VHS / VHS-C to Digital Conversion Service

Base Pricing (per tape)*

We only charge for program time on the tape:

  • 30 minutes or less: $20 
  • 30 min -1 hour: $24
  • 1 - 2 hours: $28
  • 2 - 4 hours $38
  • More than 4 hours: 
    $38 + $10/add'l hour

Before quantity discount. Flash drive additional (or provide your own). Shipping not included. Minimum order $85.

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VHS / VHS-C / SVHS Tape Transfers

The winner of the great videotape battle of the 1980s, VHS became the most popular consumer videotape format. VHS recorders introduced the concept of "time shifting" broadcast programming, but soon VHS "camcorders" replaced the movie film cameras, and birthed the home video industry. Advent Digitizing can bring your legacy tapes back to life and preserve them digitally for future generations.

VHS tapes are in two sizes: The "Full Size" cassettes can hold 2 hours or more at standard speed (SP), or up to 6 hours at slower speeds. Some tapes ran 3 hours at standard speed and 8 hours at Super Long Play. Tapes with shorter lengths were also available. The "Compact" VHS-C tapes typically held 30 minutes of footage, or up to 90 minutes at slower speeds. 

In the late 80s, with the need for a more robust, near-broadcast quality signal for professionals, they invented "Super VHS," or SVHS. This format, using nearly the same shell as VHS, provided much higher quality needed for video editing. A few consumer camcorders had SVHS capabilities. All of our decks are SVHS compatible because they provide a higher quality output even with standard VHS.

All VHS tapes are "standard definition," and our digitizers create files in the NTSC-DV format (720x480 pixels, 29.97fps, interlaced, 4:3 aspect ratio).

We charge only for time on the tape. If you're unsure how full it is, provide a guess when you request a quote. The tally invoice will reflect the actual runtime of home video content. It could be less or more than the estimate.

Options
(Extra cost)

Enhancements:

  • Color Correction
  • Videotape Repair
  • Tape restoration (baking)
  • Upres to HD
    (Qualified tapes only)

Deliverables:

  • Flash Drive (standard)
  • DVD ROM (for computer)
  • DVD w/Menu (for set-top box)

Transfer Process

In the Advent Media production studio, we play your tapes on professional SVHS equipment, using time base correction to stabilize video as much as possible. If a tape has degraded, we may be able to restore it with baking. We can also splice broken tapes or reattach a leader.

Your tapes are digitized first to the professional DV codec as robust, high-bitrate "source" files (I-frame DV AVI in standard definition). These source files are then compressed to a consumer MP4 "Release" format, ready for playback on any media player device or streaming service.

What You Get
(Future-Proofed Data)

On your flash drive or portable USB hard drive, you will receive BOTH the Source File and the MP4 (compressed) Release File of each item. The Release file can be viewed on any computer or modern TV, shared with your family or uploaded to your favorite streaming service or cloud storage. The Source file is your future-proof master backup, which is best to use when editing the footage, or to transcode to the next new consumer format. You can opt to omit the source files to save cost on storage.

You may also choose to receive output on optical media, either as a computer-readable ROM disc, or a set-top player compatible CD (audio only), DVD (SD only) or BluRay (HD). Authoring fees apply, and discs have capacity limits.

We provide instructions on easy backup strategies to protect your investment.

How it works.

2. Drop Off
3. Pick Up

Turnaround Time:1

Typically within 1-2 weeks. Larger orders may take longer. Rush service available (extra cost).

We're located in NW Columbus, Ohio, very near the OSU airport.
(We accept major carrier shipments if you're not in the Columbus area. You provide the box!)

$85 minimum per order.*

VHS Video Q&A

  • What do I need to provide for an accurate quote?

    When you request a quote, please provide:

    • The TYPE of materials you want to transfer (Video, movie, stills, etc.) Combination orders are welcome and qualify for greater discounts
    • The LENGTH of program on the tape. If you don't know how full the tape is, just report the number on the case, e.g. T120.
    • The SPEED at which it was recorded, if you know.
    • The QUANTITY of each type of material
    • IF DAMAGED: describe the problem
    • OUTPUT PREFERENCE: whether you want your files on a flash drive or optical drive (DVD)

    If you're unsure about what you have, make an appointment to drop it off and we'll inventory it for you. You'll get a quote to approve before we begin.

  • What quality can I expect from VHS?

    When viewing VHS transfers on an HD or 4K TV, or even a large computer monitor, they will NOT look like modern digital video you can shoot with your iPhone. There are a lot of technical reasons for this (explained here), mostly having to do with the fact that VHS is Standard Definition with lower resolution than broadcast TV was back then.

    Tips for optimum viewing:

    • Using a DVD, watch on an old CRT picture tube TV. It'll look great in native form.
    • On a computer screen, shrink the player window so it's not full screen.
    • On a big screen TV, watch from a distance.

    Many big-screen TVs will interpolate SD to HD very well. Its success will depend on how "clean" the video is. LP or SLP video rarely upscales well.

  • Can you transfer my tapes in HD?

    All VHS videos in the US are recorded in "Standard Definition." We capture them in the NTSC-SD Digital Video (DV) format (720x480 pixels, 29.97 frames/second, interlaced), which is also the DVD standard. Assuming the video quality is good, it will look great if viewed on a small TV, especially one with a CRT picture tube, but may look fuzzy on a big HD or 4K TV. For best results view in a window on a computer, or at a distance if using a big TV.

    If the video is "clean" (free of excessive video noise), it may qualify for uprez to HD at extra cost. Tapes recorded at Long Play or Extended Play speeds cannot be successfully uprezzed.

    More on uprez to HD

  • How about longer tapes?

    Consumer videotapes have three speeds. The slower speeds, Long Play (LP) and Super Long Play (SLP). SLP could record 6 hours on a 120 minute tape - with very poor quality.  If a tape exceeds 2 hours, there is an add-charge for each additional hour (see above). Note that extended play quality will be lower than standard play.

    Occasionally we encounter 180 minute (3-hour) VHS tape, which could stretch to 6 or even 9 hours with very fragile thinner tape. If recorded at Standard speed, those tapes will transfer well, provided they survived use and storage. These were often used for surveillance.

  • Can you transfer time-shifted broadcast programs?

    Occasionally we will find tapes with time-shifted broadcast content. There are copyright issues in the transfer of this material. Unless you have permission, time shifted broadcast cannot be copied. If we find a tape with home video followed by time shifted broadcast, we will transfer the home video and skip the broadcast. You will only be charged for what is transferred.

    Should you insist on transferring copyrighted material, you bear full responsibility for any copyright violation claim.

  • Can you transfer pre-recorded tapes (Hollywood movies, etc.)?

    No. Not only is this a violation of copyright law, many commercial tapes are encoded with copy protection schemes that impede transfer. We will not override copy protection.

    You will have a far better viewing experience buying the title on DVD or BluRay, or finding a digital download from an authorized source.

  • Why would my tape need "baking?"

    Certain brands of tape had a manufacturing defect that causes "Sticky Shed." The glue that binds the oxide to the tape base would absorb moisture over time and eventually turn to goo. This gunks up the fragile tape heads and can even jam the machine. To transfer such a tape it needs to be "baked" in controlled conditions for at least 72 hours to dehydrate it, then we have a few hours to transfer it before it turns to goo again. Once transferred, the tapes may not be playable again, but the transfers will never age. We will advise you if we encounter this problem. Tape baking is an extra cost option.

    More on Sticky Shed

  • What are my delivery options?

    USB Flash Drive:
    Most of our customers choose delivery on a USB flash drive or portable hard drive. With so many sizes available, we can usually fit all your content on one USB drive. Most modern TV sets and all computers (Mac/PC) will play content from a flash drive. We include instructions on how to backup and safeguard your investment

    DVD
    Some customers prefer delivery on optical disc, usually DVD. While we can "author" the disc to play on a set-top player, DVD has the following disadvantages:

    • Maximum 2-hour runtime (DVD)
    • Cannot reorder or rename files
    • Can lose data after 10-15 years - difficult to back up
    • Players are becoming rare

    We do NOT use cheap DVD recorders to transfer your footage direct to DVD. We create DVD from the robust Source File made at time of capture, meaning full fidelity of the signal is preserved on a USB drive for future use.

    Digital Download
    We do not provide digital upload/download service except if preview or approval is necessary. Read more about Digital Download

  • Can I provide my own disk for output?

    Yes, we support BYOD (bring your own disk). While we normally provide output on our media (cost varies with drive size), you can instead provide a new-in-box (sealed) flash drive or portable hard disk/SSD at no extra charge. We can estimate drive size needed with your estimate, and confirm it when transfers are complete.

  • Can I make my own copies?

    Absolutely! We make no copyright claim on your content, so you are free to make copies (provided, of course, the material is not copyrighted by a 3rd party.) If you prefer for us to make your copies, they're available for only the cost of the media.

    Additional copies may be ordered from our master files with or without the source files for up to 3 months following delivery. Our masters are scheduled for deletion after 3 months unless you choose the archive option.

Take the next step.
Let us know what legacy materials you have to see how we can help.
Get a quote