Start with the format, not just the word video
The magnetic tape entry lists VHS-C, Video 8, Hi 8 and Mini DV at £6.00. It does not explain a recording-length allowance, the charging unit, what delivery medium is included or the tax treatment. Treat that figure as a published starting point for your enquiry and request a total for the actual tapes you have. Do not assume that every format suggested by the entry's broader wording is accepted.
Before contacting the business, read the markings on each cassette and photograph any unclear labels. Similar-looking recordings may need different playback equipment. Make a short inventory with format, quantity and any known running times. Flag a cracked shell, loose tape or signs of mould without trying to repair it yourself. Ask whether it can be assessed before transfer, rather than expecting restoration as part of the service.
Price the voices and cine reels separately
ConvertOldAudio's price list gives £4.00 per audio tape cassette and a £3.50 figure for five or more audio tape cassettes. A separate reel-to-reel entry, described as other speeds, starts from £10.00 per tape. These are audio prices, so they should not be used to estimate a video order. Ask how the cassette quantity rate applies and what the reel-to-reel description means for your recording.
For cine film, the business states that it transfers Standard 8 and Super 8. Its price entry is £8.00 per 3 inch reel, with other sizes on request. It also lists 35mm slides or negatives at £0.10 each. If you are combining media, request an itemised quote with each format kept separate. Confirm the current figures, any extra charges and the expected completion date before agreeing to the work.
The audio output list does not settle the video output
The audio services page offers several destinations, including Audio CD, MP3-format CD, DVD, USB drive and an external portable hard drive or media player. It also mentions MP3 players, many mobile phone types, cassette tape and Mini disc. These choices describe audio transfers. They do not establish which file types or delivery media are offered for VHS-C or other video recordings.
Choose an output around how the recordings will be used. For audio, ask which option will play on the intended device and whether you can also receive files for backup. For video, ask explicitly about downloadable or USB-delivered files, their format and whether they will play on your computer. If editing or uploading is part of your plan, explain that before booking so the agreed output suits those uses.
Make the High Wycombe enquiry concrete
The website's contact address is in Holmer Green, High Wycombe, and it publishes a telephone number and email address. Contact the business before taking recordings to the listed address. The address alone does not establish walk-in hours or a drop-off arrangement. A concise enquiry describing the formats and quantities will make it easier to establish what can be accepted and how to hand it over.
Keep a copy of your inventory and assign each item a simple number. Ask an older relative to help identify people or occasions while the original labels are still available. Separate certain information from guesses: a pencilled year may be reliable, while a season or approximate decade may be all anyone remembers. These notes can later become useful filenames and descriptions without changing the original recording.
Check the transfer before putting the originals away
When the files arrive, compare them with your inventory. Open each one, check the beginning and end, and sample points in the middle for picture and sound. For audio cassettes, check that the expected sides are accounted for. Report missing material or playback problems promptly, with the item number and the point in the recording where the issue occurs.
Retain the originals and keep at least two digital copies in separate places. A labelled drive is useful, but it should not be the only copy. Preserve the delivered files before making edits, and give relatives separate viewing copies where helpful. A short description of who appears, where the recording was made and who identified it is often more valuable than a long, uncertain title.
Let relatives add the context after conversion
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion; it does not digitise tapes and is not part of ConvertOldAudio. Its free plan provides 2.0 GB shared across the archive, with no card needed. Add photos and home videos to albums, invite relatives, and use Timeline with exact or approximate dates to find memories by year.
A family birthday could be a reason to revisit a transferred home video together. Live Watch Parties synchronise an uploaded video, with host play, pause and seek controls plus voice and text chat for relatives nearby or far away. The free allowance is 3 hours monthly and 6 participants. Event Memories provides a secure occasion contribution link: contributors sign in without needing archive membership, their photos and videos enter the event album, and closing the link retains the memories.