Decide between a disc and files before pricing the collection
Create A Video lists conversion to DVD or digital files at $19.95 per tape, reduced to $14.95 per tape for 10 or more. Choosing DVD and digital files together costs $24.95 per tape, or $19.95 per tape for 10 or more. Those are two distinct options: the higher-priced service includes both outputs. Keep that distinction in mind when comparing a quote with another provider or discussing the order with relatives.
A DVD may suit someone who still uses a disc player. Digital files are a practical choice for organizing videos on a computer, making backups, and uploading selected recordings to a private family archive. Before ordering, ask which video file format you will receive and whether it plays on your intended devices. The published delivery description mentions a flash drive and/or DVD, but does not establish the video file extension or whether storage media, tax, or shipping are included in the tape prices. Request a complete quote for your chosen output.
Check the smaller cassettes as well as the VHS tapes
The transfer list includes VHS, Hi-8mm, Beta, VHS-C, Mini DV, and 3/4 tapes. Create A Video also lists PAL VHS and DVDs to NTSC conversion. If a relative recorded overseas, mention that detail when you enquire instead of assuming every VHS cassette has the same recording standard. Describe any unfamiliar labels and ask the business to confirm the format before sending it.
Give each cassette a simple number and make a matching inventory. Record the label wording, any likely occasion, and whether you have doubts about its condition. Keep uncertain dates uncertain; a penciled note saying “possibly a summer holiday” is more useful than an invented date. Ask about damaged shells, mold, or tapes that previously jammed, and avoid testing a questionable cassette just to see what happens. This preparation is general guidance, rather than a stated repair policy from Create A Video.
Plan a Mint Hill drop-off or a shipment
Create A Video says customers can drop off or ship their video tapes. Its published store location is 8300 Fairview Rd., Mint Hill, NC 28227, with hours listed as Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Contact the business before your visit or shipment to settle the order details and confirm arrangements.
The published estimate for most VHS transfer orders is 1-2 weeks, with large orders potentially requiring additional time. Treat that as an estimate for VHS orders, particularly if you are aiming for a birthday or reunion. Allow time after conversion to check the files and prepare anything you want to show. For shipping, keep a copy of your inventory and ask how to package the tapes and arrange their return.
Match the returned recordings to your tape list
Create A Video states that completed orders include all original tapes alongside the new flash drive and/or DVD copies. When the order comes back, match the originals and converted recordings against your inventory. Open each digital video, check the beginning and end, and sample the middle for picture and sound. A legible filename can help relatives tell a graduation apart from a holiday without opening every recording.
Keep the original tapes while you review the results. Copy digital files to a second storage location before relying on the delivered drive as your only copy. Ask relatives to help identify people or places, but preserve the original transferred files when adding names or making shorter viewing copies. These are practical steps for managing your own collection, not additional services promised by the provider.
Bring relatives into the story after conversion
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not convert physical tapes and is not part of Create A Video. You can upload photos and home videos, invite relatives, organize albums, and add comments or stories. The free allowance is 2.0 GB shared across the archive, with no card needed. Check file sizes when deciding which recordings to upload first.
Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping the family find memories by year even when an old cassette label is incomplete. For a reunion, a Live Watch Party can synchronize an uploaded home video for relatives nearby or far away. The host controls play, pause, and seek, with voice and text chat alongside playback. The free plan includes 3 hours per month and up to 6 participants.
Event Memories can collect the new reunion photos alongside that rediscovered footage. A secure occasion contribution link lets people sign in and add photos or videos without becoming archive members. Contributions go into the event album, and closing the link keeps the collected memories. An older recording can then have names and family context around it, while the present-day occasion has its own place in the archive.