FAQ - Transfers

Video Tapes and Cine Films

• I want to transfer to digital, what does this mean? - Digital could mean a number of things, so you need to give this a bit of thought. A DVD is digital and we can still convert to DVD. We can also transfer to digital file which can be put on to a USB stick or hard drive. Nowadays the most common file format is MP4 as this will play and can be uploaded to most platforms.
• Can we edit our videos? Yes, you can edit digital files if you have the software but not DVDs.
• Can I have a DVD and Digital File Yes, you can, we can also make digital files from DVDs.
• Help! I don't know what I want - don't worry, we can advise.

  Video Tapes

  • How much does it cost to have one video tape transferred? - Minimum charges apply - up to two hours to USB costs £58 and to DVD is £50
  • I don't know what format my videos are - Don't worry, give us a call and we can usually work out what type of videos you have.
  • My video tapes aren't very long, can I put more than one onto a DVD? - Yes, you can and this is usually a cheaper option. We usually put up to 2 hours onto a DVD.
  • There's probably all sorts of rubbish on my tapes, can you edit it out? - Yes, up to a point but a transfer is not the same as an edit. If there are some very obvious things that you don't want transferred, we can leave them out (such as television programmes). However, you would need to tell us this in advance.
  • How long will it take? - Video tapes are transferred in real time, so it will depend on how many you bring and our workload at the time. Having said that, we can usually accommodate requests for a certain date.
  • Will I be able to play my DVD on my computer? - Yes, as long as you have a disc drive and a DVD player installed.
  • Can I edit my DVDs? - No, not unless you have the software to rip the content from the DVD.
  • Can I have my videos on a memory stick/flash drive? Yes.
  • I don't want a DVD, can I have a file? Yes, we can create .mov and mp4 files.
  • Can I have extra copies of DVDs? - Yes, you can.
  • Do you watch the videos? - We keep an eye on them although we don't watch every minute.
  • Can you transfer/repair faulty tapes? - We prefer not to although we can deal with some faults. We do not transfer mouldy tapes as these could damage our machines. There is an additional charge for faulty tapes as we have to spend time trying to fix them.
  • Do BVP transfer NTSC videos (videos from America and Japan) - no, we don't.
  • Will I be charged by the tape? No, you are charged by the recorded time of the tape
  • How do you charge for transfers? Transfer to digital file (MP4) is charged by the hour, we have a different pricing structure for DVDs as these are two completely different processes.
  • Is it cheaper to get a lot of tapes transferred? Yes, to digital file the hourly rate kicks in for 2.5 hours plus of transfer, for DVDs it is cheaper to get five or more tapes transferred.
  • Can I copy/share/upload my digital files? Yes, you can.
  • What's different about BVP transfers? All our work is carried out in house, you can speak to a real person, you can hand over your precious memories in person and don't have to post them off, we will archive your video files giving them sensible numbers and names, we will keep a back up copy of your files for one month.

  8mm Cine Films

  • Is it worth getting cine films transferred? - yes, is the simple answer to this question.
  • My films are really old, I'm not sure what the quality will be like - films from as far back as the late 1950s and 60s can still give excellent results. Yes, the enamel may have cracked a bit and the picture may be a little grainy but this all adds to their charm. We have only ever had one set of films that were not worth transferring and this was because they had suffered water damage.
  • Should I just bring in one film to try it out? - well you can if you wish but we wouldn't recommend it. We have a set-up charge of £58 which includes up to 200ft on a larger reel or 2 small 50ft reels. If you bring your films in individually you will be charged this each time.
  • I don't know what is on the films, I'm not sure if it's worth transferring them - cine films were expensive and the original reels were only a few minutes long, therefore, most people were selective about what they filmed, consequently the quality of filming is often very good.
  • Can we edit our films - if you wish but more often than not people are happy with the films as they are. You can, however, do a little homework which will save a lot of time editing, simply put your films in the order you would like them transferred or bundle them up as you would like them to appear in a file or DVD chapter. (If your films are not dated/titled BVP can, up to a point, work out the order by packaging/reels.)
  • Can my films be supplied on a USB stick? Yes. The cost includes either a DVD or MP4 files on USB (there is a charge for the USB).