Flooded, Moldy & Broken Tapes
MOST MEMORIES CAN BE SAVED!
Do not throw out your wet videotapes!!!
WE CLEAN DAMAGE FROM FRESH WATER, SALT WATER, POLLUTED WATER, MILDEW AND MOLD
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed our studio in 2005, we were faced with helping local citizens salvage their video memories. It was very trying times for the New Orleans area. People were attempting to rebuild their homes, as well as make decisions about saving their video memories.
COST SAVING AND CONVENIENT
Instead of restoring tapes to like new condition, we clean/repair the tape enough to allow it to play properly to transfer the footage to either files or DVD. Files are better quality so recommended for damaged tapes.
VHS/VHS-C Tape Cleaning and Repair $5 -$15 per tape
8mm tapes Cleaning and Repair $10-$25 per tape
We’ve had great success restoring flooded videos from Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy and many from flooded basements and river flooding areas across the country.
TAPE FORMAT:
We only clean/recover full size VHS and VHS-C (VHS Compact) tapes and 8mm videotapes
VHS tapes have the best success rate due to the ½ wide tape inside the shell and their high durability
Tapes recorded in LP (long play) or SLP (super long play) will not have as high of a rate of success as tapes recorded in SP speed
The 8mm format is much more difficult to recover with about a 70% recovery rate. Digital 8 has a lower recovery rate than Reg 8/Hi8
*We do not restore Mini DV tapes
RATES:
Before you do anything, check with your insurance company. If you’re lucky, the cost to clean and copy your videotapes will be covered under your homeowner or contents insurance.
UNSTICK & CLEAN tape: $5.00 – $15.00 (depending on level of damage)
TRANSFER OF FOOTAGE: $10.00 – $18.00 for DVD (depends upon length of footage)**/$15 per hour of footage for files
**If a tape was recorded in LP or SLP speed (4-6 hour mode), the footage will be automatically separated into 2 hour sections, on separate DVDs, no more than 90 min segments for files in order to maintain the best video quality.
ADDITIONAL COPIES: $4.00 per DVD
PREPARING TAPES FOR TRANSFER:
Do not try to play the videotapes in your machine. Even if already dry, the dirt and contaminants on the film will clog the heads in your machine.
If your videos are still wet, rinse them in cool, distilled water and store them on a towel to dry. They should be stood up on the short end to dry. It is best to dry tapes in a cool, climate controlled room with low humidity. A typical air conditioned room works well.
If possible, label the videotapes in a numbered order for transferring.
Ship videotapes to us by any method of your choice which offers a TRACKING NUMBER. This will allow you to know when the tapes have safely reached our office.
Please include your name, address, phone number(s) and email address with your choice of either DVD or files.
Ship to us at: 2000 Old Spanish Trail, Suite 202, Slidell, Louisiana 70458.
The turnaround time varies but can be as long as 2 months depending on the size of the order. We take our time so that we can save as much of your precious footage as possible.
NOTES:
It is best to store your new DVD/files and backup DVD/drive in two separate buildings. If one is destroyed due to damage, fire or contamination, the second may still be okay at a second location.
We suggest that you keep your original flooded videotapes. Once cleaned, they will not continue to deteriorate. Do not store videotapes in severe hot or cold climates.
Please contact us at any time by phone or email should you have questions. Your memories will be in good hands!