Institutional Archiving

THE GOLD STANDARD IN MEDIA PRESERVATION
Your history is fading. We make it future-proof.

Service for institutions including Government Departments, Museums, Libraries, Universities, Sports Organizations, Indigenous Organizations, Cultural Heritage Organizations...

Institutional Archiving

Analog media—VHS, Beta, Hi8 and Film—was never meant to last forever. Magnetic tape degrades, and film becomes brittle. At Ottawa Video Transfer, we don’t just "copy" your media; we provide a professional-grade digital migration that safeguards your legacy for the next century. All materials are handled in accordance with established preservation best practices to ensure the integrity, fidelity, and longevity of original content. Resulting digital assets are delivered in formats suitable for integration into archival management systems, enabling efficient cataloguing, long-term storage, access, editing and viewing on multiple platforms.


One Transfer. Two Essential Formats. 

Every project is delivered in two distinct tiers to ensure you never have to digitize again. 

  • 1. THE PRESERVATION MASTER (Archive Grade)

    • Format: 10-bit Uncompressed .MOV, .AVI or equivalent.
    • The Goal: A "Digital Negative." This is a mathematically lossless capture that retains 100% of the original signal, color depth, and detail.
    • Best For: Long-term storage and future-proofing.

  • 2. THE ACCESS COPY (Sharing Grade)

    • Format: High-Bitrate MP4 (H.264)
    • The Goal: Modern clarity. We use advanced de-interlacing and aspect-ratio correction so your videos look crisp on televisions, computers and smartphones.
    • Best For: Daily viewing and social media.

Professional Standards

  • Local Expertise

    • Based in Canada's capital, Ottawa. No shipping your precious memories away.
    • Over 20 years of digital preservation experience.
    • Active member of the International Council On Archives - Certification for "Managing Digital Archives".

  • Studio Equipment:

    • We use broadcast-grade equipment that is maintained and cleaned regularly to ensure maximum quality transfers.

  • White-Glove Care:

    • Every tape is inspected and, if necessary, cleaned and repaired before playback.

Our Services Include

  • Video

    • VHS, S-VHS & VHS-C, 8mm, Hi8, Digital8, MiniDV, DVD

    • International Formats (PAL/SECAM)

    • BETACAM SP, U-MATIC, HDCAM

  • Film & Audio

    •  8mm & Super 8 Reels
    •  Audio Cassettes, Vinyl/LP, CD and Reel-To-Reel Audio Tapes

  • Photos

    • Slide Scanning

    • Negatives, Slides & Prints

    • Photo Restoration


Through the migration of obsolete media to contemporary digital standards, Ottawa Video Transfer contributes to the sustained preservation of culturally and historically significant records.

Ready to secure your archive? Use this form to contact us to discuss your needs.

If you don't hear back from us soon, please call 613-710-OVT1 (6881).