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• Accessing Physical Condition Of The Videos

NJVID - Accessing Physical Condition Of The Videos

In order to avoid impairing the operation of our hardware or damaging it in any way (a deteriorated tape could fall apart, crack or corrode our equipment mid-digitization), and to ensure that all of the videos that you contribute to NJVid are physically stable and secure, we ask that you follow these basic steps of physical condition assessment.

• Inspect the Video for Physical Degradation

  It might be possible to triage your videos with visual inspection. If you notice that a video is physically damaged or deteriorating, then you should not send it to us. In fact, if the video’s content is important to you, we recommend that you contact a film or video transfer service and ask if it will restore the video or at least transfer it to new stock.

  The Association of Moving Image Archivists Web site hosts an in-depth collection of Videotape Preservation Fact Sheets that guide one through physically inspecting and caring for videos. Fact Sheet #9 covering tape inspection is especially helpful in guiding one through the process of assessing physical condition of videotapes. We strongly recommend that you adhere to the procedures and guidance laid out in these fact sheets so that your collection(s) may survive well into the future.

• Play the Video in Full and in Real Time

  By contributing a video to NJVid, you certify that you have played it back in full and in real time beforehand. Please do not simply fast forward through it while working on something else. Playing the video will not only help you assess its picture and audio quality, but will help you identify and record information about the content of the video as well. If the video plays with relatively little audio/visual dropouts, strong picture and audio fidelity and does not damage your player or itself in any way, you may send it to us.

• Check Digital Files for Bugs and Errors

  If you wish to contribute digital files, please check them for bugs and playback errors. Ensure that the files open and play properly on contemporary computer hardware with current software, and that they are free of viruses, spyware and other rogue programming.