VHS mold cleaning and physical media digitization.
We carefully handle aging VHS tapes, clean mold-contaminated cassettes when possible, and convert playable footage to physical media such as USB flash media or DVD.
Charges
Prices are flat per tape for normal VHS orders. Unusual damage, severe contamination, snapped tape, broken shells, or special repair work may require a custom quote or may be declined.
Mold cleaning only
Cleaning attempt for one VHS cassette. Does not include digitization or playback capture.
Standard VHS digitization
For tapes without visible mold. Includes one normal capture attempt and basic beginning/end trimming.
Mold cleaning + digitization
Cleaning attempt plus one normal capture attempt for playable footage.
| Add-on / condition | Charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USB / flash media delivery | $15 per order | Recommended for longer tapes and MP4 files. USB/flash media may affect shipping method. |
| DVD data disc with MP4 file | $5 per tape | Computer-friendly data disc. Not guaranteed to play in all standalone DVD players. |
| Playable DVD-Video | $5 per tape | Subject to length and quality limits. Very long tapes may require reduced quality or a custom quote. |
| Extra duplicate copy | $5 per DVD copy / $10 per extra USB | Duplicates of already-converted files only. |
| Severe mold special handling | +$10 per affected tape | Applies when mold is heavy, widespread, or requires slower handling. |
| Cracked or broken shell handling | +$15 per affected tape | Basic shell-handling attempt only. Replacement parts or complex repair may be quoted separately. |
| Snapped tape / off-spool tape / complex repair | Manual quote | May be declined if the risk of further damage is too high. |
| Return shipping and materials | Estimated in form | Actual postage and packing costs may differ from the website estimate. |
What counts as acceptable digitization quality?
VHS is an aging analog format. Some tapes have tracking noise, color shifts, muffled audio, dropouts, warped sections, blank segments, or damage already present in the tape or original recording.
Digitization is considered delivered in acceptable quality when the tape functions well enough to capture viewable footage and understandable audio, even if minor to moderate distortion, tracking lines, noise, flicker, color issues, audio defects, or other age-related artifacts remain.
If a tape cannot produce usable footage, we will explain the issue and may quote repair options, decline the tape, or charge only for completed cleaning/handling work depending on what was performed.
Turnaround and return options
Typical turnaround is approximately 2 weeks from receipt of the tapes. Larger orders, severe mold, damaged shells, repair attempts, or shipping delays may extend that timeframe.
All submitted media can be returned to the customer. If digitization is requested, the customer may also elect to have the original physical media destroyed after acceptable digitization and payment.
Do not ship irreplaceable media unless you understand the risk. Old tapes can break or fail during normal handling, cleaning, playback, or shipping despite careful work.
Important intake and liability disclaimers
Care and risk
We will do our best to handle every tape with utmost care. However, GameStudio-S, LLC is not responsible for defects already present in the tape, age-related failure, brittleness, mold damage, prior damage, loss of quality, audio/video artifacts, tape breakage, shell failure, or damage that may occur during reasonable cleaning, playback, capture, packing, return shipping, or normal handling.
Payment
Payment is required before completed media, original tapes, DVDs, USB drives, or other deliverables are released, shipped, or returned. Payment is due for tapes that are successfully cleaned and/or digitized to acceptable quality as described on this page.
Prohibited content
We cannot handle or process recorded media containing pornographic content, nudity of any kind, sexual content, illegal content, unlawful recordings, or other prohibited material. Customers must agree not to send such material.
Copyright and commercial releases
We cannot digitize pirated copies, bootlegs, unlawful copies, or commercial releases unless the customer has documented legal authority to request the work. Customers must only submit media they own or have the right to clean and/or copy.
These website terms are a plain-language service summary, not a substitute for a signed intake agreement. A full intake agreement may be required before work begins.
Inquiry form
Use this form to describe your tapes and generate a preliminary estimate. We will not share your contact information or use it for marketing. It will only be used to contact you regarding this inquiry.