MII transfers from video99.co.uk
Video99 is one of very few business who can handle the rare and fragile MII professional format.
Video99 is one of very few business who can handle the rare and fragile MII professional format.
A personal service by an engineer
with 30 years
of video experience.
Though DVDs are still possible,
most customers take video files on a USB stick or hard disk (depending
on running times).
Costs £35 per tape for this rare format. Discounts for quantity, and excellent quality.
MII (sometimes incorrectly known as M2 or M11), was introduced in 1986 as Panasonic's answer to Betacam SP. MII tape is a metal formulation, and the cassettes come in two sizes, the larger of which is almost identical to VHS, and the smaller is around 3.6 by 5 inches or 9 by 13 cm. The format failed badly in the market place, but was used for a short time by a few UK television channels (Thames Television) as well as videographers as a cheaper alternative to Betacam SP.
Professional MII tapes
(large size on left and small size on the right of this picture).
Just as Betacam SP was an improved version of its predecessor Betacam (itself derived from Betamax), MII was an enhanced of its predecessor, the failed M format (derived from VHS), effectively a case of Beta winning over VHS. Technically, MII is at least equal to Betacam SP, but Panasonic lost out to Sony's Betacam SP format which had already gained a strong foothold in the professional market. Furthermore the machines had a reputation for being somewhat less robust than their Sony competition, and as a result the format lasted only a few years. Tapes may be marked M20S, M60L, M90L.
Tape storage is particularly critical for this format. The tape is very thin, much thinner than VHS tape for example, despite the larger tapes looking similar. As a result, if the tapes have been stored badly such as in a garage or loft, then a mould grow on the tape surface will make the tape very prone to tearing and snapping. Though I have a system in place which can help to clear mould from tapes, it is very time consuming, expensive to carry out, and even then there will probably be imperfections in the recording. Fuji branded tapes are particularly prone to mould problems. But if the tapes have been looked after properly, then MII can produce excellent results.
See my YouTube videos on the MII
format.
Usually transferred to DV-AVI files (13GB/hour) or at extra cost very
large 10 bit
YUV-AVI files, delivered on hard disk or USB stick. Just email
me to discuss your requirements.
Please note that I cannot handle the earlier M format (used VHS tapes) which may not have even been released in the UK. If recorded on equipment from another country, see the Television systems explained. Only PAL recordings are accepted for MII.
| PAL | NTSC | |
| YES | NO | |
Just email me with your details and requirements and I'll reply promptly with all the information you require.
We have a new and easy order page, just select what kind of tapes you have and supply your details. It's a personal service I offer, not like some of the big video editing houses. I understand that in many cases you will not be able to tell how much material is on the tapes.
Not everyone
needs their tapes returned once they have the transfers, but if you do,
there will be a little to add for postage costs.. For a single
video tape in the UK, this is just £3.55. For larger quantities, and
tapes from outside the UK, I will let you know.
Ideally can you ensure you send the tapes in a package which is
sufficiently large and robust for me to use to send back your original
tapes. Usually I will send the video files to you ahead of
returning your
tapes, then when you've confirmed you are happy with the transfers, I
will return your tapes. This way I can help you further if
necessary. If you have
reasonably fast broadband, I can possibly upload the vide files to you
directly for one or two tapes.
We are listed on the independent Freeindex
service, you can read and add to reviews
there. Most customers use that method for testimonials now.
We also have a
collection of fascinating testimonials from some famous names, see the famous
names
testimonials page.
Please also subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see some of the work
we do and fantastic equipment we have.
If you have any questions, just email me and I'll reply promptly. Also see the video99.co.uk Questions and Answers (FAQ) All material on this web site is copyright www.video99.co.uk and www.colin99.co.uk though trade marks remain with the manufacturers.
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