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4 Things to Consider When Choosing Professional Video Transfer Services

Smooth Photo Scanning

By Smooth Photo ScanningPublished 4 years ago 4 min read

If you have a large collection of home videos, you’re probably well aware of the hassle that comes with keeping them in an outdated format.

You not only have to keep boxes upon boxes of old tapes or film but also have to worry about deterioration or an accident wiping out the priceless moments contained in them forever.

The good news is that today, digitizing your collection is easier than ever. You can use a transfer VHS to DVD service and have your entire home movie collection safely stored in a DVD, on your computer, or even on the cloud.

But in order to do that, you must also choose a company that can actually follow through on its promises and deliver high-quality services that you expect.

So, to help ensure that you make the right choice, let’s look at some of the most critical factors you must consider when looking at the available options.

Availability

Before you can look into the specific offers and experience of a company, you must make sure that you can actually use its services in the first place.

Although, at first glance, it may seem like there are plenty of companies available, not all of them serve customers nationwide. They might have additional charges for your location or even not serve you altogether.

Usually, you can find the relevant information on the website, but if not, it might be a good idea to give them a call and ask where they have offices and whether they can provide you with timely service.

What’s more, you should look into whether the company can come to pick up your tapes or if you have to deliver them yourself. Transporting all those boxes can be a big hassle, so you might want to consider having the tapes taken from you.

You should also make sure that the company does not outsource its services or ship your tapes overseas. The more time they spend in transit, the higher risk of something getting lost or damaged, so you want to make sure that your tapes remain in a single location and are worked on promptly.

Luckily, with any reputable company, none of the above concerns should be an issue, and you will likely find that these considerations will tell you a lot about what type of company you are dealing with.

Compatibility

Another thing you need to find out is whether the company can handle the video format that you want digitized. Whether you have Hi8 tapes, VHS, or even 8mm film, you need to check that they offer the services and that the services are of adequate quality.

Some companies focus on only a limited range of analog video transfer services, so you should look for a provider that covers all the bases. That might point to the fact that they are more established and have better equipment.

Luckily, most home videos are usually in one of the more common formats, which means that you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a good option, whether you need an 8mm or video tape transfer service.

Experience & Reputation

Just as with any business, it can only go as far as its reputation will take it. And when you’re entrusting someone with the precious video memories from your life, you want to make sure that they have a track record of exceeding customer expectations and delivering excellent results.

To determine that, you will need to look at a few essential factors that will quickly tell you the whole story about the company you’re considering.

First, look at how long the company has been in business. While a newly-established company isn’t necessarily unqualified, experience is an essential factor to consider, as it will allow the professionals that transfer your videos to better deal with various issues and improve the quality of the digitized version.

Another thing to look at is their client list. If you spot big-name brands or at prior customers that you recognize, that can show you that the company is serious and has the equipment to handle even larger orders.

For casual users, that means that you can take advantage of the high-end gear and receive professional-quality results.

But even though the above factors are important, you should first and foremost look at what people are saying about the company.

In the age of the internet, it’s almost impossible to hide poor customer experiences. By simply going through a few review pages, you will learn everything you know about how a company operates, how good its services, and what issues you might have to deal with.

Finally, if you see that the company offers guarantees or makes confident promises, you can have more faith in their commitment to delivering on their customer’s expectations, which can be a factor that ultimately sways your decision to go one way or another.

Price

No matter how you look at it, price is a factor you must consider when choosing a video transfer company. You want someone who will provide you with good value for your money while still maintaining excellent quality, and that’s a combination that’s not always easy to find.

Sure, you can opt for the cheapest option, but you might end up disappointed in the results that you get. Less established or struggling companies might offer rock-bottom rates, but the fact that they are offering such prices also means that the quality of their services isn’t as good.

Therefore, you should look at the combination of factors listed above and then come up with a decision based on them, factoring in price afterward.

The prices for video transfer services aren’t outrageous to begin with, so even if you pay a little more than you could have, it will be well worth it since you’ll enjoy high-quality videos for as long as you want, without fear of losing them.

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