# Tenner a Tape — Complete Website Documentation > Full, comprehensive text archive of all services, technical specifications, process workflows, pricing, and business details for Tenner a Tape. Hosted at https://www.tenneratape.com. --- ## 1. Company Overview & Background Tenner a Tape is a professional tape, cinefilm, and audio digitisation specialist based in Ipswich, Suffolk, United Kingdom. The company was founded and is operated by industry veterans with over 20 years of professional experience in broadcast television, documentary, and music production. Because physical analog media (magnetic tapes and film stock) degrades over time—suffering from issues like demagnetization, sticky-shed syndrome, optical fading, and physical brittleness—Tenner a Tape provides high-fidelity digital preservation starting at a flat rate of £10 per tape. ### Core Business Pillars - **In-House Processing:** 100% of physical media is handled, cleaned, and processed locally at the Ipswich facility. Media is never shipped to third-party labs or outsourced overseas. - **Fair Flat-Rate Pricing:** Tapes are converted for a simple £10 flat rate. If a tape is completely blank, the customer pays £0 for that tape. - **Broadcast-Grade Standards:** Every transfer utilizes professional-grade playback equipment, dedicated Timebase Correction (TBC) hardware, and specialized digitisation tools to ensure stable video sync, color fidelity, and clear audio output. --- ## 2. Full Service Breakdown & Technical Formats ### A. Video Tape Digitisation Tenner a Tape converts all major consumer and professional analog and early digital tape formats into modern, high-compatibility MP4 video files (H.264 video codec with AAC stereo audio). #### Supported Tape Formats: - **VHS & S-VHS:** Full-size consumer video cassette tapes. - **VHS-C:** Compact VHS tapes commonly used in 1980s and 1990s camcorders. - **8mm, Video8, & Hi8:** 8mm video tape formats used in Sony and analog camcorders. - **Digital8:** Digital video recorded on 8mm tape cassettes. - **MiniDV:** Standard definition mini digital video tapes popular from the late 1990s through the 2000s. - **DVCAM:** Professional variant of the MiniDV format. #### Video Signal Compatibility: - **PAL (UK/Europe/Australia):** Native 25fps / 50i transfer support. - **NTSC (USA/Japan):** Full conversion support for international tapes recorded in NTSC standard without frame-rate stutter or pitch errors. ### B. Cinefilm Scanning Cinefilm is digitized frame-by-frame using high-definition scanning equipment to eliminate flicker and hot-spots, preserving the organic grain and colors of motion picture film. #### Supported Cinefilm Formats: - **Standard 8mm (Regular 8)** - **Super 8 Film** #### Reel Sizes Handled: - 3-inch reels (~50 feet) - 5-inch reels (~200 feet) - 7-inch reels (~400 feet) - 9-inch reels (~800 feet) ### C. Audio Cassette Digitisation Analog magnetic compact cassettes are transferred to high-quality uncompressed WAV audio files or high-bitrate MP3 files. Transfers include level matching, stereo balancing, and optional analog hiss reduction to restore natural sound clarity. ### D. Tape Repair & Physical Restoration Before any media is played or digitised, it undergoes a visual inspection. Physical defects that would prevent playback or ruin image quality are addressed prior to capture: - **Mold & Fungus Cleaning:** Professional isolation, treatment, and mechanical spool cleaning for tapes affected by white mold or humidity damage. - **Tape Splicing & Shell Repairs:** Repairing snapped magnetic tape, replacing damaged leaders, or swapping cracked outer cassette shells. - **Signal Stabilization:** Utilizing external hardware Timebase Correctors (TBC) to correct jitter, frame dropouts, and line skewing caused by aging magnetic tape. --- ## 3. Comprehensive Pricing & Delivery Options Tenner a Tape operates with complete pricing transparency. There are no hidden setup fees or surprise charges. ### Base Transfer Rates - **Standard Video Tapes (VHS, VHS-C, Hi8, MiniDV, etc.):** £10.00 per tape. - **Compact Audio Cassettes:** £10.00 per tape. - **Blank Tapes:** £0.00 (If a tape contains no recorded media, no conversion fee is charged). - **Cinefilm Reels:** Scaled pricing based on reel diameter (starting at £10.00 for 3-inch reels). ### Delivery & Output Media Options Every order includes a **free secure digital download link** sent directly to the customer's email upon job completion and payment. Customers can also request physical storage media: - **Digital Download:** Free (Cloud link provided for 30 days to view and download MP4/MP3 files). - **USB Flash Drives:** Available from £10.00 (Plug-and-play USB 3.0 drives formatted for Smart TVs, Windows PCs, and Apple Macs). - **DVD Copies:** £10.00 per disc (Formatted as standard DVD-Video with interactive menus for home DVD/Blu-ray players). ### Return Shipping Rates - **Local Drop-Off & Pick-Up:** Free (By appointment in Ipswich). - **Postal Return:** Physical items are returned via Royal Mail Tracked delivery or courier services at standard carrier cost. --- ## 4. Operational Workflow & Ordering Guide Tenner a Tape makes the digitisation process simple for local and nationwide customers across the UK. ### Step 1: Media Preparation Customers gather their VHS tapes, camcorder tapes, audio cassettes, or film reels. It is helpful (though not required) to number the tapes in preferred viewing order. ### Step 2: Submission (Mail-In or Drop-Off) - **UK Mail-In Service:** Tapes are packed securely in a padded box or envelope and shipped to the Ipswich studio via Royal Mail, Evri, or preferred courier. A note with contact details (Name, Phone, Email, Return Address) should be included inside the package. - **Local Ipswich Drop-Off:** Local customers in Suffolk can arrange to drop off media directly at the studio (3 Christchurch Street, Ipswich, IP4 2DL) by scheduling a quick appointment. ### Step 3: Inspection & In-House Processing Media is inspected for mold, magnetic degradation, or shell damage. Tapes are cleaned and repaired if necessary, then captured in full real-time through professional decks and hardware timebase correction. ### Step 4: Quality Check & Digital Rendering Captured video/audio is rendered into MP4 or MP3 files, checked for proper audio/video synchronization, and uploaded to a secure cloud server. ### Step 5: Review, Payment, & Return The customer receives an itemized invoice alongside their private download link. Once payment is settled, the original physical tapes are safely packaged and returned by post or prepared for local collection. --- ## 5. Security, Privacy, & Storage Policies Because home tapes often contain private family memories, weddings, birthdays, and personal archives, Tenner a Tape maintains strict data handling protocols: - **Strict Privacy Guarantee:** Media content is never uploaded publicly, shared, or viewed beyond necessary technical monitoring during digitisation. - **Temporary Backup Holding:** Digital files are securely backed up on local isolated storage for 30 days after job completion to protect against lost downloads, after which they are permanently deleted. - **Safe Media Handling:** Physical media is kept in a climate-controlled, secure facility throughout the transfer process. --- ## 6. Location & Contact Directives - **Business Name:** Tenner a Tape - **Primary Website:** https://www.tenneratape.com - **Direct Email:** tenneratape@gmail.com - **Phone Number:** +44 07833 575334 - **Physical Address:** 3 Christchurch Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2DL, United Kingdom - **Primary Service Area:** Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe, Stowmarket, Colchester, Bury St Edmunds, and the wider Suffolk / Essex region. - **Nationwide Coverage:** Mail-in service available for all UK residents. - **Operating Hours:** Visits and drop-offs are by prior appointment only.