HARD DRIVE FAQ:

Why is there a $50 charge if I'm providing my own flash drive or hard drive?

The film transfer as you see it on your hard drive is not how it comes out of our scanners. The data needs to be formatted (our default format is Master H.264 .mov), meaning the data needs to be rendered. Additionally, the transfer is broken into small segments whenever it is first scanned. Every time we need to stop the scanner (whether it is to make an adjustment for color or light, or to re-register the film in the gate), we create a new raw video file. The raw footage from the scanner results in several short files, usually running less than 30 seconds. Rather than give you several short segments of film, we edit the files back together to give you a much more reasonable viewing/editing experience.

To account for the time it takes to edit film reels back together and to render the data, we include a flat $50 charge for all projects recording to hard drive. This charge is built in if you purchase a flash drive or hard drive from us.

I want to order a 1080p or ULTRA 1080p project. Why am I required to purchase or provide a drive?

We designed the 1080p and Ultra 1080p levels of transfer as a way to future-proof film transfers. For 8mm, Super 8 and 16mm film, 1,080 lines of resolution will be just beyond the maximum of what those films can provide. Going to 2K or 4K won't provide additional enhancement.

Having the films as digital files will provide you with the highest quality version of the films, and is truly the only way to lock your film in at the highest level of quality possible. A DVD is great for simple viewing, but it is, by nature, a standard definition format. It won't allow you to view the film in high definition. A Blu-ray does playback in HD, but, again by nature, adds additional compression to the files and is not a good long-term backup. DVDs and Blu-rays are susceptible to scratches and are not editable.

Even if you have no intention to edit the films, having the transfer as digital files (and backing those files up immediately), will be provide for the safest long-term option. Should the method with which we watch videos change again, as it inevitably will, you will be able to convert the files to match the new technology. Even a perfectly kept DVD will still require a DVD player to play it, and those will eventually go the way of the VCR.

How do you format the files?

Our default formatting is Master H.264 .mov. This format is one of the most widely compatible formats available, and has visibly lossless compression and 10-bit color.

Can I have my files formatted as something other than Master H.264 .mov?

Upgraded formats or available upon request. Please give us a call and we can help find the best format to fit your needs.