playable on most DVD players.
How do I know my DVD player will play the DVD I receive?
Most DVD players will play a burned DVD. Some off-brand players, players over four or five years old, or computer-based players may not be able to play a burned DVD. Major name brands such as Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and Toshiba will almost always work with a burned DVD.
Why is my burned DVD skipping or freezing in my player?
First, check the back of the DVD for scratches, smudges, and fingerprints. Gently wipe off any smudges or fingerprints with a soft cotton cloth, moving from the center hub towards the outside of the disc (never in circles). If this does not solve the problem, try playing the DVD in another DVD player. This problem is almost always caused by an incompatibility between the player and the DVD. If the DVD plays correctly in another player (or two), chances are your DVD player may not be compatible with the disc. Strangely, it's well-known in our industry that sometimes a player will simply not like a particular disc, so you may have one disc play perfectly in your player while another one freezes or skips.
Film Orders
How do I know if I have a tape or film?
A tape comes out of a camcorder, usually taken within the past thirty years. Early tapes can be put into a VCR or an adaptor to be played by a VCR. You have a reel of film when it must be put onto a projector and projected onto a wall.
Can I pick my own music for my films?
The free music provided for films by VGI is a selection of acoustic guitar and piano music without lyrics. Since VGI is constrained by federal copyright laws and cannot use copyrighted music (ie, anything you've bought, heard on the radio, downloaded, etc.), we use selections from a huge production library of music we own the rights to. With a few exceptions, none of our music contains lyrics and is purely instrumental. If you want to choose your audio tracks, we will ask for the genres you prefer and will play you selections from which you can choose your favorites. The charge for music selection is $65/hour.
What will my films look like when they're transferred to DVD?
The final DVD will look just like your films. If they're in good shape, with no hair, dirt, or fuzz, and were shot in good light and focus, expect your DVDs to look just as good. We are not responsible for the original state of the film, such as underexposure, overexposure, color, or bad focus. We shoot the films with a high definition broadcast camera before transferring them to DVD, so they will be accurate to your originals.
Can I change the order of the the events on my films?
The transfer process is in order of your original films. Editing the placement of the films is possible after the initial film transfer to DVD and is billable at $65/hour.
How long will my film transfer take?
We estimate film transfers will take two weeks, although the time may vary depending on the season. For instance, in the spring and summer, film takes two weeks or less, while in the fall and winter, film can take up to a month because of a holiday increase in demand. We'll let you know approximately how long your film will take when you drop it off.
Edited Programs
I have a high definition camera. Can you edit the tapes or other footage from my camera?
Each brand of high definition camera has its own recording format, which means that we will need the camera the footage was shot on along with the tapes or drives for the duration of the job. Other camera types will most likely not be able to play your camera's files.
Can I pick my own music for my edited program?
Since VGI is constrained by federal copyright laws and cannot use copyrighted music (ie, anything you've bought, heard on the radio, downloaded, etc.), we use selections from a huge production library of music we own the rights to. With a few exceptions, none of our music contains lyrics and are purely instrumental. We have most genres, including jazz, acoustic, classical, rock, techno, R&B, and many more. If you want to choose your audio tracks, we will ask for the genres you prefer and will play you selections from which you can choose your favorites. The charge for music selection will be included in your editing time.
Can you make a Powerpoint presentation into a video?
VGI can take simple Powerpoint presentations and turn them into videos as long as they do not have special effects, such as text appearing at different times on the page. We can take a simple presentation that just needs dissolves between each page and put uncopyrighted music to it. If you need a more complicated presentation, we recommend bringing the original materials to VGI and we'll do the whole presentation from scratch in a video editing program. If you do need to bring in a PP, please output all your slides as JPEG files (feel free to call for instructions if necessary) and bring them into the office on a CD or DVD.
Can I drop in anytime to check on my program's progress?
We recommend making an appointment if you plan to stop in the office to check on your program, as we work with many clients simultaneously and may not be able to give you the time you deserve if we don't expect your visit.
