VHS & Tape Digitization Pricing in Austin

Tape to MP4 — Delivered as 1440×1080 MP4 Files

The Standard Choice for Viewing & Sharing

A modern, playable file from a tape that has not been touched in years.

This is the standard choice for viewing and sharing. AVS captures from professional playback decks, stabilizes the signal where appropriate, and delivers a 1440×1080, 59.94 fps H.264 MP4 file — deinterlaced and formatted for modern screens at the correct 4:3 aspect ratio, with no stretching and no cropping.

The visible detail is still governed by what the original tape recorded. Standard transfer includes professional playback, capture monitoring, signal handling, and deinterlacing. AI/ML upscaling, noise reduction, color correction, and stabilization are separate services quoted by scope.

• Best For: Family viewing, sharing with relatives, uploading to YouTube/Facebook, standard long-term storage.
• What You Get: MP4 files (H.264) — smooth deinterlaced playback for modern screens. Standard-definition 4:3 tape sources are delivered as 1440×1080 4:3 MP4 files — no black bars, no stretching.
• Motion Quality: Smooth deinterlaced playback eliminates stutter and interlacing lines.
• Compatibility: Plays on any device — iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Smart TVs, Roku, Apple TV, game consoles.

Technical Specifications

• Resolution: 1440×1080 (native 4:3 — no stretching, no black bars)
• Bitrate: 12 Mbps (high quality for dark scenes and fast motion)
• File Size: Approximately 10 GB per hour of video (H.265/HEVC by request at roughly 6–7 GB/hr)
• Editing: Suitable for basic trimming in iMovie, Premiere, or any standard editor

Frequently Asked Questions — MP4

Tape to ProRes (Editable Master)

The Professional Choice for Editing & Archiving

Industry-standard files for filmmakers, editors, and long-term preservation.

If you work in Final Cut Pro, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, or Avid, start with the best possible source. We capture directly to Apple ProRes, preserving every field of data from your original tape without the heavy compression of MP4.

Think of ProRes as your "Digital Negative." It creates a master file that retains all the quality of the original tape, allowing you to generate any other format — MP4, DVD, web clips — later without quality loss.

• Best For: Video editors, documentary filmmakers, color grading, future-proof archival storage.
• What You Get: Edit-ready Apple ProRes 422 files (default).
• Quality: Intra-frame compression preserves detail during heavy editing — every frame is stored as a complete image.
• Compatibility: Best played on Mac/PC via VLC or professional editing software. Not recommended for direct Smart TV playback.

Technical Specifications

• Codec: Apple ProRes 422 — professional intermediate codec for editing and archiving
• File Size: Approximately 20 GB per hour of video
• Drive Requirement: Requires faster hard drives (USB 3.0+) due to large file sizes
• Other Codecs: ProRes 422 HQ, 4444, or Proxy available upon request

Storage Planning Guide

ProRes files are massive by design — every frame is saved as a complete image, not compressed between frames. Use this chart to plan your drive space:

ProRes Codec Comparison

Drive Requirements

• Format: ExFAT, APFS, or NTFS only — FAT32 cannot handle files over 4 GB
• Connection: USB 3.0 or faster recommended for smooth playback
• Compatibility: Best played on Mac/PC via VLC or professional editing software. Not recommended for direct Smart TV playback.

Don't have a drive? Ask about drive options at drop-off — we'll recommend the right size and confirm pricing based on current availability.

Frequently Asked Questions — ProRes

Tape to Lossless (Uncompressed Master)

The Highest-Fidelity Analog-to-Digital Transfer Available

Bit-for-bit digital preservation with zero mathematical compression.

This service creates a true lossless digital master of your analog tape. Unlike MP4 or even ProRes, uncompressed capture retains every pixel and every bit of color information read from the magnetic signal. Nothing is estimated, averaged, or discarded.

We bypass standard consumer recording limitations to capture the full dynamic range of the tape using time-base correction (TBC) and enterprise capture hardware, ensuring 100% frame accuracy and eliminating signal jitter.

• Best For: Professional archivists, video editors requiring clean source files for VFX/green screen, legal/forensic video analysis, long-term digital asset management.
• The Result: A preservation master file in 10-bit Uncompressed YUV.
• Quality Assurance: TBC and enterprise capture hardware ensure 100% frame accuracy.
• File Integrity: Files are captured to high-speed enterprise storage and verified before transfer — zero data loss.

Who Needs Lossless?

This is a specialized service designed for:

• Institutions and archives that require preservation masters meeting national archival standards
• Production houses needing clean source files for broadcast restoration or VFX compositing
• Forensic and legal analysts who need unaltered source material
• Preservationists planning AI-assisted upscaling or future restoration work

For family home movies you plan to watch on a TV or computer, our ProRes or MP4 services are more practical and cost-effective.

Technical Specifications

• Capture Format: Uncompressed 8-bit or 10-bit 4:2:2
• Color Depth: Full dynamic range retention for advanced color grading
• Estimated File Size:
  • 8-bit Uncompressed: ~72 GB per hour
  • 10-bit Uncompressed: ~96 GB per hour
  • A standard 2-hour tape may require nearly 200 GB of storage

Drive Requirements

• Required Drive Format: ExFAT, APFS, or NTFS. FAT32 drives cannot accept files larger than 4 GB — your transfer will fail.
• Connection Speed: USB 3.0 or 3.1 highly recommended. Slower connections may struggle to write the massive data stream.
• Our Workflow: We capture to high-speed internal storage first to guarantee stability, then perform a verified copy to your provided external drive.

Frequently Asked Questions — Lossless

Tape to DVD (Physical Disc)

The Classic Choice for TV Playback

Play your memories directly on your TV — no computer, no cloud, no apps.

We transfer your analog tapes to standard-definition DVD-Video for playback on compatible disc players. The DVD transfer rates below cover this service. Custom Blu-ray authoring is a separate production service with its own quote.

• Best For: Living room viewing, gifts for relatives, backup copies for family members who prefer physical media.
• What You Get: Physical DVD discs labeled with your content details.
• Compatibility: Intended for DVD-Video-compatible players. Computer playback requires a DVD drive and suitable software; confirm your player model if you are unsure.
• Resolution: Standard-definition DVD-Video. Final quality depends on the source tape and transfer.

Technical Specifications

• Format: DVD-Video (Region Free)
• Navigation: Chapter marks included for easy skipping
• Capacity: Up to 2 hours of video per single-layer DVD
• Editing: This is a final playback copy; keep a digital master if you plan to edit later.

Choose Your DVD Style

Simple, reliable, and ready to watch. Your video is transferred to disc with automatic chapter breaks every 5–10 minutes. You can skip forward by chapter, but there is no visual menu screen. Ideal for cost-effective archiving and straightforward linear viewing.

Professional navigation with scene selection. We create a custom interactive menu with thumbnail images so viewers can jump to specific scenes. Ideal for gifts, presentations, or tapes with multiple distinct events (birthday, graduation, vacation).

Frequently Asked Questions — DVD

8mm & Super 8 Film Scanning

Frame-by-Frame 2K Film Scanning

Preserve your film reels with archival precision — no projection required.

Standard film transfers use a camera to record a projector, resulting in flicker, blur, and lost detail. Our frame-by-frame scanning captures each individual frame at 2K resolution. This eliminates flicker, stabilizes the image, and restores color accuracy without risking damage to your fragile originals.

We clean and inspect every foot of film before scanning. Our process corrects color fading and stabilizes the image, ensuring your oldest memories look as vibrant as the day they were filmed.

• Best For: Family film archives, documentary projects, preserving fragile film that cannot be projected.
• What You Get: High-resolution MP4 files (H.264) ready for viewing and sharing.
• Quality: 2K resolution (1920×1440) with color correction and dust reduction.
• Safety: Non-contact scanning ensures no wear and tear on your original reels.

Technical Specifications

• Formats: 8mm, Super 8, and Standard 8
• Resolution: 2K High Definition
• Processing: Frame-by-frame capture, color balance, and stabilization
• Delivery: Digital files delivered via Cloud, Hard Drive, or Disc (see Delivery Options)

Photo, Slide & Negative Scanning

Hand-Scanned Photo Digitization

Every image handled individually — no auto-feeders, no scratches, no shortcuts.

Automated bulk scanners can scratch fragile photos and miss crucial details. We hand-scan every individual photograph, slide, and negative to ensure brilliant, dust-free digital images. Whether you have shoeboxes of prints or trays of slides, each item gets archival care.

• Best For: Family photo albums, slide collections, negatives, creating backup copies of irreplaceable prints.
• What You Get: High-quality JPEG, TIFF, or PNG files.
• Quality: High-resolution scanning at 600 DPI (higher upon request).
• Safety: Hand-placed scanning eliminates the risk of jams or scratches from automated feeders.

Technical Specifications

• Media Types: Prints (any size), 35mm Slides, Negatives (35mm, 120, 4×5)
• Output Formats: JPEG (standard), TIFF (archival), or PNG
• Processing: Dust removal, color correction, and optional upscaling
• Delivery: Digital files delivered via Cloud, Hard Drive, or Disc (see Delivery Options)

Audio Cassette Digitization

Clean Digital Transfers From Tape

Cassette tape binders degrade over time. A 30-year-old recording is not guaranteed to survive another decade on the shelf, and once the binder fails, the audio is gone. A clean digital transfer preserves what is there now before that window closes.

Both sides of every cassette are included in the standard transfer. Basic hiss reduction and level balancing are standard. Advanced restoration — significant noise removal, dropout repair, track splitting, or custom naming — is quoted separately by scope.

• Best For: Music recordings, personal journals, interviews, demo tapes, and family voice recordings.
• What You Get: WAV or MP3 files. Both sides included.
• Active Formats: Audio cassette, microcassette, and MiniDisc.

Video Editing & Production

From Raw Footage to Finished Story

Don't just digitize your memories — bring them to life.

Our custom editing service transforms your digitized tapes, photos, and film into polished videos tailored for your specific occasion. We handle clip selection, music, titles, transitions, and pacing so you get a finished product ready to share.

• Memorial Tributes: Tasteful pacing, readable titles, respectful music selection.
• Event Recaps: Weddings, birthdays, graduations, family reunions.
• Business Content: Promos, testimonials, archival footage for commercial use.
• Custom Slideshows: Photo animations with professional transitions and sound design.

Collaboration: Work with us remotely or in-studio to ensure the final cut matches your vision. Includes color correction, audio balancing, and AI upscaling for old photos when needed.

Custom Blu-ray Authoring

Turn finished videos into a Blu-ray presentation with custom menus, animated scene selectors and chapter navigation. Source review, encoding, menu work, master output and playback checks are quoted for the actual collection. Each unique authored volume requires production work; additional identical copies are priced separately.

The agreed deliverable is an authored master disc or ISO, with clear disc identification where a physical master is supplied. Custom case artwork and illustrated disc printing are not included.

Explore Blu-ray Authoring

See Full Video Editing Details

Delivery Add-Ons

Choose How You Receive Your Files

Your tapes are digitized. Now pick the delivery method that fits your setup.

☁️ Cloud Delivery (Stream & Share)

Best for: Sharing with family instantly and watching on Smart TVs without a computer.

Get a secure, private link to your videos. No software installation required.

• Watch Anywhere: Stream directly on iPhone, Android, PC, or Mac.
• Smart TV Ready: Use the Dropbox app on AppleTV, Roku, or FireTV to watch on your living room television.
• Easy Download: Move files to your own Google Drive, iCloud, or computer with a single click.
• Security: Your gallery is password-protected and private.
• Access Period: Files remain available for download for 180 days.

💾 Physical Hard Drive

Best for: Long-term storage, editing, and keeping a digital master in your safe.

You can purchase a new drive from us or bring your own.

Storage estimates below are approximate and depend on final codec choices. If you selected ProRes or Lossless, you will need significantly more space.

Purchase a New Drive

You may bring your own blank compatible drive at no additional storage-media cost. If you need AVS to provide a drive, we'll recommend the right size, confirm the current retail price with you, and add the actual drive cost to your invoice. Drive prices fluctuate, so we confirm pricing at drop-off rather than publishing a fixed table.

🔌 Bring Your Own Drive — Free

Already have a hard drive? Bring it in and we'll load your files at no charge.

• ⚠️ Required: Your drive must be completely blank (formatted). This prevents virus transmission, ensures file integrity, and eliminates the risk of accidentally overwriting your existing data.
• Space Planning: MP4 format requires ~5.5 GB per hour. ProRes/Lossless requires ~72–100 GB per hour.
• Connection: USB 3.0 drive recommended for fastest transfer speeds.

DVD Playback Copy — $12 per Transferred Tape

An optional standard-definition DVD playback copy for an existing AVS tape-digitization job. The original transfer is billed separately. This is intended for compatible DVD-Video players; it is separate from our full tape-to-DVD transfer service and from custom Blu-ray authoring.

Blu-ray Data Backup — $18 per Transferred Tape

We copy the finished MP4 files from your existing AVS tape-digitization job onto a Blu-ray as data files, much like copying them to an external hard drive. The files retain their existing format and resolution. Access requires a compatible computer Blu-ray drive and software.

This $18 add-on does not include authoring, menus, chapter navigation or an authored Blu-ray movie for a living-room player. It does not include the original digitization or a new custom production project.

Custom Blu-ray Authoring — Project Quote

For a player-ready presentation with menus, animated scene selection and chapter navigation, request custom Blu-ray authoring. The quote reflects runtime, source preparation, menu complexity, unique volumes, testing and the agreed master deliverable. Duplicate copies are quoted separately. Film and photo disc-delivery costs are confirmed with those jobs.

Delivery Add-On Summary