FAQ
If something isn't covered here, it will be in the first conversation. That's what it's for.
Video tape formats:
Film & photo formats:
Have something not on this list? Reach out. It's worth a conversation.
Mail-in services process thousands of tapes a day on consumer hardware with no individual quality review. Your tape goes in a bin, gets transferred, and comes back with whatever quality the process delivers.
Every 131 Analogue project is handled individually on broadcast-grade equipment, monitored in real time, and reviewed before delivery. If something doesn't capture cleanly, it gets done again. There's also a conversation at the beginning and the end, not a tracking number.
Your originals never leave our care until they're returned to you. Every item is logged and inventoried on intake. Nothing gets moved without being tracked.
We also hold materials for as little time as possible. If the schedule is full, we'll ask you to hold onto your materials until we're ready to begin, rather than have them sit in a queue.
Your materials are captured on an air-gapped machine, with no internet connection at any point during the capture process. Your content is never uploaded to a third-party server without your explicit direction.
This workflow comes from 15 years of handling highly sensitive film content where security wasn't optional. It's the same standard applied here.
We discuss delivery during the project. There's no single answer, because families have different needs. Options include:
We don't deliver on DVD or cheap thumb drives. And one honest note: no single drive lasts forever. Real long-term preservation comes from redundancy, so we'll help you set up more than one copy of your archive.
Every project is quoted individually, because not every tape is the same, and not every collection needs the same scope of work. Most projects start at $200.
The consultation is free. You'll have a clear estimate before anything begins.
It depends on volume and scope. A small collection of tapes or photos might be a few days. A large family archive with organization and delivery setup could be several weeks.
If you have a deadline, whether it's a reunion, a wedding, or a memorial, tell us upfront. We'll be honest about what's realistic, and we won't take on a timeline we can't meet.
131 Analogue is built around local clients in greater Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. Working locally means we can meet in person, handle materials carefully during intake, and return originals without the risk of shipping.
That said, we do accept shipped materials from clients outside the area. If shipping is the right option for you, we'll walk you through packing your originals safely, and everything is logged and inventoried the moment it arrives. Reach out and we'll figure out the right approach together.
No. Most people don't. "I have a box of tapes and some photo albums and I don't know where to start" is a completely normal way to begin. That's exactly what the first conversation is for: figuring out what you have and what makes sense to do with it.