Common Questions when Digitizing

What are your business hours?

We are a family-owned business here to support you. Need assistance in digitzing your cherished memories? Just contact us on our contact page, e-mail at [email protected] or call directly at 202-930-5085. 

What can RetroReels digitize? 

RetroReels specializes in VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, Digital8 (Hi8), miniDV, and 8mm reel film. We also specialize in audio cassette tapes, CD, DVD and a wide range of photo scanning and digital media management options.

Why should I convert my tapes to digital formats?

Preserving your memories is the primary reason for converting tapes to digital formats. Tapes like VHS degrade over time, resulting in a loss of audio and video quality. By digitizing, you can ensure their longevity and protect from further deterioration. Digital formats also provide greater convenience and ease of access for sharing and viewing your memories. Visit BBoys Blog to read more. 

Can I watch the digitized files on my computer, phone or TV?

You bet you can! Either utilize our "Dub" VHS to DVD package or RetroReels will digitize, perform post production video enhancements and share over USB drive or secure DropBox to make the viewing expereice of your beloved moments come alive again.

Do I need any special software to play or edit the digitized VHS files?

All footage delivered on USB drive or secure DropBox will play on PC, Mac, Chromebook, etc. The video file format MP4 is the most universal and widely supported. If you choose to have footage recorded on DVD, the DVDs will play in all major DVD players inlcuding computers with DVD drives. If you wish to edit videos after delivery, a third party video editing program like Apple's iMovie or Adobe's Premiere Pro are required. Ask how we can edit your files for you! 

How long does it take to convert a VHS tape to digital?

The duration of conversion depends on the length and number of tapes in project. These conversions are done one-by-one at very high quality to maximize picture quality. Once converted, we perform post production video optimization and either deliver on USB drive, secure DropBox or record to DVD. Additional post production options avaliable. 

Can I see the progress or a sneekpeak of my digitized footage? 

Sure. If you are excited and simply cannot wait, we will be glad to share recently converted footage once project has begun. When providing tapes to RetroReels, please label any footage you want to prioritize. These shared videos will be a straight digital conversion with no post production enhancements or edits. 

What quality can I expect when converting VHS to digital?

You might not like this answer, but its hard to say... my father recorded all our sports games in EP (Extended Play) which recorded (luckily) all my fumbles in lower quality to capture more hours of footage on a single tape. Some families recorded in a higher setting, therefore you'll have better quality. The technology used to record the footage also plays a part, along with the age and wear of the physical tape.

In the end, our goal at RetroReels is to not only covert your footage, but make it enjoyable to watch again. What good is spending the money if the end result is unwatchable? 

Can I edit or enhance the digitized VHS recordings?

Yes! This is the main reason why we prefer digitizing your footage and providing high quality (.MOV or .MP4) file formats on a USB drive or secure DropBox. Once your footage is digital, the possibilities are endless. Software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple iMovie allow you to trim, remove noise, adjust colors, and add effects to improve the overall quality of your digitized footage.

How do I store my digitized footage once they are converted?

It's crucial to have a backup strategy for your newly created digital footage. RetroReels will provide secure DropBox storage during and weeks after project completes for your viewing and sharing enjoyment. However, retention of your footage is limited to three months. If you wish to extend the retention limits or want RetroReels to store your footage indefinitely, ask us for our extended storage rates.

When RetroReels records your videos on DVD, we use special AZO Dye-based DVDs to maximize the integrity and longevity of your footage. The USB drives we provided as an option are high quality name brand companies.  Check out our BBoys Blog for more inforamtion on ways to protect your footage once converted. 

How much does it cost to convert tapes to digital formats?

It ranges depending on your collection of tapes. Our base level starts at $15 for VHS to DVD "Dub" conversion. If you have a large collection, (10) or more tapes, that's where the savings stack up. We only charge per-hour of footage, not by tape. This is uncommon from our competitors and why RetroReels is so popular. Only pay for what you want to watch, not Channel 9 Evening News circa 1992.

I think I have broken tapes, can RetroReels fix them?

We can and we do. Fairly often tapes snap or reels are damaged. Some tape technologies do not age as well as others. RetroReels can never guarantee a successful tape repair and we are not liable after your consent to repair.

Can tapes break during the digital conversion process? 

Unfortunately, yes. Some tape technology cassette players are very harsh on the tape. It is not uncommon to experience a broken/stuck reel or a snapped tape. Tapes will continue to deteriorate and fail until families preserve their memories with a professional like RetroReels. We are not liable for any tapes damaged during the conversion process. 

Is it worth paying a company like RetroReels to digitize my home videos?

Well, of course we are going to say yes...

There can be a considerable difference in quality between DIY conversion kits found online and professional services.

With 20+ years of experice at RetroReels, we researched equipment while testing a wide range of converters and audio/video players. Our two-phase process first converts an analog a/v signal to digital then records the digital content to maximum quality .MOV or .MP4 formats at the video streams most RAW state. A usual 2-hour long VHS to digital conversion often exceeds 10Gbs in file size, which is an example of the quality we strive for at RetroReels.

This delivers the truest viewing quality from that eras video recording capabilities. With this approach, we found using different devices specific to the task provides higher-quality digitized footage rather than a jack of all trades, master of none type device. Want to learn more, we'll talk your ear off! 

8mm reel film is its own beast and a completely different approach is needed for that media. 

How is artificial intelligence (AI) used to improve old video?

AI-powered software provides a unique approach to revitalizing your old video footage. By leveraging cutting-edge local compute power and utilizing high-bitrate digitial video from RetroReels, see how well Grandma looks from VHS to digital conversion, tape circa 1986.