Most of us of a certain age have treasured photo albums, with perhaps a few shoe boxes full of loose memories. And what about those tapes or reels you can no longer play because you don’t have the applicable player? If you want to see what’s on there, or digitize your photos, you’re either going to have to find a machine and do it yourself or pay someone to digitize them for you.
Given this, Sage60 offers this little guide to refreshing that old media with this caveat: We cannot promise that your children won’t make fun of your old hairstyles and clothes.
According to the experts at Library and Archives Canada’s audio-video and digitization sections (who asked to remain anonymous), the first step is to organize your collection either by person or by events. This becomes your naming convention once your files are digitized.
In terms of digitizing photos or slides, they suggest buying a scanner or taking a digital picture with your smart phone or a digital camera. “You may need to invest in a sturdy tripod, but at a very basic level, all you would need is a seat by a window lit by an indirect light (a cloudy day would do) to avoid harsh reflections on glossy material, and a smartphone,” they write. Start with a favourite picture and keep shooting until you get a result you like. Then use what you learn as a template for the rest.
The Library and Archives experts also say not to worry about stains on the image, as there’s great software for image correction. But be wary of mould on stills or audio visuals, as they can present a health hazard.
In terms of audiovisuals, if you want to try it yourself, YouTube is your friend. Watch a few videos before committing to one method, to find one that suits you. If you can play it, record it on your cell phone, and it’s digitized. Use a tripod for your phone.
If you don’t have a device for playback, you might have to do some digging. Much of this gear is no longer made, so you’re shopping on eBay, garage sales or Amazon. If it’s vintage, buyer beware. Think about the seller and whether they’ll take it back if it doesn’t work.
If you want to digitize audiovisuals right onto your hard drive, you’ll need a capture card for the player to talk to your computer. There are some that start at about $30, but in terms of quality, you get what you pay for. Each tape has to play in real time, then get processed by the computer, which means you will need to spend your time sitting there. If you go this route, start digitizing things you can live with being damaged, just in case of disaster.
If you just want to pay someone else to do all of this, you should still categorize what you have. It will save you money by separating wheat from chaff. You should also label everything you hand off on the outside of boxes and the reels themselves. The tech experts who will be digitizing your treasures don’t know Auntie Mildred, and they will name the files what you tell them.
Most big cities have digitization businesses, and in many cities, libraries may even offer free digitization stations. For the pros, prices vary for different media, so price shop and, if possible, seek out user reviews.
Roger Nissenbaum, 84, operates VideoOttawa out of a small suite in Ottawa’s east end. He’s one of the few to offer Beta SP transfers, since the broadcast format is almost never used anymore. Surrounding him and his Apple Studio computer are shelves of various old sound and image machines that he uses to digitize media for the paying public.
At his advanced age, Nissenbaum only works half days, but has three technicians he’ll farm stuff out to when he gets busy. He began his career in pharmaceuticals, then insurance, then spent 20 years with CBC TV.
Over the years, Nissenbaum has learned to fix broken machines and new reissued machines, and even how to splice broken VHS tapes. As his TV colleagues abandoned their old gear, he kept his, and has a nice little business going using it. His prices vary, but he charges $45 to digitize a VHS tape, and $25 for each additional tape. Editing costs $85/hour. VHS is his biggest seller.
“There is a tremendous richness in all of this that remains locked for most people who don't have the playback machines anymore,” he says.
He’s done work for unions and the RCMP and is sometimes surprised by what he sees. He once digitized a 16-millimetre film of the 1935 World’s Fair.
“I've had a client who gave me a tape, and she didn't know what was on the tape, and it was mostly family stuff,” Nissenbaum says. “Then there was a sequence of her parents having sex, and I told her, and she was incredibly embarrassed. It wasn't pornographic. It was just two older people having sex.”
Nissenbaum suggests that finding a small business like his has distinct advantages.
“You have to surrender your precious stuff to them,” he says. “Who the hell knows what happens in a big corporation? Everything is done in-house here.”