Not sure what you have? The following formats can all be digitized in the Memory Lab. You can use this guide to determine what type of media you have.
Visual Formats
VHS-C Tapes
Era: 1982 – early 2000s
Size: 3.5 inches wide x 2.25 inches high x 0.75 inch thick
Description: Black rectangular case with a “VHS” logo stamped somewhere on the case or on the label.
VHS Tapes
Era: 1976 – early 2000s
Size: 7 inches wide x 4 inches high x 1 inch thick
Description: Black rectangular case with a “VHS” logo stamped somewhere on the case or on the label.
MiniDV
Era: 1995 – late 2000s
Size: 2.6 inches wide x 1.9 inches high x 0.5 inch thick
Description: Rectangular case with a “MiniDV” logo stamped somewhere on the case or on the label.
Betamax
Era: 1975 – early 1990s
Size: 6 inches wide x 3.8 inches high x 1 inch thick
Description: Black rectangular case with a “Betamax” or “β” logo stamped somewhere on the case or on the label.
8mm Film / Super8 Film
Era: 1932 – 1980s
Size: 8mm wide
Description: The film is bordered on one side with small square holes and wound around a plastic or metal reel. The difference between 8mm and Super8 film is based on the size of the perforations and individual frames.
Sony 8mm / Digital8 / Hi8 Video
Era: 1985 – early 2000s
Size: 3.7 inches wide x 2.5 inches high x 0.5 inch thick
Description: Different from 8mm film, these formats are encased in small tapes. Black rectangular case with an “8” or “Hi8” logo stamped somewhere on the case.
16mm Film
Era: 1923 – present
Size: 16mm wide
Description: The film is bordered on both side with small square holes and wound around a plastic or metal reel. Please note – with our equipment, we cannot directly digitize 16mm film, but it is available for viewing. Please speak to staff for more information.
Slides
Era: 1935 – 2010
Size: 2 inches x 2 inches
Description: Color or black and white image in a cardboard frame.
Negatives & Transparencies
Era: 1939 – present
Size: Varies depending on the type of film
Description: Most commonly, a wide strip film with an orange or gray tint bordered on the top and bottom by small square holes. Images can be seen in the strips when held to a light. These can come in many different sizes, including as large as photos themselves. All sizes of transparencies can be digitized.
Audio Formats
Cassette Tapes
Era: 1963 – 2000s
Size: 4 inches long x 2.5 inches wide x 0.5 inches thick
Description: Plastic rectangular case with two holes.
Microcassettes
Era: 1969 – 2000s
Size: 2 inches long x 1.25 inches wide x 0.3 inches thick
Description: Similar in appearance to cassette tapes, but much smaller. Usually labeled with “MC” and a number, with the number being how many minutes of recording time are available on the tape.
Reel to Reel Audio
Era: 1935 – 1980s
Size: 5 inches, 7 inches, 10.5 inches
Description: Also known as open reel audio tape, the plastic or metal reels look like those that hold 8mm film, but the audio tape does not have any image frames or holes along the tape.
Vinyl Records
Era: 1940s – present
Size: 12 inches, 10 inches, 7 inches (LPs, 78s, 45s)
Description: Black or colored vinyl disk with a label affixed in the center.
Other Formats
3.5″ Floppy Disk
Era: 1980s – late 2000s
Size: 3.5 inches wide x 3.5 inches long x 0.1 inches thick
Description: Plastic square around a magnetic disk. These can store documents, photos, or audio.
Zip Drive Disk
Era: 1995 – 2003
Size: 4 inches long x 4 inches wide x 0.25 inches thick
Description: Zip disks look very similar to 3.5” floppy disks but can only be played in a specialized Zip drive. The disk will have the word “Zip” printed on the label. These can store documents, photos, audio, or video.