VIDEO TRANSFER

WE CAN TRANSFER YOUR OLD VIDEO
AND CAMCORDER TAPES TO DVD, BLU-RAY OR MP4

Video to DVD, Blu-ray or MP4

We transfer the following videotape formats:

  • VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C
  • HDCAM, MicroMV
  • Hi8 & Video 8
  • Digital 8
  • Mini-DV, DVCAM
  • Betamax

  • Betacam, Beta-SP, Digi Beta
  • Lowband Umatic, Umatic-SP
  • 3/4″
  • 1″ open reel
  • HD
  • Other formats available

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Dorset’s Video Transfer Specialists

We carefully transfer your video tapes to DVD with our standard 4-5 day service or an express, same-day option, if needed.

All work is carried out in-house. We never “farm out” any aspect of our transfer service. We realise how important your tapes are and we take great care of them. We aknowledge the trust you place in us and ensure the transfer is carried out safely. In 24 years we have never lost or damaged any of our client’s video material. That’s quite a record!

Technology is ever changing and video comes in many different formats. We can transfer your video from virtually any format to DVD. Is your video on VHS, Betacam, camcorder cassettes like VHS-C, 8mm, Hi-8, mini-DV, or even mini-DVD? No problem, we can work with every camcorder format that has been produced.

As a guide it is possible to transfer 1hr of video at the highest quality or up to 4hrs at VHS quality.

Please remember that all video tapes deteriorate over time with a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years or less if badly stored or overused. The expected lifespan of DVD is 100 years plus. Please let us know if you need your DVD’s to be playable in another country. We can then produce the appropriate version for you. There is no extra charge for this service.

Give us a call at to discuss your DVD transfer project.

Video to DVD FAQ

Why should I get my video tapes transferred to DVD?

Confused webWithout wanting to get too technical, videotape can absorb moisture which causes it to deteriorate. Depending on when (and how well) the tape was manufactured, this data loss can begin to occur after only 8 years and, within 20 years, the tape can become totally unreadable. This is worst case scenario but it does happen.

There are many technically challenging and highly expensive ways of breathing life into old and damaged tapes. Depending on the cause of the damage these include baking the tape in carefully controlled ovens (yes really, but don’t try this at home), and precise vacuum drying. But by far the best solution is to have your tapes transferred to a digital format while the tapes are still ok.

Shops no longer stock VHS video recorders. Compact cassettes are no longer generally available, and when was the last time you saw a reel-to-reel tape recorder? We don’t, for a moment believe that DVD and CD will be around forever but it makes sense to transfer your cherished memories to the most up-to-date, digital format available. It also makes sense to use the medium with the highest consumer penetration. That way, there remains a very good chance that, in another 50 years time, your grandchildren will be able to find a machine to watch your wedding on.

We are not trying to scare monger here. The threat to old video or audio tape is a genuine one. Please ask for further information.

How good are the finished converted DVD's?

We use the latest DVD transfer techniques to create the highest possible quality transfer. Our DVD’s come with chapter marks every 10 minutes to assist you navigating through the title.

You also have full DVD functionality, slow motion, chapter skip, pause & rewind.

We use the optimum compression setting based on the duration of your programme. This ensures the best possible quality DVD from your original tape.

Video Tape Repair

damaged-tapeAs you are looking at this page we assume you have discovered for yourself that video tapes are very fragile and prone to breaking. We have been repairing video and audio tapes since the 1980’s and have repaired all sorts of damaged tapes, from tapes that have simply been dropped to ones that have been partially eaten by dogs. Also from the kids getting their hands on the tapes to the most common one of all, the tape getting chewed up inside the VCR!

All Video and Audio formats are repaired transferred to DVD as standard for the same simple fee!

PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO REPAIR THE TAPE WITH SELLOTAPE!!!!!!!!

Mould Damaged Video & Audio Material

Mouldy VHSIMPORTANT: DO NOT TRY TO PLAY THE TAPE!!!!!

If video or audio tape is stored badly in a damp environment, mould can start to attack the tape. This is extremely serious and can destroy them if not professionally cleaned.

We recommend that customers do not try to play tapes with obvious mould damage. This can render their equipment useless by clogging the playback machine as well as causing further damage to the tape. The contamination will also attack other tapes played in the same machine.

We offer a tape cleaning service and we specialise in this area of tape recovery. Mould often appears as a white powdery substance that can be seen inside the tape housing.