audio transfers
SWEET ANALOG SOUND… EASY DIGITAL PLAYBACK
Your memories deserve better than a mail-in box.
Professional video, film, photo and audio digitizing done locally in Birmingham using advanced archival equipment, real technicians and optional restoration services.
Handled Locally
Your originals stay with a trusted Birmingham expert.
Faster Turnaround
No additional shipping delays or mystery processing.
Better Options
Standard, enhanced & restoration-level services.
Not just digitized — improved.
Most mail-in services focus on basic transfer. Image Hive can offer standard, enhanced and restoration-level workflows depending on the condition and importance of your media.
Budget-friendly when you need it.
Advanced restoration when it matters.
Some projects only need a clean transfer. Others deserve extra correction, cleanup and restoration. Our new service levels let customers choose the right balance of price and quality.
What we transfer
VINYL
$35
Originally called a gramophone record in 1887, it is also known as phonograph record, vinyl, LP or simply, record. There are three sizes: 12, 10, and 7 inches in diameter. Although it is a very old format, it is still highly regarded by many audiophiles for it’s sweet, warm sound.
Vinyl records are notoriously fragile and must be very carefully handled and stored to maintain the integrity of the recording. Still, we are often able to transfer a badly scratched record, but with a significant loss in fidelity. Once we have it in the digital domain, there are some restorative procedures we can take.
Mini Disc
$35
Launched in 1992, the MiniDisc (MD) is a magneto-optical disc-based format designed to replace the cassette tape. It combined the digital, skip-free audio quality of compact discs with the portable, re-recordable, and customizable mixtape features of cassettes, ultimately before being discontinued in 2013.
Compact Cassette
$18 & up
8mm film100 x 64 x 8 mm. Introduced in 1962, audio cassettes were the first mainstream method of consumer audio recording and distribution. The 3.81 mm tape can have a variety of track layouts: two wide mono tracks, two stereo tracks, or 4 mono tracks. Audio quality varies significantly with tape formulation and on the condition of the deck it was recorded on.
MICRO CASSETTE
$35
56 x 34 x 8 mm. It was designed for use in personal recorders and answering machines. The quality is slightly better than no recording at all.
reel-to-reel
$75
1/4 inch audio tape was the first widely adopted method of recording audio at home. We can transfer 3, 7, and 10 inch reels.
8-tRACK caRTRIDGE
$75
133 x 102 x 23 mm. Introduced in 1963, the 8-track is a continuous loop of tape housed in a cartridge that incorporated a neoprene rubber and nylon pinch roller. This reduced the mechanical complexity of the tape player, but presented new problems because those parts were not designed to be serviceable. They would suffer from wear causing inaccurate playback speeds and tapes that would slip.
what about broken tapes?
IN MOST CASES WE CAN REPAIR, Clean & enhance
Enhancement Upgrades
Improve picture, sound, color, exposure, scratches, dust, grain & other common aging-media problems.
Sorting
If there is a specific way you would like your files to be transferred (as example by years), we ask you to mark and sort the media your-self (as example with sticky notes) prior to bringing them in.
We can sit down with you and help you sort. We will however charge you todo so.
Why we’re the best
SECURITY
Because we do all work on-site in our Birmingham studio, you never have to wonder about the whereabouts of your precious memories. Your tapes do not leave the premises of our secure video lab from the time you drop them off to the time you pick them up. One person is responsible for the work from start to finish and if you have questions, you’ll be able to get answers via face-to-face interaction.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Our staff ensures every detail is addressed and all communication is done with honesty and respect. We strive to explain our processes with clarity and transparency in order to provide well-defined expectations. We always put the value of relationships with our clients ahead of the the business value of the services we provide.