Let the tape format and recording length lead the quote
Diteli publishes VHS transfer prices of £10 per tape for up to 60 minutes and £15 per tape for over 60 minutes. Its Betamax figures are £15 per tape up to 60 minutes and £20 per tape over 60 minutes. VHS-C, Video8/Hi8/Digital8 and Mini DV each appear at £10 - £15 per tape. Keep those format distinctions when estimating a mixed collection; the VHS bands should not be applied to every cassette.
The published figures are a starting point for an enquiry. Ask for a current total covering your actual recordings, delivery choice and any additional work, and clarify the tax treatment. A cassette’s printed capacity does not necessarily tell you how much was recorded. If you cannot safely play it, describe the label and let the provider explain how recording length is established.
Choose files for keeping, discs for familiar viewing
Once tapes have been transferred to digital files, Diteli lists DVD copies at £9 per disc, with a maximum of two hours of footage. USB sticks start at £10 for 32GB, and download links are another published option. These are delivery details, so distinguish them from the transfer charge when asking for your total.
Consider the person who will actually watch the recording. A DVD may suit a relative with a familiar player, while files can be more convenient for organising and backing up. Ask which file type will be supplied and whether it works with your intended device or archive. Before relying on a download, check how long you have to retrieve it and save a separate copy.
Arrange collection and the return of your originals together
Diteli says it can collect tapes local to the business and drop them back. That is worth discussing if you are enquiring from the Crowborough listing area, but the published statement does not define a collection boundary or appointment schedule. Agree the arrangements directly before planning a handover.
For postal orders, the website asks customers to use signed for or special delivery options. It also says return postage is added to the final bill if you want the tapes back. Request that return explicitly. Photograph the labels, make a numbered inventory and pack the cassettes securely with your contact details. Keep the inventory so you can match each returned original to its digital recording.
Flag difficult tapes before anyone tries playback
The website describes a baking unit for certain problem tapes affected by sticky-shed syndrome, and states that such tapes would need at least 12 hours of treatment to be suitable for playback. This is a preparation detail for problem material, not a promise that an order will be finished in 12 hours. Discuss the condition of each affected tape and any extra costs before authorising work.
Tell the provider about mould, broken housings, previous playback trouble or tapes that have been stored somewhere damp. Ask whether assessment or repair is possible for that particular format. Avoid attempting the treatment yourself. If there is a deadline, such as a family gathering, request a realistic completion estimate that allows for inspection and any necessary preparation.
Separate the cine reels from the camcorder cassettes
Diteli also lists digital transfers for 8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm and 35mm film, plus an audio offering covering reel to reel, cassette, DAT, MP3 and WAV. A family collection might therefore merit more than one enquiry. Keep film reels, video tapes and audio recordings identified separately, and request the appropriate quote for each.
Once files arrive, watch samples from the beginning, middle and end of each recording, check the sound and compare them with your inventory. Retain the originals and make backups in separate places. Invite an older relative to help identify people or dates; record uncertainty honestly instead of turning a guess into a firm label.
Turn a completed transfer into a private family viewing
Memrial is a separate private family archive for the digital memories after conversion. It does not convert tapes and is not part of Diteli’s service. Its free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. You can invite relatives, organise photos and home videos into albums, and add stories or comments.
Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping you find memories by year even when an old cassette gives only a rough summer date. Live Watch Parties synchronise an uploaded home video, with host play, pause and seek controls plus voice and text chat for relatives nearby or far away. The free allowance is three hours monthly with up to six participants.
For a birthday gathering, Event Memories provides a secure occasion contribution link. Contributors sign in but need no archive membership; their photos and videos go into the event album. Closing the link keeps the collected memories, so the new celebration can sit alongside the older recordings.