A transfer enquiry that starts with the cassette condition
Duplicate Image specifically describes restoration for contaminated VHS, Video 8 and Betamax. Its prices also list video tape repairs from £5. Neither statement guarantees that every damaged recording can be recovered, so describe the problem before sending anything: visible contamination, a broken shell, loose tape or a cassette that previously jammed. Ask whether assessment, cleaning and repair would be separate charges for your particular recording.
Avoid testing a visibly contaminated or damaged tape in a household player. Keep it separate from other cassettes and explain what you have noticed. A photograph of the case and label can help without opening the cassette or attempting a repair yourself.
DVD pricing and the decision to request USB files
The published videotape to DVD rate is £12 to £15 per 2-hour disc, including enhancements. The format-specific entry covers VHS and VHSC, Super VHS, Betamax, Video 8 including Hi8 and Digital 8, Mini DV and DV Cam. This is a disc-based price: it should not be read as a flat charge for every cassette, regardless of duration.
Video to USB transfers are also advertised, but the DVD rate does not establish the cost or file specification of a USB order. Request a quote covering running time, output, repairs and delivery, and ask how tax applies. For a family archive, ask for a usable video file and confirm its format before work starts. Ask what the included enhancements involve, too.
Separate camcorder tapes, cine reels and sound recordings
A collection can contain media that look related but need different handling. Duplicate Image advertises cleaning and splicing for 9.5mm, 8mm and 16mm film where required before transfer to DVD. Its film transfer page also names standard/Super 8 silent and sound film and DVD or memory stick outputs. Audio services cover vinyl 45s, LPs and 78s, audio cassettes and reel-to-reel tape transfers to CD with sound enhancement.
Make an inventory with separate groups for video cassettes, film reels and audio. Number each item, note its label and record approximate dates. Do not treat an audio or film quote as the price of a VHS transfer. For a mixed order, request a breakdown by medium and output so the estimate is easy to check.
Arrange the handover before travelling or posting
Duplicate Image offers a collection/delivery service in Cornwall as an alternative to posting or getting to the business. Its website also advertises a postal service and says personal collection is available by appointment if needed. Contact it first to agree the arrangement that suits your order, including any collection area restrictions, costs and the return of originals.
For a postal order, ask for packing instructions and keep an inventory. Numbered cases help match returned recordings to your notes. Agree a completion estimate directly; the description of a fast postal service does not provide a definite processing time. Keep the agreed work and output choices with your list.
Check the recording before putting the originals away
When your digital recordings arrive, play each on your intended device. Check the beginning, several points through the middle and the ending, listening as well as watching. Compare the result with your inventory and raise missing sections or unexpected problems promptly.
Keep the original tapes and reels after conversion. For digital files, retain a separate backup alongside the copy you use for everyday viewing. Invite a relative to help identify people and occasions while you watch: a remembered surname or rough year can make an otherwise anonymous recording much easier to find later. Keep uncertain dates approximate rather than turning a guess into a precise claim.
From the returned video to a private family archive
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not convert physical tapes and is not part of Duplicate Image. Its free plan provides 2.0 GB of shared archive storage, with no card needed. You can invite relatives, organise 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 birthday gathering, a Live Watch Party could bring relatives together around an uploaded home video. Playback stays synchronised, with host play, pause and seek controls plus voice and text chat for people nearby or far away. Free Watch Parties allow 3 hours monthly and up to 6 participants.
Event Memories can collect new photos and videos from that occasion through a secure contribution link. Contributors sign in but do not need archive membership; their uploads go into the event album. Closing the link keeps the collected memories, ready to sit alongside the older recordings.