Palmer Multimedia Imaging

The gas company may have most of the streets around us closed as they replace the lines. But we're still here! :)

Magnetic tape, metal particles glued to a strip of Mylar, was the standard for many decades for recording audio, and later video. Over time, these tapes can lo...se the magnetic pulse placed on them. But usually the tape itself remains intact. Over the years we have found audio tape to be very stable. Well that assumption changed today. Here is a picture of a normal audio tape and next to it the metal particles simply shed and fell off the Mylar. Interestingly the tapes are of the same vintage. If you have old tapes with cherished family memories, maybe it is time to digitize them. If you can't do it, we can help.

We are back open with regular hours from 10-5. Appointments always appreciate. As we are a small shop, if you have concerns about the virus, we'll be happy to meet you outside.

While being stuck at home for the foreseeable future, it’s a good time to sort through those old family memories, especially video tapes. Video tape quickly replaced movie film in the early 80’s as the cost was dramatically cheaper and the results were instantaneous. For what it would have cost to purchase and develop 2 hours of movie film, one could buy a top end video camera and record with abandon. Eventually analog tape gave way to digital tape at the turn of the centur...y, and now tape only seems to be used as a metaphor for recording. Of all the things used to record family memories, analog video tape is the most vulnerable to being lost. This includes VHS, VHS-C, 8MM, Hi8 and Betamax. Video tape is simply a long strip of mylar with magnetic particles glued to it to hold the recorded magnetic signal. Over time, the signal can become weaker like those refrigerator magnets that no longer stay put. Tapes stored near sources of a magnetic field, like on top of a speaker can also weaken or erase the signal. Video tape is more complex than audio tape as it carries multiple tracks of information that all need to be readable for the image to be view able. One of the ways is keep tapes readable longer is to store tapes vertically like a book. There’s a technical reason for this but it gets a little techno-geeky. So, with all this extra stay at home time, it might be a good time to just test those tapes to see if they are still watchable. If you got rid of your VCR and or camcorder, you may have a little difficulty in finding one. And here comes the self-serving part of this post, if you want to hold onto those taped memories, we would be happy to transfer them over to DVD or a flash drive. We still recommend a DVD, yeah it is old school, but it cannot be erased.

Deemed a "non-essential" business, we will be closed till further notice. :(

Proper storage is important for holding onto your family memories. Heat and humidity are their enemies. This roll of movie film stored in a hot attic has fused into a solid piece of plastic. Need your memories converted to digital? We can help.