Before The Memories Fade

At this stage in the life of old videotapes they can all benefit from a really good clean to remove dust & grease from the tape’s playing surface, as well as loose, shedding oxide particles that could clog the heads of playback decks, thereby affecting the quality of the transfer. With our popular Clean + Convert service we physically pre-clean each tape's playing surface so they play back looking their very best for the transfer.

Here's a short clip showing the difference a single tape clean can make to a dirty tape.

Not all tapes are this dirty, so results may not always be this dramatic. But every tape is cleaned before conversion so that there's no chance that shedding oxide particles or dirt or dust will gradually (even slightly) clog the heads of the playback deck during the hours that the tape is playing through during the conversion process. This way we can guarantee the tape is being transferred in its best possible physical condition.

Getting a cheap conversion is false economy if you're going to have to get the job done a second time. Do it once, do it properly - that's the RetroMedia approach.

Please note that the Clean + Convert cleaning process does not cover mouldy tapes, which is a physical restoration process. We can expertly clean mould, and we have an extremely high success rate with this, but mould cleaning is a considerably more detailed, heavy-duty process. Our policy is that if we see any mould we either must clean it, or we'll need to set that tape aside. We can't put it into our VCRs without mould cleaning because you'd get a very poor quality result (iff any), and we'd risk destroying the delicate equipment we rely on to enable us to offer the highest quality conversions possible.

Here is a picture of mould on a tape. Looking through the tape shell window at the edge of the tape pack if you see any white powder, white flecks, or white spots then you have mould. If you don't see this you still might have mould as the entire tape pack edge is not visible unless you wind it through, and then there's the back side of the tape pack to consider as well. If your tape has mould we'll catch it & bring it to your attention.

Then, because every step of the recording chain is important, we run your tapes through a choice of at least three selected pro decks available at each of our transfer stations, so we can find the best match for your particular tape. Or, if we need to, for a little extra we can test your tape on "the stack" - literally shelves full of playback decks in almost every brand & many models. This comprehensive Deck Matching step can make a huge difference. Some tapes just look better on a playback deck similar to the deck they were originally recorded on. Or perhaps on a rare high-end model.

They then go through processing gear (Time Base Correctors, and Digital Noise Reduction), before finally converting direct to a high quality Mp4 H264 file, which is the most widely playable video file format on the planet.

Rates depend on a few factors. If you're unsure about what you have, or have many different types of media, enquire about booking an in-home assessment or organising session with a RetroMedia Memory Expert. Available within the greater Brisbane/SEQ region.

Or you can drop in for a quote, or call or text us on 0448 855 056 with your enquiry.

Our "Clean + Convert" service rates range from as low at $38 per tape (bulk quantities) for any domestic analog formats. Rates for your project will depend on your quantities, job urgency, content duration (in some cases), media format (sometimes), and in some cases the physical condition of the media.

As an example, for a project of 6x analog camcorder tapes, regular turnaround time (2-4 weeks), with no mould, would be priced at a flat rate of $47 per tape plus the USB (all tapes loaded onto the one USB flash-drive unless the customer requests otherwise). Please contact us with your quantities for a quote, by phone or SMS on 0448 855 056, or email us at info@retromedia dot com dot au

Broadcast formats, and some other rare formats are priced differently, as well as some tapes in very poor condition that may require full restoration services. For a custom quote for your quantities, your desired timeframe, your tape condition, and your formats, contact us here.

Depending on the severity of the problem, Mould Cleaning ranges from $44 per tape.

Unless advised otherwise, we supply all digitised files on a single USB flash-drive of required size. The cost for supply & load of a USB depends on the size of your project, starting from $20. To make your backup responsibilities hassle-free, you can order extra USBs at any time during your 6 month warranty period.


Turnaround Timeframes:

Depending on your quantities, we’re quoting from approx 2 weeks at the moment for a small video conversion project, not including shipping time. Most jobs will be in the 2-4 weeks range, but some big jobs can take longer than that, because all digitising occurs in real time, and there are always jobs in the queue. If you’re in a hurry and need it sooner than these timeframes please let us know, and we may be able to accommodate you. A rush fee may apply.

On the other hand, if you're in no particular hurry, we also offer low priority discounts in some circumstances.


Terms:

• We ask for a part payment (deposit) at commencement, of 1/3rd of the estimate for your project. 

• To keep things fair, for regular timeframe projects your job will go into a queue of work and will be attended in turn. Please note that predicting timeframes is not an exact science. It's simply not possible to precisely allow for unforeseen issues that may occur with obsolete media, either in your job, or in the jobs ahead of yours in the queue. So we aim at estimated turnaround targets. If you have a looming deadline or event, please let us know, and we can discuss options with you.

• Original media is available for collection upon full payment. Unless prior arrangements have been made, we ask for payment to be made within 7 days of invoicing. Storage fees may be levied on jobs not paid for &/or collected within 30 days of invoicing.

• We like to be as flexible as possible. We’re happy to work with you before commencement of the job to come to a mutually acceptable arrangement. But we do ask that if we have not made alternate arrangements with you before commencement, that you will honour our terms.