Sealed magnetic tape media, such as audio and video tapes, require a rapid, specific response. Careful attention to the response steps given below will help Document Reprocessors recover your audio and video tape collections with a minimum of data loss.

Note: Since 100% recovery of the physical media is unlikely, a rehabilitation step to copy the remaining information onto fresh tape is usually desirable.

In addition, data we recover from wet tapes may not necessarily need to be replaced upon the same type of media from which it was extracted. Modern data storage formats offer considerable space, reliability, and cost improvements over obsolete media types. For example, a single hard disk drive can store the equivalent of thousands of audio and video tapes, at a tiny fraction of the cost.

Early Response Tips to Save Wet Audio and Video Tapes

Attention to the response steps given below will help Document Reprocessors successfully recover the contents of your water-damaged audio and video tapes:

• Do not unwind and attempt to dry the tape.
• Shake off excess water. Wet video tapes should be carefully drained of all interior water by holding them upright and to the side.
• Put wet audio tapes and wet video tapes in separate plastic bags. Keep the containers with the tapes.
• Seal the bags tightly and keep very cool (but do not freeze).
• Put the bags in a sturdy box, label the box with your name and contents, and ship within 24 hours by overnight express to our New York recovery facility.
• Call our office to advise us on quantity, shipping and arrival time so we can be prepared to receive your shipment.

Learn More About Salvaging Water-Soaked Tapes

Please take a tour of our operations through our comprehensive slideshow, or view the Document Reprocessors informational video and learn more about how we can help you save your wet audio and video tapes when disaster strikes.