Videotape Digitization Services

542films provides small-batch archival-grade videotape digitization services for personal and institutional collections that adhere to best technical practices and standards set forth by the moving picture preservation community.

Digitizing with 542films ensures these legacies can be accessed and preserved for years to come, providing long-lasting permanence for future generations.

To inquire about this service, please email archive@542films.com

Video stills from a MiniDV videotape transferred to a digital file via a lossless workflow.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Technical Information

    • Appraisal and inspection of videotapes upon acceptance prior to digitization.

    • Capture of VHS media and/or transfer of DV media to digital files. Two copies are created:

      Preservation Copy: high-quality, lossless digital file, for digital archives.

      Access Copy: high-quality, compressed digital file, for playback and sharing.

    • Temporary digital download access to your digitized videotapes.

    • VHS

    • S-VHS

    • VHS-C

    • MiniDV

    • HDV

    • DVCAM

  • The format of videotape determines the equipment, workflow, and software necessary to capture or transfer a videotape to a digital file.

    Analog VHS tapes require specific hardware to ensure optimal quality.

    VHS, S-VHS & VHS-C videotapes

    1. VHS Player (cassette adapter for VHS-C tapes)

    2. TBC (time-based corrector; video channel only)

    3. Audio Mixer (audio channel only)

    4. Capture Device (audio + video channels)

    5. Computer

  • The format of videotape determines the equipment, workflow, and software necessary to capture or transfer a videotape to a digital file.

    In the case of digital DV tapes (MiniDV & DVCAM), data from the videotapes is transferred 1:1 to a digital environment, ensuring a lossless copy of the videotape.

    MiniDV & DVCAM videotapes

    1. DV Deck

    2. Computer (via Firewire)

  • 542films proudly utilizes vrecord and/or DVRescue to digitize videotapes.

    This open-source software is archivist made and designed for high-quality data migration from videotapes to digital files that are suitable for long-term preservation.

FAQs

  • Approximately $20-$35 per videotape, depending on the format, quantity, and recording mode of the videotape. Please email archive@542films.com for a quote.

  • Videotapes are digitized in real-time.

    A standard play (SP) MiniDV tape will take approximately 60 minutes to transfer.

    A standard play (SP) VHS tape will take approximately 120 minutes to capture.

    These approximations do not include processing, setup, and handling time.

    In short, it takes a lot of time!

  • Please contact archive@542films.com to set up an order. Ultimately, you can mail them or deliver them locally (Hudson, New York).

  • Your videotapes will be physically delivered back to you.

  • Digitized videotapes will be electronically delivered to you. At this time, we do not provide physical DVD/CD delivery services.

Beyond Digitization

In addition to archival-grade videotape digitization services, 542films can also lovingly edit your footage into a highlight short film.

Contact Karl at archive@542films.com for more information about this offering.