HOW IT WORKS:

1. Enter the amount of tapes you have
2. Choose Resolution (Original Res or HD upres 720 60p)
3. Select if you need a Drive or will be providing your own
4. Decide if you want to add playable DVDs to your order (1/2 price $20 each)
5. Add to Cart / Check out
6. Ship your tapes to AV Workshop

• We will number each tape (in order by date where poss) and digitize them into files
• The files will be named Tape 01, Tape 02, etc… (you can rename them later if needed)
• We ship you your new Digital Files on a USB Flash Drive or Hard Drive, and original tapes
• You plug the drive into a Smart TV or any computer and enjoy your videos all over again!
• These files can easily be edited on a MAC or PC with iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Premeire, etc…
• They can be uploaded to private family youtube channel or shared on social media

*If ordering DVDs as well, please attach a sticky note to each tape for label info or just include a note – label info: same as tape

*Please Note:

• Due to the labor required to play and check tapes for content, there will be a flat fee of $10 for tapes that are blank
• T.V. recordings will be transferred up to 2 hours max and charged as normal

You can always Call or Email us with any Questions

650-369-4366

audiovideoworkshop@gmail.com

1. Gently Clean Tapes (Optional)

• Videotapes can collect dust over time. Putting dusty tapes directly into our VCR decks will create problems and could prevent a smooth, clean video transfer.
  • It’s best to take either a damp wipe or a bit of windex and gently wipe down each tape. This will help prevent dust transfer to our equipment.
  • *Things to look out for: If you notice white flakes or specks scattered on the reels of tape through the clear plastic window – this is mold. Sorry, but we cannot transfer videotapes with mold nor can we clean the tape.

Ex: VHS Tape with Mold

2. Separate Different Types of Media

• If you have different forms of media (such as film and videotapes), be sure to separate them out and label them separately.
  • For example, if you have 10 videotapes and 10 super 8 reels – label the video tapes 1-10 and the film 1-10.
  • If you want to take the extra step, it’s also helpful to separate the different forms of videotapes. For example, if you have both Hi8 Tapes and VHS tapes, you could separate these formats out and label them separately. This helps your media to be as organized as possible on your flash drive or hard drive. If you are not sure what type of tapes you have, you can refer to the chart below.

• VHS
• 7.33 × 4 inches

• VHS-C
• 3.67 × 2.25 inches

• Betamax
• 6.14 × 3.75 inches

• Hi8, Digital 8, 8mm
• 4 x 2.75 inches

• MiniDV
• 2.6 x 1.9 inches

3. Organize

• Organize your videotapes in the order you would like them to be in.
  • For example, many people organize by date where possible. If there are a few videotapes with no date, you could put these at the end after the dated media.
  • However, if you are transferring your videotapes to mp4 files on a flash drive or hard drive – there is no need to stress about the order too much! The great thing about digital files is once you plug in your flash drive / hard drive, you can simply right click and rename your files anything you want to. You can also reorder your files if you decide you want them in a different order.

4. Label

• Once you have your videotapes in order, you can label them by number with sticky notes / masking tape / labels, etc.
  • The number you label the tape as will be the number the file is labeled as.
  • For example, if you sent us VHS tapes, we would label the digital file or DVD with your last name, VHS, and the number (ex: Smith VHS 01). This way, you can easily see which mp4 file correlates to which tape. Again, if you transferred your media to digital files on a drive, you always have the option to rename the files as many times as you’d like.

5. Include Hard Drive or Flash Drive if Providing Your Own

• • if you are providing your own hard drive or flash drive, include it with your order. If your videotapes are being transferred to mp4 files, keep in mind that 1 hour of footage is equal to about 6 GB, 2 hours is about 12 GB, and so on. Therefore, if you have three tapes that are about 2 hours each, you would need a flash drive that can hold at least 36 GB. If you are providing a hard drive, about 140 hours of video (mp4 file format) will fit on a 1 TB drive.
  • *Note: It’s best to provide an empty drive as we will need a drive that is either already formatted NTFS or that can be formatted NTFS. Formatting your drive will erase everything on it, therefore if your drive is not NTFS and has files that you would like to keep – do not use this drive for your media transfer.

6. Place organized media in Clean (Dust / Mold Free) bags or boxes before Dropoff or Shipping

• Please make sure containers are free of dust, dirt, cobwebs, etc… Clean, recyclable bags & boxes are usually best!

Ex: Tapes Labeled by Number with Sticky Notes

Why should I order the HD 720 60p Upres?

By having us upres your video to HD 1280×720 60p, your video will look better on our modern TV and computer screens. Since your original tapes were meant for an old 4×3 interlaced tube TV, and modern screens are pretty much all 1080p or 4K, there will be some jagged edges and loss. By having us create a 720 60p upres, we can separate each field into a full frame (60p) which results in smooth motion and eliminated jagged edges. Furthermore, HD 720 60p is a standard resolution so you will be able to edit, play and share!

Learn More About our HD Upres Option:

You may have noticed that when you watch old videotapes, they often have a flickering, blurry appearance. This is because video was originally made for old 4×3 interlaced tube TVs. Interlaced refers to the method in which the picture is created on the screen. Rather than film, which was composed of several full frames, interlaced displays alternated between two incomplete images. These partial images were made up of two sets of horizontal lines known as even and odd fields.

In this image you can see the difference between interlaced (two fields creating one image) and progressive (a full frame)

However, with interlaced displays, these two fields quickly alternating means that you can often see some blurriness and uneven edges where the fields don’t perfectly align. This becomes even more pronounced when we view interlaced video on the large screens we are used to today.

Example of Jagged / Banded Edges (Interlaced Video)

Now, we view and make videos in the progressive form, which means there is a full frame per second. Therefore, the picture is clear and does not have the flickering and blurriness that can be seen on interlaced videos.

While we can’t create a higher resolution out of what was originally taped, our HD Upres option gives us the ability to make your home movies progressive at 60p. In other words, we can separate each even and odd field into a full 60 frames per second. 60p helps reduce the jagged edges, smooth the motion, and overall makes your home movies more compatible with our modern day computer and TV screens. This way, we can give you the best possible result for your video transfer.

In addition, HD 720 60p is a standard resolution so you can play, edit, and share your files almost anywhere!

FAQ:

Will I be able to Edit these mp4 files on a MAC or PC?

Yes, yo can edit these files on just about any video editing application such as iMovie, Final Cut, Adobe Premiere, Movie Maker, etc…

Can I upload these mp4 Files to Youtube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc…?

Absolutely! MP4 files are perfect for sharing online as they have become the most popular / compatible file for sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, etc… Most of these video sharing sites require mp4 files.

What is the Quality difference between mp4 vs Quicktime & AVI?

AV workshop offers uncompressed Quicktime and AVI files which yield the absolute highest quality available. However, the mp4 files we create look Amazing as we Maximize bitrate at 10/MB per sec and utilize the power of the h.264 codec. As a result, most people can’t see the difference.

Can I watch these files on my TV?

Yes these mp4 files will playback on your TV from the Flash drive or Hard Drive as long as the drive is formatted NTFS (not HFS+)

Do you supply the Hard Drive or me?

We can use your external hard drive as long as there is enough room and it an external USB hard drive formatted NTFS (Windows)or HFS+ (MAC). We cannot put these large files on a drive that is formatted FAT32. Also, we can sell you an external hard drive. We typically stock a variety of Flash drives and external Hard Drives.

Can you convert a PAL videotape?

Yes we can. PAL conversion to NTSC (the american TV standard) costs an extra $20.

How many video tapes fit onto a Hard Drive?

Approx 140 hours of video will fit on a 1 TB drive in the mp4 file format.

How much space do I need on my flash drive or external hard drive for my videos?

For mp4, 1 hour equates to approx. 6 GB and 2 hours is roughly 12 GB. Please be conscious of the amount of space you have on your hard drive.

If you provide my drive, how many drives will I receive?

You will receive one single drive that all your media will fit on! We carry 16gb all the way through 2TB.

Do you charge for tapes that are blank or T.V.?

Due to the labor required to play and check tapes for content, there will be a flat fee of $10 for tapes that are blank. T.V. recordings will be transferred up to 2 hours max and charged as normal.