Media Preservation Lab

Media Preservation Lab

The Rewind Media Preservation Lab was established in 2004 and is one of only a few such facilities in Europe specialising in the preservation of artists media. The lab was established as part of the original REWIND project and has expanded considerably in equipment and expertise over the years. This facility is open as a service for any individual or organisation, providing digitisation/conversion of obsolete vintage media formats, including heat treatment of tape formats affected by ‘sticky shed’.  We can also provide various levels of restoration, optimisation and enhancement services for damaged/degraded video, audio and film.

In 2020-21 we were awarded funding from the AHRC to improve our capabilities. This included an MWA film scanner which can scan 8/16/35mm formats, including audio, up to 6K resolution.

We have worked successfully with many galleries, archives, museums, universities, production companies and individuals as well as our own projects.

Furthermore, we can act as consultants for exhibitions that require the use of obsolete equipment, providing expertise and knowledge on the use of more modern equipment to enable works to be shown without compromise to the artists original intentions.

Formats we can facilitate are:

Video:

  • ½” EIAJ Open Reel (Colour & B/W)
  • ½” CV Open Reel
  • VHS
  • SVHS
  • Betamax
  • Video-8
  • Hi-8
  • Digital-8
  • Betacam
  • Betacam SP
  • U-Matic (Lo/High/SP)
  • MII
  • DV/DVCAM
  • DVCPRO50
  • Digital Betacam (Digibeta)
  • Betacam IMX/SX
  • HDV

 

Audio:

  • ¼” Open Reel
  • Cassette
  • Multitrack Cassette
  • ½” 8 Track Open Reel
  • DAT
  • Various Akai Sampler formats
  • Slide Film

 

Film Scanning to 6K:

  • Standard 16mm
  • Super 16mm
  • Standard 8
  • Super 8
  • 35mm
  • Slide Film
  • Mag and Optical Audio from 8, 16 and 35mm

Slide Film:

  • 35mm slides with accompanying cassette digitised either as documentation or direct digitisation.

Disk Formats:

  • CD/DVD
  • 3 ½” Floppy
  • Jaz
  • Zip

Our research partners are:

© REWIND | Artists' video.