YesVideo Inc., a California-based company specializes in DVD video conversion from video tapes and other video sources, has piqued the interest of Eastman Kodak who will be investing $2.4 million in the small company. The investment will give Kodak a place on the board and an economic stake in the company.

A videotape up to 2 hours in length can be converted to CD and DVD formats in about 2 weeks, Kodak said. The package arrives in customized cases with pictures of the most prominent scenes on the cover. Customers may be able to provide their own cover artwork in the future.

The videos may be copied directly to DVD for $70 to $90 per tape, or the consumer may choose to have the video to CD as a series of still images in the $30 to $40 range. The backing of Kodak is good news for consumers. The infrastructure of Kodak will eventually allow the process to be available in drugstores and department stors nationwide as an option in photo development shops.