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SAMMA: videotape digitization for any archive need

SAMMA is the
System for Automated Migration of Media Assets

SAMMA is a scalable, easy-to-operate system that provides advanced digital conversion of videotape or
disk-based media, to a digital file format and codec
that can be stored on-premises, via cloud, or a
hybrid storage model.

Whether it’s one or two channels, maybe four or eight…or even 88, a SAMMA videotape digitization system scales to your needs and remains the best way to preserve then make your videotapes useful, even profitable as digital assets.
See how the CBS News and Stations Archive leveraged a fully-automated SAMMA system to create the world’s largest automated archive and a 2026 NAB Project of the Year!

Read more about the features and ease of use of SAMMA to create your digital archive from the videotapes you’ve stored and invested in.

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Scalable to meet your needs and budget

One video ingest Channel

SAMMA Server system

• Plug-and-play integrated solution with
AE2020 TBC/frame sync/processor
• SAMMAcode one-channel encoder
• Automated VTR control
• SAMMAeye™
for frame-level signal integrity monitoring
• SAMMAstats™
for operator and encoding analytics
• Simultaneous creation of an archival master
and proxy with original timecode
• SD-HD conversion & frame rate normalization

Two Video Ingest channels

SAMMA Server system

• Plug-and-play integrated solution with
(2) AE2020 TBC/frame sync/processor
• SAMMAcode two-channel encoder
• Automated VTR control
• SAMMAeye™
for frame-level signal integrity monitoring
• SAMMAstats™
for operator and encoding analytics
• Simultaneous creation of an archival master
and proxy with original timecode
• SD-HD conversion & frame rate normalization

Four Video Ingest Channels

SAMMA Server system

• Plug-and-play integrated solution with
(4) AE2020 TBC/frame sync/processor
• SAMMAcode four-channel encoder or
• Option for Telestream VC-100 Lightspeed Encoder
• Automated VTR control
• SAMMAeye™
for frame-level signal integrity monitoring
• SAMMAstats™
for operator and encoding analytics
• Simultaneous creation of an archival master
and proxy with original timecode
• SD-HD conversion & frame rate normalization

Eight Video Ingest Channels

SAMMA Server system

• Plug-and-play integrated solution with
(8) AE2020 TBC/frame sync/processor
• (2) SAMMAcode four-channel encoder or
• Option for Telestream VC300 Lightspeed Encoder
• Automated VTR control
• SAMMAeye™
for frame-level signal integrity monitoring
• SAMMAstats™
for operator and encoding analytics
• Simultaneous creation of an archival master
and proxy with original timecode
• SD-HD conversion & frame rate normalization

*All systems include a free 1-Year subscription license for Iris Play for
video file review and QC. SAMMAprep Software is required and sold separately.

SAMMAcoder: A modular live video stream encoder integrated with and controlled by the SAMMA system.
Introduc

Introducing SAMMAcoder from GrayMeta

A modular live video stream encoder integrated with and controlled by the SAMMA system.
Each module encodes up to (4) 3G SDI input channels.
Each channel encodes an archive master and a simultaneous MP4 proxy.
Ships standard with presets for HD XDCAM 50.mxf, AVC-Intra 100.mxf @100Mbps,
IMX @ 40Mbps.mxf, FFV1.mkv lossless (SD & HD), ProRes.mov (HD & SD)

and Uncompressed.mov (HD & SD).
Other file formats are available on a professional service basis.

Typical storage of videotapes. These are not searchable, and soon you may be unable to play them back. They may disintegrate, or there won't be videotape machines to use.

By investing in SAMMA, you are not just converting media formats;
you are also protecting your media’s legacy against the ravages of time & technological obsolescence.

Implementing a SAMMA system comes with the assurance that any Archivist, Librarian, Preservationist, and their staff, can manage the system which easily resolves common migration challenges.

SAMMA utilizes Emmy Award-Winning technology to control
analog tape machines by utilizing templates, this ensures high-quality digital assets.

Implementing a SAMMA system comes with access to expert support and maintenance, ensuring that any technical challenges can be quickly and efficiently resolved.

SAMMA Prep allows users to add existing metadata, identifiers, or tags before digitization. This aids in initial searches while enabling Machine Learning or AI tools to be utilized on the digital assets.

By digitizing videotape archives, organizations reduce physical storage needs, decrease dependency on obsolete playback devices (which are becoming increasingly expensive and difficult to maintain), and mitigate the risk of losing irreplaceable content.

SAMMA is a flexible solution to tackle transferring your videotapes to digital files with a reasonable & accurate prediction for costs and time required.

SAMMA tape migration delivers value, whether you have a few hundred tapes or thousands.

More Info & Contact Us

Preserving the Past

A Gateway to Accessibility and Preservation

Cassette case tapes, discs, open reel videotapes like 1 inch and 2 inch quad can all be digitized with working machines. The longer you wait the bigger chance you take for loss of the content.
Turn your videotapes into valuable digital assets for re-use or monetization and to preserve the past along with your previous investment to create and store those videotapes.


In the digital era, the migration of videotape archives is not just a matter of transferring audio and video; it’s about preserving the integrity of historical content. As we move away from analog storage, the risk of losing invaluable data forever looms large. The digitization of analog content is more than a technical necessity; it’s a means to ensure that future generations have access to the past. By digitizing video tapes, we’re not only preventing their loss but also making it easier for people to explore and learn from historical content. 

GrayMeta’s SAMMA product line stands at the forefront of solving the complex challenges of video tape migration. Our expertise in archiving and migration process is recognized globally, and we take pride in assisting the world’s largest archives in safeguarding their content. 

Our commitment extends beyond our products and services. We believe in supporting all archives in their quest to preserve history, regardless of whether they use our products and systems.

At GrayMeta, we understand that it’s not just about the technology; it’s about the legacy that technology helps protect. 

SAMMA Features for Quality Control

SAMMA eye video configuration settings screen: set thresholds for quality before you digitize your tapes.

SAMMA Eye:
Intelligent QC for Tape Migrations

Manually verifying video migrations is impractical, but
SAMMA Eye makes quality control effortless.
This advanced system monitors VTR channel conditions,
signal integrity, dropouts, and more, providing real-time analysis
of every frame. Users can set thresholds to halt migrations
when predefined criteria are met, ensuring only
valid content is preserved.

SAMMA Stats provides a flexible dashboard to track your progress in migrating videotapes and provides data to establish ROI.

SAMMA Stats: Real-Time Insights for Seamless Video Tape Migration

SAMMA Stats is a customizable dashboard that gives archivists
and service providers instant access to the data they need.
Monitor operator and VTR hours, track migration success rates, identify errors, and optimize workflows—all in real time.
Whether it’s guiding preventative maintenance or delivering
billing transparency, SAMMA Stats ensures every migration
is data-driven, efficient, and fully under control.

With SAMMA Metadata Viewer and Iris Play, operators can quickly assess migration quality through detailed XML reports from SAMMA Eye, and view frame-based playback with a free copy of Iris Play. Fast, precise, and reliable QC!

SAMMA Metadata Viewer

With SAMMA Metadata Viewer and Iris Play, operators can quickly assess migration quality through detailed XML reports from SAMMA Eye, and view frame-based playback with a free copy of Iris Play. Fast, precise, and reliable QC!