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Home > General Information > Home Movie Depot Film Transfer Questions

Top Questions About Our Film Services

Placing an Order

Home Movie Editing and Media

Shipping

How do I order, how should I send my movies?
I'm trying to create a shipping label, but the Post Office's website (www.usps.com) says that your address is invalid. What do I do?

General

Placing an Order

1. How much does it cost?

Pricing varies depending on the amount of film and the services you order. Our pricing calculator can be found here

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2. What do the different status' mean?

You can track the progress of your order at anytime! Just login to your account and look at the status next to your order. Here is the route through the status your film will follow:

Not Received- This status means that you've placed an order with us, but it has not arrived at our facility.
Received- This status alerts you that we've received, opened, and verified the contents of your order. It is ready to go into production.
Transferring- This status encompasses all the "hands on" interaction that a technician has with your film- cleaning, splicing, inspection, digitization, editing, and uploading. This status will take the longest, as it is the bulk of your transfer!
Transferred- This status means that our software is building the files that we will put onto your DVD, digital tape, or hard drive.
Burned- This status means that your DVD, digital tape, or hard drive has been produced and your order is ready for packaging and shipping.
Shipped- This status displays that we've boxed up your order and it is on the shipping shelf, waiting for our daily FedEx driver to pick it up! The shipping department will send you an e-mail to let you know that your order is done. At this time, we will also make any billing adjustments to your original estimate that we've uncovered along the last five steps.

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3. Is it safe?

We receive orders from around the world on a daily basis. Movies are not destroyed or damaged in the process and you'll be able to view or even transfer the movies again! We return everything that you send to us- film, boxes, reels, cans. An operator is with your movie during every step of the process. You can read about some of our efforts to ensure the safety of your movies. Visit our 8mm film history and preservation pages for more information on film and how to properly store it after the home movie transfer.

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4. Do you guarantee your work, what if I'm not satisfied?

Customer satisfaction is very important to us. We are committed to fixing any problem that is not inherent to the original film in a timely manner. Our guarantee policy is posted here.

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5. How many DVDs, miniDVs, or hard drives will I get? How many DVDs will it take to complete my order?

As many as it takes! You do not have to calculate how many DVDs, miniDVs, or hard drives will be needed to complete your order. We only need to know how many complete copies of your movies you'd like to receive. If your order takes 10 DVDs to create a complete copy, that is what we deliver. The cost of your media is calculated when you place an order - so the number of DVDs needed will not further affect your price.

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6. How many feet of film will fit on one DVD, miniDV, or hard drive?

We can put roughly 1500 feet of film on one DVD. This can vary due to the sizes of your reels and other factors.

As a rule of the thumb we can get 24-27 three inch reels on one DVD. We can typically get 3 seven inch reels on one DVD.

MiniDV hold slightly less than a DVD. The tapes hold one hour of footage or approximately 1000 feet of film.

Hard drives will hold anywhere from 1300-2000 feet of film. Larger drives may be ordered on a case-by-case basis.

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7. How do I order more copies?

To ensure that we can accommodate your copy order, please place your copy order with 30 days after receiving your shipment.

Basic Copies:

You can purchase Basic Copies, the copies that are identical to your screening DVD, by logging into your account and choosing the "Online Editor & Order Copies." Proceed directly to the "Finalize" tab and click the "Order Additional Copies" button. Enter the number of copies that you'd like and we'll send them to you. Your copies will be charged to the same credit card and mailed to the same address that you supplied us with in your most recent order.

Customized Copies:

Once you've had a chance to use our editing tools, you can order more customized copies from the editor. Log into your account and choosing the "Online Editor & Order Copies." Once in the editor, you can use the tools to add titles, music, and reel sequence. When you are finished, choose the "Finalize" tab and click the "Order Additional Copies" button. Your copies will be charged to the same credit card and mailed to the same address that you supplied us with in your most recent order.

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8. Do you have any restrictions regarding the content of the 8mm, Super8, or 16mm film reels?

There are several instances where your film reel will be returned without being converted to DVD. If we do not transfer the home movie for any of the following reasons, the associated transfer costs will be refunded to your card:

Blank or undeveloped film
Non-supported Format (such as 35mm Film)
Objectionable Material
Copy Protection
Copyright*
Film with too much physical damage

*If you do have items under copyright protection, and you are, or have permission from, the original copyright holder, please include this copyright waiver and we will be happy to transfer your images.

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Home Movie Editing and Media

9. Will I be able to edit my movies?

Film customers can edit their movies in one of two ways.

After all of your original order is shipped back to you, you'll be prompted, via e-mail, to visit the online editor. During your 30 days of free access to our on line editor, you can explore our music and background library, as well as add titles, change order, and select video thumbnail images for each reel. As soon as you personalize your new DVD, you can purchase these additional customized DVDs from the editor. Edited copies are available for $19.95, plus shipping.

For customers with very specific editing capabilities, we suggest ordering an External Hard Drive, which contains video files you may edit at home using your personal computer.

We also recommend Pinnacle Studio 11 editing software, which is compatible with our film, video, and still image transfer types. You can learn more about Pinnacle Studio 12 here , or during the checkout process if you select a hard drive, Digital 8 tape, or Mini DV tape.

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10. Will my new DVD play on my DVD player?

We use brand name DVD-R which has been shown to be the most compatible general use media. We also print your title directly on to the disc rather than using stickers. Our discs have been found to be compatible with over 95% of home DVD players made in the past three years.

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11. I have very specific needs for my menu, chapters, editing, etc. Can you help?

Most of our film to DVD customers find our online editing and removal of blank film during the transfer sufficient. Each reel of film we receive will be a separate chapter on your dvd. We can also provide editing software and a hard drive, which will allow you to make many very specific changes to your transferred media. Click here, to learn more about our recommended editing software.

On special occasions, we can provide customize editing. Please contact customer service prior to placing your order if you will need this service. Custom work is charged at an hourly rate in addition to any transfer fees.

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12. I want to edit my new DVD on my home computer. Can I simply drag and drop my DVD files onto my computer?

Not easily. Like a commercial DVD, it requires a good deal more than just dragging and dropping the files to your hard drive. Although our DVDs are not encrypted, editing your new DVD would require DVD authoring software which we do not provide and cannot support.

If you want to edit your films on your computer, we highly recommend one of two options:

MiniDV and Digital 8 tapes are available all film customers. They are a great editing option because you can capture them in what ever format works best with your camera and software.
What you'll get:
- As many digital tapes as it takes to complete your order and capture all of your footage
What you'll need:
- Computer
- Digital camera that is compatible with the tape type you chose (miniDV or digital8) - Cables that can transfer information from your camera to the computer
- Pinnacle Studio 12 editing software or other software capable of capturing data from your camera and editing. - DVD Burner and Compatible Media
*There is a restocking fee for the return of this product

Hard Drives are available for all transfer types. They are the best media for home editing because the files can quickly be dumped onto your home hard drive, edited, and turning into your own DVD!
What you'll get:
- External, 2.0 USB Hard Drive, NTFS formatted
- Editable Files: View the sample file types here.
- Still Image Capture Software through VLC Player
What you'll need:
- Computer with USB port
- Pinnacle Studio 12 editing software or other software capable of capturing data from your camera and editing. - DVD Burner and Compatible Media
To read more about the Hard Drives, please click here.
*There is a restocking fee for the return of this product

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Shipping

13. How do I order, how should I send my film?

The Order Process:

Step 1: Let us know what you are sending and what you want as your finished product. Calculate your transfer estimate with our Pricing Calculator.
Step 2: Please visit our Shipping Instructions page to learn how to safely package your films.
Step 3: Keep a copy of any information that is written on the outside of each reel. Film customers may need this information when creating the titles during online editing. Reels will appear online in the sequence you have indicated with our printable barcodes
Step 4: Send your reels and the checkout confirmation to:

Home Movie Depot
101 West Broadway
Ashland, Missouri 65010

We prefer FedEX shipping.

Step 5: We will email you and confirm your quote once we have received your movies.
Step 6: You will receive an email with your tracking number when the original film along with all of your basic copies have been shipped.
Step 7: For film customers, movies are available online for viewing and editing at your personal private web page. Your customized copies may be ordered any time during the next 30 days.
Film customers can also place their films in the Home Movie Depot Archive! The archive is a place to share home movies with friends and family. Click here to learn more about the Home Movie Depot Archive.

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14. I'm trying to create a shipping label, but the Post Office's website (www.usps.com) says that your address is invalid. How am I supposed to send my media to you?

First, we highly recommend that when shipping your precious memories, you use a shipping provider such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL that will provide you with a tracking number. You're certainly welcome to use the Post Office, but we do not recommend it at all.

If you do decide to use the Post Office, you will need to address your order to our P.O. Box. Our large transfer facility sits approximately one block from the Post Office and city regulations do not provide for personal delivery within the downtown area.
Our P.O. Box address is:
P.O. Box 669
Ashland, Missouri
65010

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General

15. How do you transfer film. What is the process for transferring film?

We feel you should know what you are paying for and give a How it Works in a Nutshell as well as a detailed technical description.

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16. What types of films do you convert?

We specialize in 8mm film, Super8 film, and 16mm film. Optical and magnetic sound will transfer with the footage.

*All Super 8 Sound Film will be transferred with High Definition. Reels will be automatically upgraded where appropriate.

*All 16 mm Film will be transferred with Standard Definition. Reels will automatically be downgraded where appropriate.

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17. How many minutes of footage are on my film reels?

The running time for 8mm film, Super8 film are approximately:
3" reel (50 feet) 2-3 minutes
4" reel (100 feet) 5-6 minutes
5" reel (200 feet) 12-14 minutes
6" reel (300 feet) 19-22 minutes
7" reel (400 feet) 26-29 minutes

16mm film running time will be approximately half of 8mm film or super8 film.

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18. What is the difference between your two transfer methods?

Memories3 Smart Transfer technology provides you with two wonderful methods for preserving your memories- Standard Definition and High Definition. A comparison of these methods can be found here

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19. My film box says I have 25 foot reels. What do I do?

If you look again at your film's boxes, you will see that it says you have "Double 8mm" film. What this means is: Your film is of a certain type that was actually twice as wide and had exposure on both sides of its cartridge. You shot one side of the film, then flipped the cartridge around and shot on the other side of the film. So, during developing the 25 foot double 8mm reels were split down the middle and spliced end to end. The result being a 50 foot reel of 8mm film. When placing your order, simply input the actual length of developed film- 50 feet per reel.

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20. What is the best way to preserve my home movies?

We recommend that you transfer your film to a DVD plus a digital tape, such as a MiniDV or Digital8, or a hard drive. These media formats allow you to easily make duplicate copies of your transfer. The best way to preserve your home movies it to make multiple copies and give them to as many people as possible!

We strongly recommend visiting The Association of Moving Image Archivists for expert advice on how to preserve the actual film.

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