FAQ

Are my items scanned by you or do you ship them out of the state or country like some other businesses do?

All of the work we do is done in house at our physical office 1329 Solano Avenue Albany CA - We never outsource your materials, but if for some reason we need then we will speaking with you first.

Are you able to scan a single negative that’s been cut from the strip?

No, we do not do select frame scanning of negatives. More info on our slide/negative go here

Can you scan photo albums?

Yes, we can scan photo albums, but please call us first in order to talk about pricing, some albums require additional fees. For more info on our photo scanning options you can go here or feel free to contact us

Can I edit my playable DVD’s?

No, you cannot edit the playable DVDs that we give you.  All playable DVD’s are meant for viewing on a DVD player like a commercial DVD you would purchase in the store or rent.  If you would like to edit your footage, you’ll need uncompressed editable footage in the MOV or AVI format. More detailed info on our video services can be found here

Why does my external hard-drive need to be NTFS and not FAT 32?

FAT 32 has a size limitation of 4 GB where NTFS does not.  Since AVI/QT files are 13 gb per hour of footage, we need the external drive to be NTFS b/c that file format allows for files over 4GB to be placed on the HD in one chunk. More info here and here

How much video fits on a playable DVD? 

We can put two hours of video footage onto a playable DVD. 

Will my DVD be compatible with my DVD player?

Yes, your DVD's should play just fine in your DVD player.  However, if your DVD player is older than about 7 years (bought in about 2006 or prior), you may have some difficulty. 

Can I combine my videotapes to one DVD?

Yes, you can combine tapes to minimize the total number of DVD’s. The total amount of footage cannot exceed 2 hours per playable DVD. 

Do you offer any type of discounts?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount for all teachers, schools, churches, non-profit organizations, active and non-active duty military, veterans, firefighters and police officers. 

Are you able to scan glass slides or slides mounted in glass?

Yes, we are able to scan glass mounted and glass slides to digital. 

My slides are in carousels; are you still able to scan them?

Yes, we’ll take out the individual slides out and put back in the same place after scanning for no additional fee. 

Can I supply a thumb drive for my final images?

Yes, we can put your images on a thumb drive at the completion of the project. 

Are the images the same if they go on a CD and a DVD?

Yes, all the images are the same no matter what type of output is used for storing the digital images. 

Do I need Digital Ice?

It’s optional: Digital Ice is a feature that will help remove dust or scratches from the digital output.  Digital Ice works on color negatives and color slides, but does not work on black and white negatives or slides. 

If I have photos and negatives of the same images, which one would yield the best result?

Negatives are much higher quality and will give a much better result compared to a photo. Also, negatives are easier to keep in sequence since since they are in order on the strip. 

How much with the photo restoration cost me?

It’s difficult for us to give an estimate without seeing the physical image, but many times we can give an estimate by talking to you over the phone about the image, or seeing a low resolution picture that you can take with your phone and email over.  Click here for examples of levels of restoration

How is the photo restoration done? Do you physically repair photograph?

We do not restore the physical photograph.  We scan the original photograph and use digital imaging software like Photoshop to repair it digitally.  You will receive 1 free print of your restored photo with at least 1 hour of restoration time

Are you able to do restoration on images that have fire or water damage?

In most cases we are able to restore photographs that have fire and water damage, but until we see the physical image, we can’t say for sure. Email us what you have and we’ll take a look. 

Can I have video added to my DVD video slideshow?

Yes, we can add video, audio, still images or any other type of digital media to a DVD slideshow.  The only limit is the 2 hour maximum capacity for the DVD. 

What does DPI and PPI mean?

DPI stands for dots per inch and PPI stands for pixels per inch.  They both refer to the amount of information in an image.  For screen-use only, fewer dots or pixels are needed.  For print, the more, the better.  Click here for more information. 

If I only want select frames on negatives strips to be scanned, is that okay?

No, we do not offer frame selection for negative strips.

What type of negatives and slides to you scan to digital?

35mm Slides, 110 format slides, 110 format slides, 35mm Super Slides, 127 Format slides, 3D Stereo Slides, 126 Format Slide, Large Format negatives, medium format negatives, 110 format negative, 35mm negative, 126 format negative. 

What is the default file format for the final images?

By default, all images are saved as JPEG files, but if you would like 8 bit or 16 bit TIFF files then that is possible for an additional fee. 

I want to get a DVD video slideshow done, but how do I know it will look how I want it to look?

Prior to working on the DVD video slideshow, we’ll talk with you about it in depth.  The photos, titles and music that you provide will create the vibe and we’ll make sure it seamlessly tells the story you’re telling.  Prior to burning the final DVD, we’ll upload one draft of the slideshow for your review. 

Do you keep my materials?

No, we do not keep your original materials.  Everything you give us will be returned unless you ask us to dispose of it. If you would like us to discard your old video tapes, films, or audio. 

I have a PAL video that I want converted to a playable DVD; is that possible and will it play on a PAL DVD player?

Yes, we can transfer a Pal video to a region-free DVD.  We create our final DVD’s using Adobe Encore which has the capabilities of finalizing the disc region free. 

Can I make a copy of the DVD you give me when the project is complete?

Yes, you can make copies of the final DVD, CD, and DVD-ROMs. We do not copy-protect the discs in any way. 

What video formats do you transfer to digital?

We are able to transfer VHS, SVHS, VHS-C, Mini DV, HDV, Betamax, Hi8 tape, Regular 8, 8mm, DVCAM, PAL and SECAM tapes. 

What type of film are you able to transfer to digital?

We are able to transfer 16mm silent film, 16mm sound film, Super 8 sound film, Super 8 silent film, and 8mm film. 

Do you transfer my film by projecting it on the wall and recording it to a camera?

No, we use Movie Stuff’s Sniper HD units which allows us to capture your film frame by frame through it enlarged gate and into our computer. 

Are you able to transfer my film into standard definition and high definition (HD) (SD)?

Yes, we offer both SD and HD options.  If you want HD footage for viewing on a TV then it will need to be burned onto a Blu-Ray disc which is a $20 additional fee.

 

Do you work with clients throughout the Bay Area and United States or only local clients.?

 We work people all over the state/country and world. Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Solano County, Marin County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, Sonoma County, Napa County & San Mateo County and beyond

Read what our customers are saying about us!

“They were able to provide a truly amazing slide show for a life celebration that my whole family was thoroughly impressed by. Everyone was asking for their info as we all have memories that we need to have archived to pass on to our next generations. I couldn't recommend them any higher!”

— Andre B. Dublin, CA

“Sean and Andrea were great to work with. They took my old VHS cassette tapes, digitized them, and uploaded the mp4 video files to a secure server. Communication was excellent, price was fair and I'll certainly be back again. Thanks!”

— Robyn H. Oakland, CA

“They transferred 8mm film and a few old prints to digital video format and jpeg format. Unlike  many similar online services, this business does all transfer work in house. So there's less risk of your precious family analog memories getting lost in transit.”

— Timothy M. North Berkeley, CA

Appointment needed during office hours.

info@digitalrootsstudio.com
(510) 922-8481

1329 Solano Ave
Albany, CA 94706

Monday 8am-1pm Tuesday-Friday 8am-5pm *Saturday by appointment

Film Transfer

Video Transfer

  • VHS Transfer to digital

  • Video Cassette Capture

  • AVI, MOV or MP4

  • MiniDV, SVHS, DVCam

  • U-Matic Tapes & BetaSP

  • VHSC Tape & PAL Video Tapes

  • Blu-Ray or playable DVD output

  • Hi8 8mm Regular 8mm Video Tapes

  • HDV tapes & MiniDVCam Tapes

  • 8mm Film Transfer

  • 16mm Film Transfer

  • Super 8mm Film Transfer

  • Sound Film Transfer

  • Silent Film Transfer

  • Frame by Frame Film Transfer

  • 16mm film optical sound

  • Super 8mm magnetic sound

  • MOV, AVI or MP4 output

Scanning Services

Audio Transfer

  • Photo Scanning to digital

  • Family photo albums & scrabooks

  • 35mm slide scanning & negatives

  • Medium & large format scanning

  • DAT Tape & Micro Cassette

  • Photograph restoration

  • JPEG output or TIFF output

  • Stereo slides & 110 format negatives

  • Loose photographs & newspapers

  • Audio Cassette Tape

  • Transfer to digital

  • Analog to digital conversion

  • Audio Reel to Reel Tape

  • DAT Tape & Micro Cassette

  • Mp3, WAV, AIFF or FLAC

  • Mini Disc transfer to digital format

  • 1/4 inch reel to reel tape transfer

  • Audio CD DVD backup duplication

Office Location - By Appointment

1329 Solano Avenue
Albany, CA 94706

Hours - By Appointment

Monday
8am - 1pm
Tuesday - Friday
8am - 5pm

Contact

info@digitalrootsstudio.com

510-922-8481