Media Recovery and Cleaning
Recovering Damaged Media and Cleaning Files for Better Utilization
Media Recovery and Cleaning to Salvage Files You Thought Were Lost
If your collections include VHS or Betamax tapes, it is time to have them digitized. They were introduced in the mid 1970’s and used magnetic tape for recording video. Today, over 40 years later, this technology is obsolete. The magnetic tapes are highly susceptible to damage from the wear-and-tear of time. After three to four decades of humidity, the tapes get moldy, and the magnetic coating deteriorates. Here are some of the techniques we use to address age-related degradation of audiovisual materials.
Unexpected events and natural disasters can also damage your video tapes (VHS as well as other formats), film and photographs. Professional attention for recovering your valuable media is recommended! See these instructions from the NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION PRESERVATION PROGRAMS. We have methods to recover footage from damaged media.
Timing is imperative – seal the wet media in zip lock bags and send it to us. We can remove the moisture and immediately recover as much as possible. Please contact Digitize Archives at 330.633.2255 for your next steps. We are here to be of assistance!
We can also address smoke and other damage from fires. Watch how we were able to successfully restore this MicroMV tape after it was damaged by wax in a fire.
Don’t lose hope though! Thanks to our media recovery and digitization service, there is a solution for recovering and preserving your media. Digitize Archive’s media recovery services can easily restore damaged video tapes that have been damaged by mold and deterioration.
We convert analog media in many different forms, including:
- VHS
- VHS-C
- Umatic
- Betacam SP
- Digi Beta
- Betamax
- D8
- Micro MV
- Mini DVD
- MiniDV
- DVCAM
- DVC Pro
Videotape Restoration and Preservation Process
To begin the restoration and recovery process, simply pack all the analog media you would like digitized into a sturdy box and ship or bring it to us.
Before jumping right into recovering your media, we review the materials and create an estimate for your approval. Then we set to work, turning them into digital DVD, MP4, AVI, or MOV files to be viewed, copied, uploaded, or edited.
Digitize Archives recognizes the value contained in your older analog media. When we receive your box, we tag each item sent to us, so it’s carefully tracked as it goes through the digitization process.
In total, the media digitization process takes between 1 and 8 weeks, depending on your media volume. We have the best VCR video tape decks and conversion equipment for professional high-quality digitization.
We also use professional broadcast VCR machines for Pro SD and HD processes including Umatic, Betacam SP, DVCAM, DVCPro, HDV and Digi Beta.
Correcting Additional Tape Issues
In addition to restoring damaged VHS tapes, we can correct issues with your analog media’s color, exposure, and content.
Over time, images on VHS tend to darken and get a hazy color. Our experienced editors lighten, darken, color correct, remove and move parts of videos according to your requests.
The results will include enhancing your video’s quality, one that is transferrable to the digital format of your choice.
Before: A mangled video tape.
After: Repaired, Transferred to High-Def MP4.
Left: An example of an unrecoverable tape, simply too far gone.
Data Recovery Services with Disc Buffers
Digitize Archives utilizes storage devices and other data recovery tools to recover lost data from discs you thought were damaged beyond repair. Using disc buffers – hard disks with memory embedded, which act as temporary storage sites for data being transferred – your important files will be preserved for decades to come. We will burn a new disc for you or transfer everything to a high-definition file to prevent future data loss.
A substantial perk of using Digitize Archives – you will only have to pay for our recovery and conversion services AFTER we are successful in our recovery efforts, never before.
Video Files and Tape Recovery
Moldy Tapes
Videotapes that are stored in high-humidity areas tend to get moldy. Most services will not transfer moldy tapes because of the damage they can cause to their equipment. For a small surcharge per tape, we can capture those VHS tapes or any other format that you have.
Once captured, your files will be available in High Definition 1920 x 1080 format and returned to you on a USB flash or external hard drive. All of our work is performed and backed up on-site, so if the work is ever lost, we still have another copy to share with you!
Sticky Shed
Sticky Shed is a phenomenon that occurs in videotape where humidity causes the tape to stick together and ruins the recording. In some situations, we have been successful “baking,” cleaning, and hand-winding the tape to recover these recordings!
Smoke Damage
Smoke damage from fires can also be addressed; we may be able to recover your valuable audiovisual media recordings.
Who We Serve
Our customers are anyone requiring audiovisual digital preservation for their important film recordings. Digitize Archives proudly serves a diverse clientele base, including a wide range of museums, historical societies, universities, religious institutions, non-profits, libraries, corporations, fraternal organizations, and government agencies nationwide.
Call or e-mail us and we’ll provide you with a customized proposal and quote tailored to your project.
“Our Library has been working with Digitize Archives for years. We have had many outdated and obscure audiovisual formats in our archival collections that contain valuable local history footage that needed to be preserved. Gary was great to work with; helpful, knowledgeable, and considerate of our specific needs when assessing any job we needed done.”