Introduction

The Center for Language Study provides a range of services for converting audio and video materials into different formats and for making duplicate copies of materials when needed. A Service Request form must be completed to request these services. Typically, conversion and duplication services are limited to transferring or duplicating the entirety of the material submitted: Editing pedagogical material, on the other hand, is supported in other ways. For assistance in learning how to edit your material, contact us directly.

Conversions and duplications that involve making a single copy of an original can usually be accomplished in about two business days. However, additional copies will take more time (about one extra day for every two additional copies requested). Materials-intensive requests may also involve an extra charge. It is important to note that copyright is a major concern when converting or duplicating media; see below for more information about this issue.

Format Conversions (NTSC/PAL)

Videos purchased outside of North America — both VHS tapes and DVDs — will not work in the most common American players. However, many classrooms at Yale, including all those at the CLS, have special multistandard players for playing VHS tapes and DVDs from around the world. If, for course instructional purposes, you need something converted, discuss it with us. If we convert the format for you, we will retain one of the copies to ensure that the number of copies in circulation matches the number purchased. At any time, you can exchange the copy you have for the one we have in storage.

Medium Conversions

Provided copyright allows, we can convert any of the below formats and convert them to any other listed format (except as noted):

• VHS
• Audioocassette
• CD
• DVD
• Flash memory
• Digital (with some exceptions)
• miniDV
• VCD (convert from only)
• Laserdisc (convert from only)

Duplications

If multiple copies of materials are required (for example, for each instructor of a section), the CLS can duplicate most types of materials. We do not make duplicates of media for distribution to students. (See our page on Digitizing Materials for Web Delivery for more information on distributing materials to students.)

A Note About Copyright

Instructors must verify that they have obtained copyright permission to distribute copyrighted materials or that the requested materials fall under fair use in accordance with Title 17, Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you submit materials to be converted or duplicated and you do not have a copyright clearance, you will have to wait until permission is obtained before the materials can be released to you.

For more information about Copyright and Fair Use, consult Section III of the CLS Copyright Handbook.

A Note About Copy Protection

Some videos employ technological methods to prohibit or discourage duplication. A copy of a copy-protected video might look fuzzy, have static like a scrambled TV station, or have its contrast fade in and out slowly going from normal to very, very dark and then back again. Though our preference is to make decisions about our services based on copyright law rather than technological limitations, there is very little the CLS can do about this sort of protection. In these cases, the original video will have to be played in a multistandard player or additional copies will have to be purchased.