Preserve Your Legacy with Our Tape Digitization Service
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Tape Digitization
Henninger Media Services offers high quality digitization services for a wide variety of media formats. Our facility features a full-service machine room and a team of Core Services Engineers. We have the in-house capability to transfer each of the following formats to a wide variety of digital files:
- HDCAM-SR
- HDCAM
- HDV
- DV/DVCAM
- XDCAM (HD)
- DVCPro (SD/HD)
- D1
- D2
- D5 (SD/HD)
- Digital Betacam
- IMX
- Beta/Betacam/Betacam SP/Betacam SX
- Hi-8
- DVD
- VHS
- 3/4”
- 1”
- Cassette tape
- Reel-to-reel audio
Our specialists will inspect your tapes before transfer. Over time, sub-optimal storage conditions and lack of use can cause iron oxide to form on the metal particles of the videotape. This leads to “flaking” or “shedding” and a subsequent loss of picture quality. We have a proprietary “baking” process that can re-adhere the particles to the tape, allowing for a successful transfer in many cases.
In addition to straight digital conversion, our core is capable of high-quality cross conversions and upconversions. Our Alchemist XF converter provides 4K frame rate and standards conversion. We also utilize an Alchemist PHC deck for pristine HD conversions.
Filmmakers seeking to incorporate archival material in a film can digitize everything at the native frame rate and resolution of the source, then upconvert selects to 2K or 4K once they have reached fine cut or picture lock. This is an economical way to make the most of archival materials.
The Digitization Process
At the beginning of each digitization or archiving project, our Core Services Engineers will consult with you to help determine a workflow that will meet your needs. Typically, this process starts with creating an inventory of all the materials to be digitized and determining the total run time (TRT) of each source. We can also help you estimate the TRT if your sources are not clearly marked.
Next, we’ll talk with you about what kinds of files your project requires. Oftentimes, we can provide lower resolution screener files with burn-in timecode and higher resolution files in the same pass for the same cost. We’ll also discuss whether any of your sources require conversion services to change the frame rate, standard or resolution.
Then, our team will provide you with an estimate for the project. As we begin digitizing materials, your Project Manager will keep you updated on our progress and will deliver your digital assets using the method that works best for you.
Ready to dive into a digitization project? Check our video for tips for getting started:
Film Scanning
Henninger has been a leader in providing Film Scanning Services for over 25 years. We can transfer 8mm, Super 8mm, 16mm, Super 16mm or 35mm film to digital file formats, DVD, Blu-ray or other tape formats as requested. We can scan film materials to SD, HD, 2K and 4K resolutions.
Our Lasergraphics ScanStation allows for the conversion of film directly into digital form at speeds up to 30 frames per second (fps). Still or moving images and soundtrack are converted simultaneously to multiple digital formats, all in a single pass. The ScanStation also handles films with perforation damage, splices and shrinkage very gently while still providing a superior quality transfer.
We’ve been a preferred vendor for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) since approximately 1994, handling some of our country’s most rare and important archival films and providing high-quality transfers for filmmakers around the world. You can read about the NARA ordering and transfer process on our blog. Our Color Correction team can also help alleviate the color problems that sometimes arise when film has degraded. For instance, the Henninger team transferred and color corrected a film from the 1950’s for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. You can read about that process here : cooperative.com
LTO
LTO (or Linear Tape Open) technology is a format that provides long-term, stable storage for media. Videotapes have a limited shelf life ranging from 5-20 years, at best. Hard drives are great for short-term storage, but can begin to break down after 5-7 years, particularly if they have moving parts. LTO/LTFS data tapes have a shelf life of 30 years or more and with no moving parts, they’re far less likely to fail. As a result, many of our clients choose to back up their native footage and final projects to LTO. We support reading and writing of LTO-4 through LTO-8 for backup.
