AV Workshop is Open! We are accepting orders. Please check out the various ways you can order our services by clicking the link below
Why choose AV Workshop?
AV Workshop has been in business for over 30 yrs and has never lost a client’s master or keepsake. Every staff member at AV Workshop has a B.A. Degree in this field. Since we have a storefront in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can walk in and drop your project off in person.
Do you ship work out like most other shops or do it there?
We do all work in house. Unlike small camera stores and big box stores like Costco, we perform all work right here in our Redwood City Lab. You can rest easy knowing your project will never leave our shop.
How long does it take?
Depending on the type of work / media you have, it will take between 1 day and 4 weeks. However, most jobs are turned within 1-2 weeks.
Can I ship my project to you?
Absolutely, you can order through our online store. You will receive instructions on how and where to ship your project. Orders over $175 qualify for FREE (Round Trip) shipping. For orders below $175, order through our shopping cart and ship it to our address. There is a return shipping fee of $12. You will be notified both when we receive your order and when it ships out. Furthermore, we keep a digital copy of your project backed up on our server for a couple wks after it ships out.
Not only do we Transfer Film and Convert Video tapes but we shoot and edit video as well. We are your one-stop video shop!
AV Workshop recently digitized a MiniDV archive to HD mp4 Files for a Northern California gorilla preservation foundation. These tapes documented Koko – a gorilla known primarily for her ability to use and understand sign language.
The Gorilla Foundation not only wanted to preserve these precious tapes, but they also wanted the videos converted to a high quality and editable format so they could be used for future projects.
AV Workshop captured each tape directly into our editing suite using a lossless firewire connector. Then we applied our HD Upres service to output each MiniDV into a separate HD mp4 File (1280×720 60p). As a result, The Gorilla Foundation now has their MiniDV collection preserved as digital files that can be edited, shared, and easily viewed with modern day technology (Smart TV, Laptop, Computer, etc…)! Con’t Reading…
Audio Video Workshop is now offering a new CD to Digital Conversion Service! At AV, we can convert your audio CDs to mp3 and WAVE files. You will receive your files on a USB Flash Drive – which will have all your discs organized by album. All you have to do is click whichever album you’d like and you’ll see all the tracks and their info right there!
CD Ripping is the process of extracting raw audio files from CDs and converting them to a digital file format (such as WAVE or mp3 files). There are many benefits of converting your audio CD library to a digital library. These include preservation of your CDs (digital files can’t get scratched, broken, or damaged), a much more compact way to store all of your CDs, and the ability to share or upload individual tracks. In short, CD Ripping is the transfer of your CDs to digital files in a digital library.
Once we convert your CDs to Digital, you will receive your original media back along with your flash drive containing your new digital library! Learn more about this service / Get an estimate
Koko the Gorilla MiniDV Archive Converted to Digital Files
Convert CD to mp3 and WAVE Files
AV Workshop recently preserved and enhanced 16mm Film from the D-Day Invasion of Normandy. The customer who dropped off these films informed us that they were from his grandfather who was a pilot during World War II. Usually, 1940’s film is rare for us to see due to the war era. These movies specifically featured the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) – a branch of the United States Navy which existed from 1941 to 1948.
We used our RetroScan Film Scanners to capture each frame of the films at 2048 x 1536 resolution. We then analyzed the frame rate of each reel and set it to match the original. Next, we brought these films into Adobe Premiere Pro where we digitally attached them. We balanced the color, contrast / brightness, saturation, and shadow detail scene-by-scene.
The newly enhanced files were output to HD mp4 Files (1920 x 1080, 50 mb/s) and placed onto a single USB Flash Drive. AV Workshop was honored to help transfer these rare 16mm reels so they can now be preserved and shared forever! Con’t Reading…
AV Workshop recently digitized almost 100 Hours of Betacam SP, 3/4″ U-matic, and S-VHS videotapes to HD mp4 Files for a local bay area political action committee. The Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee (BAYMEC) brought AV Workshop broadcast videotapes from a 1980’s monthly public access TV Show which served as a platform for the creative voices in the LGBTQ+ community.
AV used professional grade videotape decks to capture the U-matic, Betacam SP, and S-VHS tapes directly into our editing system. These decks have a built in TBC and video stabilizer to help the tapes transfer as smoothly as possible. AV then raised the audio, applied noise reduction, and trimmed the extra TV snow from the beginning and end of each tape.
We applied our HD Upres service to these tapes, which increased the resolution to 1280 x 720 60p. 60p helps smooth the motion of the video and reduce any jagged edges. AV Workshop was happy to help convert and preserve these videotapes so they can now be played, shared, edited, and uploaded just about anywhere! Con’t Reading…
World War II 16mm Film Transfer Transferred to HD mp4 Files
Betacam SP, 3/4″ U-matic, and S-VHS Broadcast Videotapes Converted to HD mp4 Files
AV Workshop recently converted an archive of 3/4″ U-matic tapes and S-VHS Masters to Digital Files for a popular Santa Cruz skateboard company. This media collection documented the prominent surfing and skateboarding community in Santa Cruz throughout the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
AV started by running the tapes through our high-end professional grade tape decks. We used each tape only once as a playback source and captured the footage directly into our editing suite. Once the tapes were captured, we enhanced the audio by raising the gain to about -6 db and applying noise reduction.
After this process, we rendered the movies to HD mp4 Files using the H.264 Codec (the max bitrate) and increased the resolution to 1280 x 720 60p. This smooths the motion of the videos and creates sharp detail without jagged edges.
Finally, we dragged the new HD mp4 Files onto a single USB Hard Drive. Now, the movies can be shared, played, edited, and uploaded almost anywhere (Windows, Smart TVs, MAC, etc…)!
Con’t Reading…
A local Big Sur Educational Institute recently asked AV to help convert and enhance 1500 audio cassette tapes. Their vast collection of audio recordings documented their guest speakers throughout the last 50 years.
AV Workshop began digitizing the audio tapes by running them through high quality stereo cables from our Sony audio cassette decks into Sony Sound Forge. Any tapes that needed repairs were handled separately where we replaced felts and made tape splices where needed. After the tapes were captured, AV balanced the audio by applying level optimization and trimmed the beginning and end of each audio file to remove any extra static or dead-air.
AV then output the audio recordings as uncompressed WAVE files at 44 kHz / 16 bit for a professional quality file. Finally, the educational institute received back their original tapes as well as their new enhanced digital audio files!
Con’t Reading…
3/4″ U-matic Tapes and S-VHS Masters Preserved to Digital
1500 Audio Cassette Tapes Transferred to Digital WAVE Files
We have been very fortunate to work with some of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious companies! However, no job is too big or small for AV Workshop.
What can we do for you?
AV Workshop is conveniently located on Woodside Rd. in Redwood City of the San Francisco Bay Area
We accept walk-ins as well as shipments. All online orders over $175 qualify for FREE round trip shipping! To learn more Click Here.
You can get an Estimate or Order online by clicking on any service page above.
Note: If you prefer to speak with someone in person, call us during store hours at 650-369-4366
Mon. thru Fri. 10am - 5:30pm / Saturday by Appt. Only
Contactless Storefront / Front porch transaction using 6ft distance (Please wear a mask)
