MP4 files and the new-drive requirement
The San Antonio videotape-to-MP4 page describes digital files for watching, sharing or editing, using compression for smaller file sizes. The published prices are $44.95 each for one tape, $34.95 each for two to four, $26.95 each for five to nine, and $22.95 each for ten or more. Those quantity bands make a complete tape count helpful before requesting a quote.
There is also a practical requirement to settle before drop-off: all digital file transfers require a new, in-package hard drive or USB drive. Dub King says it can supply a drive for an additional charge. Ask what capacity is appropriate for your collection, what that additional charge would be, and whether any taxes or other charges apply. Get the current total and expected completion date before proceeding.
If you hope to upload the recordings to a family archive, ask about file size as well as compatibility. Keep a complete copy of the delivered files on your own storage even if you later choose selected videos to share online.
The DVD option has a specific recording limit
Dub King lists VHS, VHS-C, 8mm and MiniDV tapes for DVD transfer in SP speed, with up to 120 minutes from one tape to one disc. Its published DVD price bands are $26.95 for one, $22.95 for two to six, $19.95 for seven to nineteen, $17.95 for twenty to forty-nine, and $16.95 for fifty or more.
The SP condition and 120-minute limit matter as much as the price. If a cassette contains a long recording or was recorded at another speed, describe it when you inquire and ask how it would be handled and charged. Do not assume a DVD price covers an MP4 copy too. Confirm the output you are ordering, particularly if different relatives want different ways to watch.
For someone who still regularly uses a DVD player, a disc may be convenient. For a family that expects to organize recordings on computers and share them privately, digital files are worth discussing. Neither decision needs to be made on price alone.
Check the San Antonio details before visiting
Dub King has separate San Antonio and Austin information, so use the San Antonio contact details for this inquiry. The San Antonio website gives 210-979-8779 and [email protected]. It publishes hours of Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 am to 6:30 pm, and Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, with Sunday and Monday closed.
The San Antonio website publishes Suite 306 at 3201 Cherry Ridge Dr, which our address listing now reflects. Call to confirm where to bring the tapes and whether arrangements are needed for your visit. A quick conversation before traveling helps you plan the handover of a valuable collection.
Keep a record of what each cassette contains
Number each cassette and photograph its label before handing it over. A short inventory might read “School concert, probably late nineties.” Ask relatives for names and likely dates while the physical labels are still available. Their recollections can be saved alongside the finished video without treating an uncertain date as a known fact.
Mention cracked shells, loose tape, mold or past playback problems when requesting advice. Ask whether the provider can assess damaged tapes and what any extra work would cost. Avoid opening a cassette or repeatedly testing one that seems unsafe to play.
When the files arrive, compare them with your inventory. Play the beginning, a middle section and the end of each recording; check sound, orientation and whether the expected scenes are present. Raise unexplained gaps promptly. Keep the original cassettes and make a second digital copy stored separately from the first.
Let relatives add context 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 Dub King. Its free plan includes 2.0 GB of shared archive storage, with no card needed. You can invite relatives, organize photos and home videos into albums, and add comments and stories.
Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping the family find memories by year. For a reunion, that could mean placing an old picnic video around the right summer and asking cousins to identify the people in it.
Live Watch Parties synchronize an uploaded home video, with the host controlling play, pause and seek and relatives using voice or text chat nearby or far away. The free allowance is three hours monthly with up to six participants. Event Memories offers 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 keeps those memories.