Question 1

What happens if some of my tapes are blank or full of TV programmes?

Accepted Answer

If any tapes are blank or full of episodes from Coronation Street & London's Burning, or just have a couple of minutes of footage at the beginning then we will not charge you. IF there is more than a couple of minutes of footage then we will have to charge for that tape.

Question 2

Can you repair damaged or broken tapes?

Accepted Answer

If the tape is snapped or the tape mechanism is broken we can and will repair that free of charge. If the repair is more complicated we will contact you before doing any repairs to explain the issue and how much it would cost to fix it.

Question 3

Are my images and videos treated confidentially?

Accepted Answer

Only our technicians and processing staff will see your images and videos. They will not be shared or shown to any other third parties and we will not use any images on our websites or materials without permission from yourself.

Question 4

Is the cost of sending your tapes to us included in the price?

Accepted Answer

No it is not:
You will need to post your tapes to us. We always recommend using a tracked delivery service. Once you have decided to go ahead we will send you a form with your name and address on to print off and include in the package with your tapes. If you do not have a printer then please ensure you write your name and address clearly on paper inside the package.

Question 5

How does our cloud download service work?

Accepted Answer

Once your order is complete we will send a private link to take you to your files on our Dropbox business account. 
 
You can then download the your new files as often as you like, watch them online as often as you like, share the link we send with other friends and family as often as you like. You have complete flexibility to copy them and create backups as often as you like. 
 
This link will remain valid for a year giving you lots of time to share, download, and backup your memories. We will contact you after 12 months to see if you still want use of the link.

Question 6

Can you edit and consolidate my videos?

Accepted Answer

Yes we can.
Once you have viewed you videos you might want to create a new video with all the best bits condensed into1 hour for examples, or some video categories, or create a video for a special occassion. We can do all this for you using the files we have backed up; we would provide a separate quotation based on the a mount of work invloved.

Question 7

Why do you not recommend only having my tapes copied to DVDs?

Accepted Answer

DVDs are a great simple way to watch videos but they have some major drawbacks.
You cannot share the videos on a DVD other than lending out the DVD itself.
If the DVD breaks or is damaged then you have possible lost your files and you are in the same postion again.
DVDs are fast becoming obsolete, many computers and laptops do not now have a DVD player and DVD players are now manufactured less and less.
Please also get a second copy on USB or cloud download to give you piece of mind that your restored memories are safe and usable.

Question 8

Can you offer HD or widescreen versions of tape transfers?

Accepted Answer

We can’t make something HD that was not HD in the first place. 
VHS tapes were recorded mainly at 720×480pixels at a 4:3 aspect ratio. The best anyone can do is obtain the best quality reproduction of the original tape. If we were to “upscale” the tapes or stretch them to fit your TV, the tapes would actually look worse; to offer such a service would be a false claim.

Question 9

If my tapes are moldy can you still transfer them?

Accepted Answer

Mold can be a major problem not only for the tape itself but for our equipment. Small specks of mold on the casing might not cause much of a problem but if the mold is all over the tape reels then there could be issues. The mold creeps down in between the tape layers and causes the tape to start to disintegrate an become very weak; this can result in a poor quality picture and the tape often snapping, especially if you try to FF or rewind the tape.
We clean the tape first in a separate cleaning machine before attempting to play it on our normal equipment; often this allows to get a picture, even if not the best quality. If the tape keeps snapping then usually it is too badly damaged to continue transfer the footage.

Question 10

Am I able to edit my new video files after I receive them?

Accepted Answer

Yes you can. the new files will be an MP4 format which is the video standard format you will already be using on your smart devices and computers. For simple editing projects, such as clipping out the best footage to share with family, you can likely learn on your own with free software, and you are welcome to request info and recommendations from us, or we can do it for you.
Photo Revivals can provide more complex video editing services for you either on one tapes or across 50 tapes. As each requirement is different we will provide a quotation on a case by case basis.
You cannot edit the home videos that are provided on a DVD.

Question 11

What happens with my tapes once the transfer is done?

Accepted Answer

We can either send the tapes back to you or we can dispose of them for you. If you do not wish to have your tapes sent back then we will keep them for a month and then contact you to see if it is OK to go ahead and dispose of them. This gives you plenty of time to ensure that you are happy with your new video files and the  format you have them in.

Question 12

Why do some tape formats cost more than others?

Accepted Answer

Any price difference is largely determined by the cost of equipment. 
95% of the tapes we transfer cost the same – specifically – VHS, VHS-C, 8mm/Hi8 and MiniDV. These formats were, by far, the most popular and as such there is more equipment available for us to purchase to restore. Every other format was dramatically less common. To give context, a really good VHS player (https://everpresent.com/where-to-buy-a-vcr-to-convert-vhs-to-dvd/)might cost £200 and need to be serviced every 500 tapes. A really good BetacamSP VTR might cost $1,500 and need restoration every 200 tapes and professional servicing. This dynamic plays out for Betamax, Betacam, DVCam, DVPro, U-Matic and all foreign formats like NTSC and SECAM, etc. When you see a tape costing more than the standard price for VHS and similar, it’s simply us accounting for unavoidable additional equipment costs associated with more rare formats.

Question 13

I only want certain sections of the tape transferred, shouldn't this cost less?

Accepted Answer

If we had to watch the entirety of two hour VHS tapes during digitizing while making manual adjustments along the way, it would have to cost much more like £50 per tape. It is more cost effective for clients to have the whole video tape transferred to digital. It allows our technicians to work on multiple transfers at once. Those interested in editing down their tapes may do so on free editing platforms, or ask Photo Revivals Even with our hourly rates, it is still cheaper to edit after transfer than before.
We do remove any blank sections at the beginning and end of the tape as a matter of course after the transfer is completed so there isn't any blue screen or static running after the footage has ended.

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