DIY vs. Professional Digitisation: What’s Best for Your Memories?
If you’ve got old VHS tapes, slides, or film reels gathering dust, you might be wondering: should I try digitising them myself or leave it to the professionals?
Both options have pros and cons—and your decision may come down to your budget, time, and how important quality is to you. Let’s break it down so you can make the best choice for preserving your memories.
DIY Digitisation
Doing it yourself sounds appealing—especially if you like tech or already have some equipment. But it’s not always as easy (or cheap) as it seems.
✅ Pros:
Budget-Friendly (in some cases): If you already own a VCR, film scanner, or capture device, DIY can save money.
Hands-On Control: You handle the entire process—great if you want full control over what’s kept, trimmed, or enhanced.
Do It on Your Time: No need to wait for turnaround times or coordinate with a business.
❌ Cons:
Time-Intensive: Each tape or film reel must be digitised in real time. Got 20 hours of video? It’ll take at least 20 hours to convert.
Tech Know-How Needed: Setting up capture devices, scanning software, editing tools—it’s a learning curve.
Lower Quality Equipment: Consumer-grade tools often can’t match the output of professional scanners and digitisation systems.
Cost Adds Up: Equipment like scanners, converters, and editing software can be costly if you're starting from scratch.
Professional Digitisation
Hiring an expert may cost more—but it often pays off in quality, convenience, and peace of mind.
✅ Pros:
Top-Notch Quality: Professionals use high-end scanners, video capture gear, and restoration software to get the best results.
Saves You Time: Drop it off, and let someone else handle the tedious hours of digitising, editing, and organising.
Expert Handling: Fragile media like old tapes or slides are cleaned and prepared properly for the best possible outcome.
Extra Services: Many offer extras like colour correction, audio enhancement, tape repair, and editing.
❌ Cons:
Higher Cost: Professional services can add up, especially with a large number of tapes or slides.
Less Direct Control: You’re trusting someone else to handle your family memories.
Turnaround Time: Most services take 1–2 weeks, though rush options are sometimes available.
So, Which Option Is Right for You?
Ask yourself:
How many tapes/slides/films do I have?
Do I already own any of the equipment?
How tech-savvy am I, really?
Is this a “once in a lifetime” archive worth preserving perfectly?
Do I want to spend the next few weekends doing this myself?
Our Tip: Let the Experts Handle It (We’re Biased… But Honest)
At Video Rescue, we’ve been professionally digitising memories in Brisbane for over 25 years. We understand how precious your tapes, films, slides, and photos are—and we treat them with the care they deserve.
We convert:
VHS, Mini DV, Hi8, Video8, and camcorder tapes
Super 8 and 8mm film reels
35mm slides, negatives, and photos
Audio cassettes and more
You can drop them to our Ashgrove office or post them to us—easy and stress-free.
👉 Learn more about our digitisation services or contact us today to preserve your family history the professional way.
