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What is Digitizing or Digitization and Scanning?

Digitizing or digitization and scanning each mean the same thing. Each is the process of converting text, image and other files from their analog versions and encoding them into digital file formats that can be stored, edited and delivered using a variety of software and media such as the Internet, CDs, and data DVDs.

Why Should I Digitize?

It is wise to digitize photos, video, audio tapes and documents for these reasons, among others:

• Digitizing unlocks information that is difficult to access in analog form, enabling more effective sharing of information.
• Digitizing reduces the cost of duplication and distribution.
• Digitizing makes it possible to copy content without loss.
• Digitized materials can be used and distributed in a richer variety of ways than analog materials, for example, via the Internet or data DVDs.
• Digitizing makes it easier to edit and manipulate material recorded on older media.
• It is easier to convert content from one format to another, without loss of quality.

What Do Resolution, DPI, and PPI mean?

For images, resolution is a measure of the quality of the detail in an image, that is, whether it is fuzzy/pixilated or clear. It is measured in DPI or PPI (dots per inch or pixels per inch), which is a measure of the number of data samples per square inch captured by the digitizing or scanning equipment in used. Images scanned for printing purposes generally require 300 DPI or better, whereas images intended to be viewed only on a computer or television screen are entirely satisfactory with only 72 DPI resolution.

Thousands of photos can be put on a single CD or DVD

Another factor, bit-depth, measures the amount of information in the sample, such as the number of colors. For example, a bit depth of 8 allows one to visualize only 256 colors, whereas a bit-depth of 24 allows one to display millions of colors. The higher the bit-depth, the larger the file size, and the better the rendition of color and detail.

We suggest you scan your photos (or have them scanned) at 300 DPI, 24-bit color to deliver the highest quality images with the smallest reasonable file sizes. You can do fine printing and most other projects at that level. Later on, you can adjust the resolution to a lower level, say 72 or 100 DPI for merely showing on computer screens, if you need a very small file size, such as to enable you to email them over the Internet. Many professional scanning companies will scan your photos at both 300 DPI and 72 DPI at no extra charge. (We’ll be reporting on scanning companies in the future. Click the links at the left if you’d like to know more about the services of some of the leaders.)