Originally Posted by
MyIdenTT
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I'm sure the results using this method should be 'acceptable', but, with an eye on the future, would it be a good idea to keep uncompressed digital versions of these tapes? - future software may be able to renovate my precious family images to a much higher standard than is currently available, and it would be good to have retained a version that could take advantage of this. .
If you digitize now you are going to freeze your images at this particular moment in digital technology. Analogue retrieval quality can always be improved, it is open ended. Digital retrieval is limited to the finite amount of information on the digital copy.
The only way future software will improve a digital image stored in the present is by upsampling (i.e filling in the blanks with educated guesswork).
If you do copy to digital don't chuck the original analogue tapes, as Mark says store them as carefully as possible and play them (or wind and rewind them) occasionally to keep the tape loose.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.