Have a rare or unusual professional videotape format?
Reel Transfers supports a wide range of obsolete professional and broadcast video formats using our own collection of legacy playback equipment. For extremely specialized formats we don't maintain in-house, we also work with experienced U.S. transfer facilities and may be able to coordinate the digitization for you.
If you're unsure what format you have, send us a photo of the tape or reel and we'll be happy to help identify it and discuss your transfer options.
Legacy formats Reel Transfers Handles Directly
Currently, Reel Transfers can convert the following in-house:
Panasonic MII
Professional analog component videotape format developed by Panasonic and used in television and professional video production.
EIAJ 1/2" Open Reel
Early open-reel videotape format commonly used by schools, institutions, businesses and early portable video systems.
3/4" U-matic
Professional videocassette format widely used in television, education, corporate video and production from the 1970s onward.
Betacam SP
Professional analog component videotape format widely used for broadcast television, stage shows, news and professional production.
Digital Betacam
High-quality digital broadcast videotape format commonly used for television mastering, production and archival storage.
HDCam
Professional high-definition videotape format developed by Sony and widely used in television and HD production in the late 90s-2000s.
MPEG IMX | Beta SX
Sony professional digital videotape formats used primarily in broadcast television, news and production environments.
DVCAM
Sony professional digital videotape format widely used for field production, television, documentary and corporate video.
DVCPRO
Panasonic professional digital videotape formats widely used in television news, field production and professional video.
HDV
High-definition digital videotape format recorded on MiniDV-style cassettes and used by professional and prosumer HD camcorders.
What 'Legacy' broadcast formats can we help assist you with converting.
Currently, Reel Transfers has relationships with faciliities in the US that can convert the following:
Legacy Analog & Digital formats
2" quad & 1" open Reel
The oldest of videotapes formats- 2" quad, used for broadcast masters and spot reels. 1" open replaced 2 inch tape in the professional video and broadcast television industries, due to the smaller size, comparative ease of operation
D1, D2, D3, & D5 digital
Starting with D1, the first realtime-digital broadcast tape. Each numerical format after added its own set of features (component vs composite video signals, bitrate improvements, compressed vs uncompressed; etc)
Technicolor Compact Video Cassette (CVC)
One of the first analog recording videocassette formats to use a tape smaller than its earlier predecessors of VHS and Betamax.
Legacy High Definition formats
HDCam SR
An improvement on regular HDCam, using higher density tape and higher bitrates.
XDCam
a medium used for non-linear video capture.
DVCPro HD
A high-definition video format that uses multiple DV codecs & employs 4:2:2 color sampling
Experience
With Reel Transfers, you get peace of mind knowing that we have been professionals in the video production and photography industry since the mid 90s. Over the years, we’ve expanded and evolved our conversion & output offerings to provide thousands of families and organizations with safe, affordable, high-quality film, video, audio, and photo digitizations.
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