[SOA] Advice for dealing with broadcast videocassettes

[Nathan Tallman]

Carrie,

Are these 3/4" Umatic video cassettes? (They sound like it, try googling
for images.) You can probably find some players on ebay or on a/v hobby
shops. We have tons of Umatic and for many years weren't able to do
anything with them. Then we stumbled upon a player and with the right
cables were able to watch the recordings. Umatic usually holds up better
than VHS, so it might outlast your VHS.

Even if you can't play them, if you have some description, you might want
to hold on to them. Vendors can digitize them. (We've used SceneSavers in
Covington, KY before, they do an excellent job.) Some of our Umatic is
starting to get used now, so we're glad we kept them.

Incidentally, we seem to keep getting Umatic video cassettes in new
donations!

Best,
Nathan




On Wed, Sep 11, 2013 at 3:48 PM, Phillips, Carrie <phillipsc at bluffton.edu>wrote:

> I have just received a large transfer of broadcast videocassettes from our
> public relations department.  These are the large videocassette master
> tapes from which regular VHS tapes were produced.  What do other
> college/university archives do with these items?  We do not have the
> equipment anywhere on campus to access the video on these tapes.  But,
> while the information on the tapes is pretty much inaccessible, it seems
> prudent to store them.  Is that line of thinking appropriate?****
>
> ** **
>
> Thanks in advance for your advice.****
>
> ** **
>
> Carrie****
>
> ** **
>
> -^-^-^-^-^-****
>
> Carrie Phillips****
>
> Archives & Special Collections Librarian****
>
> Musselman Library****
>
> Bluffton University****
>
> 1 University Drive****
>
> Bluffton, OH  45817-2104****
>
> phillipsc at bluffton.edu****
>
> 419-358-3275 (office)****
>
> 419-358-3384 (fax)****
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