Meta Martis migrates broadcast videotape archives inside your own building. One FlyPack system plays eight tapes at once, in real time, with every frame monitored as it is captured, and migrates 5,000 tape hours a month per FlyPack, running 24/7. Your tapes never leave the facility, and the files land in the library systems you already use.
One pass, captured right
Each tape is played once and captured at the highest quality the format holds, because in most cases that is the only pass it will ever get. That capture becomes the file of record. Alongside it we produce:
- A working fileIn the broadcast format you already use.
- A lightweight viewing copyFor search and browsing.
Formats are matched to your existing systems, so the files land in the library you already have.
Cleaning and treatment before playback
Cleaning and dehydration are performed on any non-metal tape and on any tape showing visible damage, before it is played. The point is to make a single successful pass possible on media that will not get a second one.
Formats and decks
The system captures from any tape format that still has a working player, and does not require the additional correction equipment most migration setups depend on. In practice the limit is the deck, not the system. We own and ship players for the common broadcast formats and source rarer ones as the collection requires.
Throughput and scale
- 5,000 tape hours a month per FlyPackRunning 24/7.
- Eight tapes at onceIn real time, with every frame monitored during capture.
- Systems run in parallel. A large collection is rarely a one-system problem and usually not a one-year problem, so the first conversation is about what comes off the shelf first.
What a deployment needs
| Equipment | A single rack on wheels, roughly the size of a large filing cabinet |
|---|---|
| Space | About nine feet square |
| Power | Three dedicated 20-amp circuits |
| Network | A connection to wherever the files will live |
| Noise | Server-room levels. In an occupied room we plan for separation or sound treatment. |
| Lead time | Five to seven weeks from order, including shipping and customs |
| Start-up | About a week from delivery to trained operators and first capture |
After capture
Migrated files can be indexed with on-premises AI, so speech, people, places, logos, on-screen text and scenes become searchable in your own library. See AI indexing for media archives. For where the files live and how they are protected, see Security and data control. If part of your archive is on LTO, see LTO migration and drive compatibility.
Meta Martis works with major broadcasters across North and Latin America.
Questions
Do our tapes have to leave the building?
No. The FlyPack is installed in your facility and runs there for the length of the project.
How many hours of tape can one system migrate?
5,000 tape hours a month per FlyPack, running 24/7, with eight tapes playing at once in real time. More FlyPacks can run in parallel.
Which tape formats can you migrate?
Any format that still has a working player. We own and ship players for the common broadcast formats and source rarer ones as the collection requires.
What files do we get back?
A file of record at the highest quality the format holds, a working file in the broadcast format you already use, and a lightweight viewing copy for search and browsing.
How long until capture starts?
Five to seven weeks from order, including shipping and customs, then about a week from delivery to trained operators and first capture.
What about damaged or sticky tapes?
Non-metal tapes and any tape showing visible damage are cleaned and dehydrated before playback, so the one pass succeeds.
Not sure where to start? The Free Archive Assessment gives you a preliminary migration approach, storage options, key risks and next steps.