Convert Video Tapes to USB/DVD

From as little as 12

Protect your memories by converting them to DVDs and USB. 

Additional Service:

Pricing:

  • 1 - 3 €25 Each
  • 4 - 9 €20 Each
  • 10 - 25 €15 Each
  • 25+ €12 Each

What we offer:

A combination of factors contributes to the deterioration of video tapes over time, emphasising the importance of digitising and preserving valuable content before it becomes unreadable. 

However VHS tapes can be very robust. I have had tapes come into me that have been through numerous wars, covered in mold and dust etc and with a bit of cleaning and coaxing most played reasonably ok. Interestingly I have noticed that VHS tapes manufactured in the 80s are in far better condition now than those made in the 90s.

Convert Your Video Tapes to USB/DVD

Simply put, video tapes degrade with age. The materials used in manufacturing tapes break down over time, causing the tape to become brittle or sticky, which can affect playback quality. VHS video tapes deteriorate over time due to various factors:

Physical Wear and Tear

Video tapes are physical media that involve the movement of tape across playback heads during use. This physical contact can cause the tape to degrade over time, leading to loss of signal quality, dropouts, and eventually rendering the tape unplayable.

Magnetic Fields

The magnetic particles on the tape that hold the recorded video information can be affected by external magnetic fields. Exposure to strong magnetic fields, such as those from speakers or magnets, can cause data loss or corruption on the tape.

Temperature and Humidity

Extreme temperatures and high humidity levels can accelerate the deterioration of the tape material and the adhesives holding it together. Moisture can lead to mold growth, warping, or sticky shed syndrome, where the oxide layer on the tape becomes sticky and separates from the base, rendering the tape unreadable.

Storage Conditions:

Improper storage conditions, such as exposure to direct sunlight, dust, or pollutants, can exacerbate tape deterioration. Storing tapes in environments with fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels can also accelerate degradation.

Convert Video Tapes to USB/DVD

VHS-C

VHS-C (Compact VHS) tapes are smaller versions of VHS tapes and were commonly used in analog camcorders during the 1980s and 1990s. They offer relatively good video quality but are prone to degradation over time.

Video8/8mm

Video8 and 8mm tapes are small-format analog videotapes introduced by Sony and other manufacturers in the 1980s. These tapes were popular for use in analog camcorders due to their compact size and relatively good video quality for the time.

Hi8

Hi8 tapes are an improved version of Video8/8mm tapes, offering higher video resolution and better sound quality. Hi8 tapes were commonly used in analog camcorders in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Digital8

Digital8 tapes combine the convenience of Hi8 tapes with digital recording technology. Digital8 camcorders were capable of recording digital video and audio onto Hi8 tapes, providing better video quality compared to analog formats.

MiniDV

MiniDV tapes are small digital videotapes introduced in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They became popular in consumer and prosumer camcorders due to their compact size and high-quality digital video recording.

MicroMV

MicroMV tapes are even smaller digital videotapes introduced by Sony in the early 2000s. They offer high-quality digital video recording in a compact form factor, but the format did not gain widespread adoption and has been largely discontinued.

Each of these camcorder tape formats has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of video quality, recording duration, and compatibility with playback devices. Like other magnetic tapes, camcorder tapes are susceptible to deterioration over time due to factors such as age, environmental conditions, and physical damage. Therefore, it’s important to properly store and handle camcorder tapes to preserve their content for the long term. From my experience only the 8mm family of tapes are troublesome and they tend to stick or break easily if not stored in a dry environment. I recorded my home videos in 8mm during the 1990s and they are still perfect as they were kept either in my office or at home. Additionally, converting the contents of camcorder tapes to digital formats can help prevent loss of valuable memories due to tape degradation.

Save your precious memories today!

Feel free to give me a call and we can discuss all the details of your job. Alternatively, send me an email and I will respond within 24 hours.

Enquire now

Feel free to give me a call and we can discuss all the details of your special day. Alternatively, send me an email and I will respond within 24 hours.