Memory Hub Blog

Ansel Adams glass plates found at Garage Sale

2011-09-15T17:31:59+00:00

Did you read about the fellow in Fresno, California (Rick Norsigian) who bought two boxes of old photographs at a garage sale for $45? Norsigian stored the photos under his pool table for years before deciding to take a closer look. Turns out that the photos were original Ansel Adams glass plates (a form of early photographic negatives). A team of art, forensic, handwriting and weather experts concluded that the 65 photographic glass plates in the boxes were created more than 80 years ago by Ansel Adams, the iconic American photographer whose images of the West inspired our country. The photos were appraised at $200 million. What treasures do you have under your pool table -- or in your attic or garage -- that are worth something to you?

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-11T16:53:33+00:00

At MemoryHub, we are taking time to remember the tragedy of 9/11. For many people, one of the most indelible images from that unforgettable September day is the photograph of a man plummeting -- upside down -- from one of the World Trade Center towers. Dubbed "The Falling Man, this image was taken by Associated Press photographer Richard Drew. We asked MemoryHub staff to tell us what old family photographs have, over time, come to gain deep emotional resonance and now serve as treasured remembrances of departed loved ones: > A great-grandfather with his arm around his wife on the bow of a freighter headed for Ellis Island. > An uncle's favorite Adirondack-style chair on the porch of a summer cottage. Empty. > A son proudly saluting his father, both in their WWII service uniforms. > A picture of the stone ruins of the family's homestead in Ireland. What old photographs from your family have grown in meaning over time? Do they need to be digitally scanned so that the next generation can remember long-departed family members? Will your family's legacy be alive 25, 50 or 100 years from now?

Nominate your favorite film to be preserved

2011-09-07T20:50:29+00:00

Now is the time to nominate your favorite film to be digitally transferred and included in the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB), a project of the Library of Congress. To nominate a film, visit http://www.loc.gov/film/index.html According to the NFPB, its primary mission is to : "save orphan films — those without owners able to pay for their preservation. The films most at-risk are newsreels, silent films, experimental works, films out of copyright protection, significant amateur footage, documentaries, and features made outside the commercial mainstream. Orphan films are the living record of the twentieth century." Once selected, the NFPB works to conducts the film transfer and make them accessible to present and future generations of Americans. In 2010, 25 films were added to the registry, including "All the President's Men," "The Pink Panther" and "Cry of Jazz."

What is the difference between digital video and analog video

2011-03-22T00:47:35+00:00

The world of digital video video is here. It seems every phone and digital camera these days has the ability to take video, and some with stunning quality. High-end wedding videographers are even switching from the tried and true digital video camcorders of yesteryear to digital SLR cameras capable of recording 720p HD video. But it seemed like just a few months ago that digital video used to mean video shot onto digital videotape. And the advantages between recordings digital video camcorders and analog camcorders were numerous. Digital vs. Analog Video Digital camcorders possess many advantages over their analog predecessors. Due to the advances in technology that came with the introduction of Digital Camcorders, we highly recommend you no longer shoot with Analog formats. But it is important to note that not all digital video is the same - we are talking here about camcorders that record video to digital tape formats, not your handheld digital camera that records compressed video to a digital file. Unless you have a high-end Digital SLR that records to HD video, you will still get better quality shooting to tape with your Digital camcorder. Here's why we recommend Digital Video over Analog Video: Higher-quality recorded video signal Analog video uses an electrical signal to capture video images onto magnetic tape, while a digital video signal begins and remains digital. No quality is lost when you copy your video. It is also much easier to record and capture video to your computer directly via Firewire. Analog video degrades with each copy and requires a special video capture card or analog-to-digital converter box in order to import video onto your computer.

Proper storage methods for your 8mm film or 16mm film

2011-03-11T21:51:15+00:00

If you have 8mm film, Super8 film or 16mm film, it may take a little time to find a place where you can preserve your film in your own home without it degrading. Follow these suggestions on how to store your film to keep your memories safe and intact. Better yet, transfer your 8mm film to DVD at the same time with our film transfer service. How to store your film Store film in a location with steady temperature and humidity. Film stored at room temperature may last up to 50 years before decomposition occurs Consider multiple locations for multiple copies of prints or duplicates of films Label your film correctly, so if you send it in to MemoryHub for digital film transfer, it will help you and our film transfer team to get your film processed quickly Store your film canisters horizontally, no more than 8 cans high Use "Safety" film stock, polyester-base is preferred Store on moisture-proof cores and in corrosion-resistant cans Store in a location no hotter than 70 degrees, with 20 to 30 percent humidity How NOT to store your film Do not store your film in ziplock or plastic bags. Film needs to breathe and needs the exposure to oxygen. Lack of ventilation will cause the film's rate of decomposition to increase Do not store your film in attics or in direct sunlight as high-temperatures lead to an increased rate of decomposition Avoid any locations near chemicals, paint or exhaust Do not throw away your original film if you transfer your 8mm to DVD or 16mm to DVD. They are still something you can preserve as a keepsake and emergency backup.

8mm 16mm Super8 Film Length Calculator

2011-03-01T16:06:14+00:00

A film length calculator can be very useful in determining the length of video per reel of film. The run-time for a reel of film will vary based on the framerate the video was captured with. For example 100 feet of film shot at 18 frames a second will have a longer run time than 100 feet of film shot at 24 frames per second. However you can use the following as a general calculation: 50 feet of film (3 inch film reel) = 3 minutes 200 feet of film (5 inch film reel) = 12 minutes 400 feet of film (7 inch film reel) = 24 minutes For additional information visit the film to dvd page.

Pictures From Lost Wallet Found 40 Years Later

2011-02-21T21:08:10+00:00

A heart warming story of memories remembered: Rudy Resta's wallet is returned to him after being lost for over 40 years. Watch Rudy relive the memories of the forgotten photos that he thought had been lost 40 years ago when someone stole his wallet.

Tape Types - What format of video are my tapes?

2011-02-16T17:35:41+00:00

There are lots of different video tape formats; but if you're having difficulty determining what format your tapes are, don't worry. At Memoryhub we can convert all consumer video tape formats for the same low price. There is no need to figure out what format your video tapes are. Your order can include any video tape format and you don't have to make any distinction. However if you're curious what format of video tape you have take a look at this quick video tape format guide: *Only the first 2 hours of each tape will be transfered to DVD VHS to DVD VCR to DVD S-VHS to DVD Betamax to DVD Hi8 to DVD Digital8 to DVD Video8 to DVD 8mm to DVD VHS-C to DVD MiniDV to DVD MicroMV to DVD

BetaMax Player - How to play Betamax tapes?

2011-02-15T07:02:24+00:00

Sony lost the video tape format war against VHS, but not without putting up a fight. As a result there are thousands and thousands of Betamax tapes around the world. Unfortunatly it can be very difficult to play betamax tapes because betamax players are hard to find. The only source for betamax tapes is the used market since betamax players have not been manufactured for over 15 years. The largest source for betamax players is ebay; but average selling prices are between $250 and $350, a steep price if you are trying to figure out how to convert Betamax to DVD on your own computer. Rather than spending a bunch of money on a Betamax player you should focus on converting betamax to dvd. Discover how to convert betamax to dvd with MemoryHub's fast and affordable betamax transfer service.

MicroMV to DVD - SONY microMV Transfer

2011-02-11T21:09:11+00:00

Sony microMV tapes are the smallest format of any video tape ever made, in fact a micromv tape is about the size of two US quarter coins. The MicroMV format was introduced by SONY in the early 2000s but never gained much traction due to the success of MiniDV tapes and hard drive based camcorders. MicroMV tapes offer 60 minutes of video capture at exceptional picture quality for use in micromv camcorder. A few years after being introduced Sony stopped manufacturing micromv camcorders and soon after micromv tapes. It's now very difficult to find a micromv camcorder with sites like ebay and craigslist being the primary source. Have some microMV tapes you want to convert to DVD? Discover how to convert micromv to dvd.