Q: The transfer on USB is not playing on my TV
A: Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that your USB will play directly from your TV. This depends entirely on the file format your TV can read. If you wish to view your footage on TV, you can try playing the USB through a laptop and connecting a HDMI cord from the TV to the laptop.
Alternatively, if you can find out what codec (digital language) is the most compatible with your TV, via the manual or the website, let us know and we should be able to convert your file into that format or provide you with a codec that can.
Q: My 2K film transfers are not playing on my computer/laptop, how do I fix this?
A: Firstly, try downloading your file onto your laptop or PC and play it from there, rather than from USB/HDD.
If you are still having difficulty, ‘right click’ on the video file and open with Windows Media Player. Alternatively, you can download VLC player for free, or give us a call and we will be happy to offer you any assistance you need.
Q: I work with both PC and Mac, what is the best digital file output for me?
A: It depends on what you intend to do with the file. If you just want to view the footage then the MP4 file is the best, it will play on PCs and most Macs. If you plan to edit your footage and want a specific file format, let us know and we’ll be happy to accommodate you with whatever file type you want.
Q: Does DiskBank stock splicing equipment for film such as splicing tape or glue?
A: No sorry, we don’t hire out splicing equipment or sell splicing tape. Once your films are transferred to digital files, editing programs will allow you to edit your footage yourself.
Q: Can DiskBank edit our transfer?
A: Yes, we can. If you would like your footage, we can provide a Time-coded transfer of your entire footage along with a Timecode crib sheet. This file with have a timing clock visible on your footage. All you have to do is make note of the sections you wish for us to edit out or delete from your footage and then send the crib sheet back to us. We will then edit out the sections you don’t want, and supply the edited version of the footage back to you once this is complete.
The editing cost is charged at $99 per hour in addition to the cost of your transfer.
Q: Does DiskBank hire out equipment to view my materials before I transfer them?
A: No, unfortunately we do not hire out equipment. We used to but found that our equipment would often come back damaged and the repair costs negated the hire costs.
Q: How do I know how much film I’ve got on my reel?
3″ reel = 50ft of film (generally a yellow or black reel)
5″ reel = 200ft of film
7″ reel = 400ft of film
If you need some help, please feel free to bring your film into our office – or send us a picture of your reel/s.
Q How do you capture your film?
A: We use frame by frame film scanners to digitise your precious memories. There are no sprockets, no claws and there is no heated light – so it won’t damage your film.
Q: What is the difference between standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) for video tape transfer?
Basically, it’s the resolution – HD transfer will be a higher resolution than SD. A SD can be transferred to DVD or Digital format (on USB). A HD transfer can only be transferred to Blu-ray or a Digital format (on USB).
Usually, the native recording of a video means the best transfer resolution you can get is SD.
There are some exceptions, for example HDV tapes (High-Definition Video) can be transferred in HD. A HD transfer can only be transferred to Blu-ray or a file format (on USB).
If you chose a HD transfer and during the transfer process, we discover HD is not possible, we will let you know and transfer to SD at the lower SD cost.
Q: Do you send your photos, negatives or slides away for scanning?
A: A lot of transfer companies use services overseas for scanning , often sending your precious family memories to India, Indonesia or The Philippines. We scan and edit all our photos, negatives and slides in house
Q; I’ve received my SD transfer but when I play it on TV looks blocky/pixilated.
A: This is due to the resolution. With video tape you are limited to the resolution of the native recording. Standard Definition is usually the best resolution you can get and on a high-resolution TV or monitor.
Film does not have a set resolution. If the original recording was film, and SD is too pixilated, HD or 2K will give you a much better result. If you have already done your transfer and have chosen SD, unfortunately it will need to be transferred again at a better resolution as we can’t upscale the resolution once it has been transferred. We will literally need to start again. If you are reading this and have not transferred your film yet, we highly recommend transfer in 2K for the best result.
Q: What about copyright?
A: DiskBank makes every effort to ensure copyright of all material is not breached. We will not transfer any content without consent of the copyright owner. If you have footage recorded from TV, you will need to contact the relevant TV channel and request permission to copy. Once you have received permission in writing we can do the transfer.
Q: Do you transfer vinyl records to CD or file?
Yes, we do. To make sure copyright is not breached we do require consent from the copyright owner.
Q: What is the turnaround time for transfers?
A: This depends on the quantity you would like transferred. Anywhere from a week for one video or film reel – to a couple of months for large jobs. If you require your transfer done by a particular date, please let us know and we will try and accommodate.