Match the recording to Birchwood's audio formats
Birchwood's transfer list includes vinyl records at 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm, audio cassettes, audio CDs and MiniDiscs. It also specifically mentions old non-commercial 78 rpm records, including custom records. That last category may be especially relevant when a family's recording looks like a record but contains a personal performance or message. Describe the item and its label when you enquire, rather than assuming every disc needs the same treatment.
For reel-to-reel audio, the published specification is 2-track and 4-track, 1/4-inch tape on reels up to 7 inches. Check the reel diameter and photograph any box notes. Birchwood also lists digital audio files and Alesis HD24 formatted hard drives with or without caddies. If you inherited a collection without the equipment that made it, these identifying details help frame a useful first conversation.
A Hi8 reference needs a closer look
One entry deserves care: Birchwood lists Tascam DTRS with Hi8 video tapes, specifying 16 and 24 bit at 44.1 and 48 kHz. This appears within its audio transfer offering. It does not establish conversion of ordinary Hi8 home movies, and it should not be read as evidence of VHS conversion. The same list includes DAT digital audio tapes at 16 bit, 22, 44.1 and 48 kHz.
For a mixed collection, separate the audio recordings from the home-video tapes and identify the recorder where possible. Ask directly whether Birchwood can handle each video format. A photograph of the cassette, its markings and the original camera or recorder can make that question much easier to answer. Keep any uncertain items aside until their format and the service required are agreed.
Choose files you can keep and easily listen to
Birchwood names MP3, standard WAV files and audio CD discs among its transfer outputs, with a reference to Apple iTunes. Its digital audio delivery options include DVD/CD, USB sticks, SD cards and download. There are two decisions here: the kind of audio file you want, and how you will receive it. A USB stick is a delivery medium; it does not by itself specify the files inside.
Explain whether you want convenient listening copies, files to keep for future use, or both. Ask whether recordings can be divided into clearly named tracks and whether side changes will be marked. Before placing the order, request the total quote, expected completion time and any delivery charges. Agreeing those details gives you a concrete plan for opening, copying and sharing the returned files.
Prepare the shipment and account for the originals
Birchwood describes an order process involving its order form, shipping the tapes or records, and transfer of the recordings. It says it will return the original recordings and digital audio if applicable. Confirm the shipping destination and return arrangements before packing, especially if you are working from an older label or contact note. The published shipping option concerns the audio transfer service.
Make a numbered inventory and photograph labels before items leave your care. Keep discs in protective sleeves and tapes in their cases, with packing that stops them moving. If a cassette is cracked, a reel looks uneven, or there is visible contamination, describe the condition first and ask whether it can be assessed. Avoid testing a fragile recording simply to discover its contents. Include useful notes without covering the original labels.
Put the voices back into the family story
When the files arrive, listen to the beginnings and endings and sample the middle of each recording. Check names against your inventory, then keep another copy on a separate device. Retain the originals. Invite relatives to help identify speakers and occasions; save their recollections alongside your file notes, distinguishing an approximate date from a certain one.
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion, not a tape converter or part of Birchwood Recording. Its free allowance is 2.0 GB shared across the archive, with no card needed. For accompanying photos and home videos, Timeline uses exact or approximate dates to help relatives find memories by year. A birthday photograph might help place a newly recovered voice in context.
For an uploaded home video, Live Watch Parties synchronize playback with host play, pause and seek controls plus voice and text chat for relatives near or far. The free allowance is 3 hours monthly with up to 6 participants. For a reunion, Event Memories provides a secure occasion contribution link: contributors sign in but need no archive membership, their photos and videos enter the event album, and closing the link retains the memories.