Los Angeles Video Transfer Service: Tape Digitization in Pasadena, CA

We're open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Do I need to make an appointment? No appointment is needed. Please visit anytime during our regular business hours.

Can I ship my media to you? Yes. We accept mail-in projects from customers throughout the United States. You can ship your tapes, film, photos, audio recordings, and other media directly to our Pasadena location for transfer.

How long does it take to transfer my tapes? Every transfer project is a little different, so turnaround times can vary. Factors such as the condition of your media, the format being transferred, the size of your project, and our current workload can all affect how long the process takes. Tapes with mold, damage, or playback issues may also need extra time for cleaning, evaluation, or reconditioning before we can safely transfer them. Tape transfers happen in real time. A two-hour tape takes at least two hours to capture, and some recordings may require additional passes if portions do not transfer clearly the first time.

What do you transfer my tapes to? We can transfer your tapes to digital video files, optical discs such as DVD or Blu-ray, or a combination of formats, depending on how you would like to watch, store, edit, and share your recordings.

Digital files can be saved to a USB flash drive or external hard drive. You are welcome to bring your own compatible storage device or purchase one from us. We can also provide files through a downloadable link for a small additional fee.

What resolution do you scan film at? We offer several scanning resolutions for 8mm, Super 8, and 16mm film, depending on the level of detail you need and how you plan to use the finished video. HD Scan - 1440 x 1080 A cropped image sized for convenient viewing on modern televisions, computers, and other devices.

2K Overscan - 2048 x 1080 Captures a wider area of the film frame, including more information near the edges, providing additional flexibility for editing, reframing, stabilization, and archival use.

4K Cropped UHD - 2880 x 2160 Captures the film at a higher resolution while presenting a clean, cropped image intended for modern 4K viewing environments.

4K DCI Overscan - 4096 x 2160 Captures a larger area around the original film frame at DCI 4K resolution and is suited to projects requiring greater image detail, professional editing, restoration, or archival preservation.

Full Sensor Scan - 5320 x 4600 Provides the complete area recorded by the scanner, giving editors and preservation professionals maximum flexibility for cropping, repositioning, stabilization, and restoration.

What format do you provide for film transfers? We can provide film transfers in several formats depending on how you plan to watch, edit, share, or preserve them. MP4 files are our most common option because they are easy to play on computers, televisions, and mobile devices and are convenient for sharing.

For editing, restoration, or professional production, we can provide high-quality QuickTime ProRes 422 HQ files. We can also deliver film as a TIFF image sequence or DPX files for projects that require frame-by- frame image files and greater post-production flexibility.

What formats do you transfer audio to? We can transfer analog or digital audio media to several delivery formats. Our most common options are audio CDs and MP3 files, and we also frequently provide high-quality WAV files.

Other file formats are available depending on your needs, including Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), AIFF, and Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC). Whether you want files that are easy to listen to and share or higher-quality files for archiving and editing, we can help you select the right format.

When conversion is complete, we'll notify you by phone and email. All of your precious originals will be returned to you in the same condition they were received*. Our work is 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Tape transfers happen in real time. A two-hour tape takes at least two hours to capture, and some recordings may require additional passes if portions do not transfer clearly the first time.

Do you provide video tape baking or thermal reconditioning? Yes. Some older video tapes can develop age-related deterioration that makes them difficult or unsafe to play. In certain cases, the tape's recording surface may become unstable and begin shedding material during playback. When appropriate, we can carefully "bake" or thermally recondition the tape to temporarily stabilize the media and improve the chances of a successful transfer.

Do you provide tape baking or thermal reconditioning? Yes. Some audio cassettes and open-reel tapes develop age-related problems that prevent them from playing safely or transferring properly. When appropriate, we can carefully "bake" or thermally recondition the tape to temporarily stabilize the recording surface and make playback possible.

How is film scanned to a digital file? We use a frame-by-frame FilmFabriek scanner with a sprocketless capstan transport system. Each film frame is captured individually rather than being projected in real time. The film is backlit by LED during scanning, and the captured frames can be assembled into the final motion-picture file or delivered as an image sequence when requested.

Contact Us! [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] (626) 795-3010 [tel:626.795.3010] Your estimate summary: 0 items - $ 0.00 Custom Estimate Order Status Video transfer

We accept cash, checks, Zelle, and all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Zelle payments may be sent to [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] . Please include your invoice or ticket number when submitting payment. When is payment due? For approved projects valued at more than $500, a 50% deposit is required before work begins. For all other projects, payment is due when the final invoice is issued. Completed projects cannot be released, shipped, or delivered until payment has been received in full. Is my payment secure? When you log into our Order Status gateway , your connection is secure. Payments and other actions completed through the gateway are encrypted.

Yes. For projects that require both long-term preservation and convenient everyday access, we can provide more than one version of the transferred media. A preservation master can be created using a higher-quality file format intended to retain as much information from the original transfer as practical for archiving, editing, or future use. We can then create separate access or viewing copies in more convenient formats that are easier to play, share, or distribute. The specific formats will depend on the source media and your project requirements. For example, a project may include a high-quality master file along with a smaller MP4 viewing copy, or an archival-quality image file along with JPEG access copies. For organizational, institutional, or archival projects, we can work with you to determine the appropriate combination of preservation and access files based on how the collection will be stored, managed, and used.