DIGITAL LIFE

The digitisation of video tapes as a service has become increasingly popular in recent years. With the rise of digital technology, many people have found themselves with a collection of old video tapes that they can no longer watch because they no longer have a VHS player, video camera, or camcorder. Fortunately, there are now services that offer to convert these tapes into a digital format, allowing people to watch their old videos on their computers, televisions, and other digital devices. One of these services is Digital Life here in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The process of digitising video tapes involves transferring the content of the tape onto a computer. Once the content is transferred, it can be edited and stored in a variety of formats, including MP4, AVI, and MOV, with the MP4 format being the most universal one today.

There are many benefits to digitising your old video tapes. Not only does it allow you to watch your old videos on modern devices, but it also helps to preserve the content of the tapes. VHS tapes can degrade over time, and transferring the content to a digital format can help to prevent the loss of content due to deterioration.

If you have a collection of old video tapes that you would like to digitise, then Digital Life can do that for you. Digitising your video tapes can be a great way to preserve your memories for years to come. You can contact Murray at Digital Life to find out more. Below are video tapes that I can convert into digital MP4 video files.

 

VHS Tapes

Video8 Tapes

MiniDV Tapes

VHSC Tapes

Hi8 Tapes

Digital8 Tapes


Number of Video Tapes Price / Video Tape
1 - 5 Video Tapes $20 / Video Tape
6 - 10 Video Tapes $15 / Video Tape
11+ Video Tapes $10 / Video Tape

Number of Video Tapes Price / Tape
Fixing Broken Video Tapes $20 / Tape
Intro Video Animation $20 / Tape
Outro Video Animation $20 / Tape
Intro & Outro Animations $30 / Tape

What tapes do you convert?

Here at Digital Life I can covert the following video tapes. Hi8, MiniDV, VHS, VHS-C, and Video8.

What digital file format do you provide?

I provide a MP4 file with H.264 compression, which is the same format global video services like Vimeo and YouTube use. You This means your converted videos are easy to watch, share, and edit. If you need a different digital format just let me know, and I will confirm if I can convert to that format for you.

How do you deliver the digital video files

I can copy them onto a USB Flash Drive, External Hardrive, DVD, and online through the secure file sharing site WeTransfer.

MP4 files provided on a USB flash drive or hard drive provided by customer, or a USB flash drive purchased by Digital Life for the customer, at a price of $10 per USB flash drive.

Can you convert my home movies to DVD?

Yes I can convert your home movies to DVD. That being said it's not a good format for long term archives, editing, or sharing. I also deliver you files onto a USB flash drive or external hard drive which are much faster, safer, and more reliable than DVDs.

My VCR ate my tape! Can you repair it?

Yes, for an extra service fee I can repair home movie tapes that have been broken in some way.

Am I charged to convert a blank tape?

If a tape is blank there is no charge.

 

 

 

 

What if my tape is a commercial recording?

If I discover that a tape is a commercial recording (major motion picture, TV show, professional sports broadcast) I won’t convert the tape and there’s no charge. I don’t want to violate the publisher’s copyright by converting a commercial recording, but if it’s important to you a high quality version can probably be purchased online.

Under New Zealand copyright law I am unable to convert programmes/shows or items recorded off TV, movies, or any other items marked with copyright, unless you or your organisation owns the copyright. Please ensure that you own the copyright of any media you provide me with, or that you have obtained the required permission from the copyright holder. I may ask to see written permission from the copyright holder.

How can I watch my converted home movies?

Because I deliver your converted home movies in the MP4 digital video format, you can watch your converted videos on your computer, smart phone, tablet, and most smart TVs.

How can I share my converted home movies?

I deliver your converted home movies in the MP4 digital video format because it’s a universal file format and offers relatively small files sizes. This makes it easy to share your home movies on a USB flash drive or with online file sharing services.

Can I edit my home movies after they have been converted?

Because I deliver digital video files, you can edit your home movies with most video editing software apps on Mac or Windows computers. Apple iMove and the default Windows Video Editor are free and easy to use options that come pre-installed on your computer.

How long does it take to convert video tapes?

Depending on how many tapes there are, my standard tunaround time is 1-2 weeks. This is due to my running Digital Life outside of my full time employment at this present time.