Is a process where we convert analogue recordings of sound and video to digital sound and video.

Your old cassette tapes, reel to reel tapes, vinyl records, VHS videos and the like can now be made into bright shiny CDs and DVDs.

Why should you do this? After a while tapes that have been stored and not used lose the information stored on them.

The magnetism in the tape that holds all the information, the music or video, begins to spread out evenly through the tape. This known as ‘print through’ and results in bits of the music being passed from one part of the tape to another and it ruins the recording. Eventually the magnetism spreads out evenly and completely.

This a totally natural process and cannot be recovered because the information is just not there anymore. It can be slowed down by rewinding the tapes regularly, however rewinding or playing the tape strains the tape and it could break, get tangled up in the machine and once again the information is lost.

So if you have a recording of dad playing his old guitar, all the family chatting at Christmas time, Weddings, Christenings get them transferred now. The recovered recordings make a wonderful present, they are easier to play on a CD player; and you will most definitely play them more often.

Unfortunately, it is a time consuming process because we have to record the sound or video in real time, digitise it, and then remove the tape, record hiss and video noise. Once this has been done we then separate each track, if necessary remove any dead or silent parts, put it all back together and create a CD.

We can design a label, with a track listing, and put it in a jewel case for you to present if you wish.

Please talk to us about this facility, as we charge depending on the difficulty of the transfer and the time taken to enhance the sound before placing it on a CD or DVD. We charge per hour, with a minimum of 3 hours, plus the time of processing, if necessary. Once we have heard or seen the quality of the recording we will be able to give you a quote. Please talk to us about video transfer, it is a whole different kettle of piranha!

 (Can I suggest that if you want an original artist’s recording transferred you first check if it available as a CD or DVD, that way you will get a very original recording that has been enhanced from the original recording; there is also the problem of copyright, but if the record is not available we can investigate the copyright for you.) 

We are able to repair most cassette or reel to reel tapes, occasionally video tapes, before transfer, but we cannot always recover all of the sound or video from the parts that are badly chewed.