Q. & A.
Frequently asked,
Frequently asked,
frankly answered.
Common questions about formats, pricing, the digitization process, tape condition, AI enhancement, delivery and accounts. If yours isn’t here, just ask.
i. Formats & compatibility
What we take.
Consumer video tape, every signal standard. The shorter list is what we don’t do.
VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS, Video8, Hi8, Digital8 and MiniDV. NTSC, PAL and SECAM signal standards are all supported. If you have something unusual (Betamax, U-matic, professional formats) contact us first. We may be able to help, or refer you to the right specialist.
Not part of our current service. We focus exclusively on the consumer video formats listed above to keep our equipment and expertise sharp on what we do.
Yes. We have multi-system decks that handle all three TV standards. Just let us know what you’re sending if you’re not sure of the format.
No. We specialize in video tape only. For audio cassettes, photos or 8mm/16mm film, we recommend services that focus on those specific media.
ii. Pricing & packages
What it costs.
Transparent per-tape rates, no box minimums, no surprise fees at delivery.
Basic Digitization starts at $25 for 2 tapes ($12.50/tape) and drops to $75 for 10 tapes ($7.50/tape). Advanced adds $5 per tape. AI Enhancement is a separate upload-based service at $0.25 per minute of selected video. See the pricing calculator for a live total.
Yes. Disc delivery is included in the package price. For Basic and Advanced you pick DVD or BluRay in your dashboard, no price difference. For AI Enhancement only BluRay is offered (DVD can’t hold a FullHD stream). Cloud streaming is the alternative to discs, also at no price difference.
Online orders cap at 10 tapes. For larger collections, contact us. We can offer better per-tape pricing and stagger the work over a longer timeline.
Yes. After delivery, captures live in your dashboard for dashboard-based upgrades on selected portions: Advanced re-scan from a Basic capture at $0.05/minute, AI Enhancement on an Advanced capture at $0.25/minute, or combined on a Basic capture at $0.30/minute ($0.05 + $0.25). AI requires an Advanced base on the same clip, since the cleaner source dramatically improves AI output.
Oregon has no statewide sales tax. Customers outside Oregon may see tax added at checkout depending on local rules.
iii. Process & timeline
How long, and what happens when.
From tape arrival to file delivery: realistic timelines.
Basic capture is typically 2 to 5 business days after we receive your tapes. Advanced takes 2 to 3 times longer. AI runs roughly real-time to 2× video length. Your dashboard shows estimated completion dates.
Yes. Captures appear in your dashboard as soon as they’re complete. You can preview each clip, mark upgrades, and download source files before any disc is burned.
Originals are logged on arrival, stored in our climate-controlled work area during capture, and returned to you afterwards. We don’t keep or dispose of them.
Yes. Before capture begins, you get a full refund minus return shipping cost; we send your tapes back unworked. After capture begins, unstarted services are refunded but completed work is not. See the refund policy.
iv. Tape condition & damage
When a tape needs more than a capture.
Mold, sticky-shed, broken shells: quoted free before any restoration work begins.
Every tape is inspected on arrival. Minor wear is handled in the standard package. For major issues (mold, broken shells, sticky-shed syndrome, snapped tape) we contact you with a free restoration quote before doing any work.
A degradation of the magnetic binder in some tape formulations. The tape feels sticky, leaves residue on heads, and can’t play normally. It’s treatable through controlled baking and careful capture. Restoration billing applies.
Quoted after inspection. Billing is hourly based on the actual work: sticky-shed treatment, shell repair, splicing. We never proceed without your written approval.
If we genuinely can’t capture anything from a tape, we refund that tape’s portion of your order. The rest of your order proceeds normally.
Yes. Heat-stored tapes are common. They may show more dropouts and color shifts than well-stored tapes; Advanced scans handle this best. We’ll flag anything serious during inspection.
v. Delivery & cloud access
Files, discs, downloads.
Cloud, DVD, BluRay (with one notable thing we don’t offer: USB).
Cloud lets you stream from phone, tablet, smart TV or web for one year (free, included). Discs play in standard players: DVD or BluRay for Basic and Advanced (your choice), BluRay only for AI Enhancement. You pick the format in your dashboard. Same price either way.
Yes. If you ordered cloud access, source MP4 files are downloadable during your entire active subscription, plus 90 days after cancellation or expiration as a grace window. If you ordered DVD or BluRay only (no cloud), downloads are available for 30 days after order completion. Save local copies before that window closes.
Renewal is $25/year. You can cancel anytime. Files remain streamable and downloadable for 90 days after cancellation in case you change your mind, then are permanently deleted.
DVD can’t hold a FullHD stream: it’s a standard-definition format by spec. AI output is 1080p, so the only disc that fits it is BluRay (25–50GB per disc). For Basic and Advanced your source is SD, so both DVD and BluRay work and you choose.
No, on purpose. USB flash drives have a limited and unpredictable lifespan, especially the cheap drives some competitors bundle as a “storage option.” Flash memory cells can fail without warning; recovering data from a damaged drive typically costs hundreds of dollars and isn’t guaranteed to succeed. Optical discs, by contrast, remain readable for many years (decades with proper storage) and play on any DVD/BluRay player or computer. If you want convenient access from phone, tablet or TV, our cloud subscription is $25/year. The first year is free, so for most customers it’s effectively a no-brainer over USB.
Yes. That’s the dashboard. Once your captures land there, you can reorder clips into chronological order, give them meaningful titles (“Christmas 1994” instead of “Tape_03.mp4”), remove dead air or leader segments, group into chapters, and lay out the disc menu the way you want it. We burn what you assemble, not a default we picked. Most digitizing services don’t offer this.
vi. Portland pickup & mail-in
Getting tapes to us, safely.
Hand-delivered if you’re local; tracked carriers everywhere else.
Roughly the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area: Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties in Oregon, plus close Vancouver, WA zip codes. If you’re on the edge, contact us with your address and we’ll confirm.
Original cases or sturdy padded packaging. Avoid loose tapes rattling in a box. Use a trackable shipping method (UPS, FedEx, USPS Priority all work). Reply to our order email with the tracking number so we can watch for arrival.
Calculated at checkout based on order weight, package size and destination. We ship returns via USPS with tracking.
Not by default. We’re U.S.-based. International customers should contact us first. We can sometimes accommodate return shipping outside the U.S. but need to confirm carrier options and costs in advance.
vii. AI Enhancement
Realistic expectations.
What the model does, and what it can’t do no matter how good it gets.
Upscales standard-definition (480i NTSC or 576i PAL) video to true 1080p FullHD, with denoise and detail enhancement. The result is cleaner, sharper and better suited to modern displays, but it can’t add content the camera never recorded.
Yes. You don’t need physical tapes to use AI Enhancement: upload existing digital files through the AI Enhancement flow; uploading creates the order. Same $0.25/minute rate.
No. You can mark specific clips, scenes or time ranges in the dashboard. AI is billed only on the minutes you actually select.
It will help, but it won’t magically restore the original. AI works best when the underlying signal is mostly intact: Advanced scan plus AI is the right combination for most degraded tapes.
No, and we say so up front. AI output depends on the source video and on personal taste in how vintage footage should look. We don’t guarantee that any specific clip will enhance to your satisfaction, and we don’t hide the failure modes (plastic-skin faces, drifting features, distorted text and logos, general softness). See the honest rundown for examples.
Yes, for AI added to a Digitization order. The first 3 minutes of AI Enhancement are free when you mark portions of a Basic or Advanced capture from your dashboard. Use them to sample on a clip you actually care about and see whether the result fits your archive and your taste before committing more. Standalone uploads of your own files don’t get the free 3 minutes (there’s no Digitization order to anchor them to): billing starts at the first marked minute. If you want a short paid trial on a standalone file, contact us before checkout.
Sample first. For AI added to a Digitization order the first 3 minutes are free, so the sample costs nothing. If you don’t like it, stop there and don’t mark additional portions: you’ve spent nothing. Your original Digitization capture stays in your account unchanged. We cannot refund completed AI Enhancement work based on subjective dissatisfaction, since the GPU time and operator labor have already been spent. See our Cancellation and Refund Policy for the full rules. AI models also keep improving, so you can come back later and re-enhance the same clip when the technology lands better for your footage.
viii. Accounts & files
The dashboard and what lives in it.
One account per order. Cloud, downloads, upgrades: all in one place.
Yes, an account is created when you place your order. It’s how you preview captures, mark upgrades, choose delivery and download files.
Yes, within reason. You can share account access with family or close friends. We don’t impose hard concurrent-viewer limits but reserve the right to question patterns that look like commercial use.
MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio for both Basic and Advanced output. AI Enhancement output is also MP4 at 1080p.
Files remain streamable and downloadable for 90 days as a grace window in case you renew, then are permanently deleted.
Question not answered here?
Reach out. We reply quickly during West Coast business hours. Standard orders go through the calculator; anything off-script, just ask.