TVDATA licenses 4K archival footage and produces 4K masters from historical tape. We digitize PAL and Betacam SP tapes from Russian-speaking territories in 10-bit 4:2:2, then finish them with AI upscaling, color correction and face enhancement. One hub for everything 4K: what exists natively, what we restore, and how to license it.
From tape to 4K master
Digitize. We capture the original PAL tape (720×576) as a 10-bit uncompressed file, so every frame stays lossless and grade-ready.
Restore. AI upscaling, color correction and face enhancement bring the material to UHD while preserving the archival character.
Deliver. You receive a clean 4K master with no burnt-in timecode, usually within 24 hours of cleared payment, with a written license.
The process step by step, with guide rates per minute, is on our AI video restoration and 4K upscaling page. Archival colorization is a separate service for black-and-white material.
Native 4K or AI-upscaled: we always tell you which
Archive sources are rarely 4K by birth. Where material is natively high-resolution we say so; where the master is a restored upscale from PAL or SD, we state that clearly before you buy. The result is broadcast-ready either way. The provenance is simply part of the license.
Before and after: the same tape, SD and 4K
We put the raw PAL original and the finished 4K version side by side on a dedicated before-and-after page: the same material as digitized from tape, and after AI upscaling to 3840 × 2160, color correction and mastering. Judge the detail for yourself before you order.
4K archival footage you can license
Upscaling services. Our restoration pipeline, explained step by step.
Upscaled stills. Print-quality frames pulled from archive video, for posters, books and press.
4K aerial footage. Contemporary drone material shot natively in UHD.
Fine images. Curated, gallery-grade frames from the archive.
Реставрация видео до 4K, описание услуги на русском языке.
4K archival footage pricing
You will find footage licensing rates on the licensing & pricing page; 4K upscaling of a clip you license is quoted per project, depending on source condition and length. Free watermarked previews are available through our preview service before you commit.
How to order 4K archival footage
1. Pick the clip. From our archive pages or YouTube previews, or brief us and we research the vault.
2. Tell us the finish. Native resolution, HD, or a 4K upscaled master, with your timecodes.
3. Receive your master. Secure download, written license, invoice on request.
For US producers and networks
The United States is our largest market. American documentary producers, networks and streaming teams come to us for Soviet-era and Russian archive subjects (Chernobyl, the Brezhnev-era Kremlin, Cold War military and everyday Soviet life) and increasingly want it restored and upscaled to 4K UHD rather than delivered in standard definition. Reach us on the US WhatsApp number +1 408 6000538 or at footage@tvdata.tv, tell us the subject, duration, codec and frame rate your edit needs, and we reply with a written quote.
Frequently asked questions
Both exist in our collection, and we always tell you in writing which one you are getting. Aerials and recent material are native 4K. Soviet-era and 1990s archive comes from PAL tape masters, which we license as native HD or, on request, restore, color-correct and AI-upscale to 4K UHD (3840 × 2160).
Yes. Much of our Soviet-era archive exists only as PAL tape masters, so the 4K version is an upscaled one: we re-digitize the best available master, upscale it, color-correct and master it, and state clearly on delivery that it is AI-upscaled rather than native 4K.
Material from our own archive is eligible for royalty-free licensing. Third-party material is rights-managed and cleared case by case for your territory and media; we confirm the terms in writing before you pay.
We deliver licensed clips within 24 hours. Restoration, color correction and upscaling add processing time that depends on the length and condition of the source; we confirm the turnaround when we quote.
The United States is our largest market. Message us on the US WhatsApp number +1 408 6000538 or email footage@tvdata.tv with the subject, the duration you need, your codec and frame rate, and your deadline.