Recording length is the starting point for a quote
The services page lists an up to 1 hour recording at $15, 1 hour to 2 hour at $20, and 2 hour to 3 hour at $25. These figures appear under the service for converting VHS, camcorder and video camera tapes to USB. They are useful published reference points, but ask Graham's Video Service to confirm the current charge for your actual tapes before agreeing to the work.
The wording leaves practical questions open. Confirm how an exact one-hour or two-hour recording is charged, whether pricing applies separately to each cassette, and how a recording longer than three hours is handled. Also ask whether the USB device is included and how tax is treated. A capacity marking on a tape may describe its available recording time rather than how much footage it contains, so distinguish recording length from cassette capacity when requesting an estimate.
VHS and camcorder tapes, with USB as the destination
Graham's Video Service describes its offering as converting all types of VHS, camcorder and video camera tapes to USB. VHS is therefore an expressly advertised service. The broader camcorder description is helpful, although it does not name each cassette format individually. If your collection mixes large VHS tapes with smaller camera cassettes, give the business the format printed on each shell and ask it to confirm compatibility.
USB describes the delivery medium; it does not establish the file format, resolution or how recordings are divided. Decide where you want to watch the result, such as a computer or television, then ask what files you will receive and whether that device can play them. If later family sharing matters, explain that too. You can then choose an output with your intended use in mind.
Arrange the Hoon Hay handover with a clear tape list
The contact page gives 38 C Gainsborough Street, Hoon Hay, Christchurch, 8025 and opening hours of 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday. It also provides an email contact. Use those details to arrange the handover and establish expected completion timing before making a journey, especially if someone else will bring or collect the tapes.
Prepare a short numbered list with each tape's format, existing label and any known contents. Photograph the labels before adding removable numbers, and keep the list yourself. Flag visible damage or suspected mould and ask whether the tape can be assessed; do not open the cassette or attempt a repair. Mention any recording that matters especially to the family, without assuming that extra restoration or editing is included.
Make the first USB useful before processing a whole collection
For a mixed collection, consider asking about converting a small initial batch. Choose recordings with known contents so you can compare the returned files with what you remember. This is a practical way to settle questions about playback, file names and organisation before committing every tape.
When the files arrive, play the beginning, middle and end of each recording. Check picture and sound together, and try the device on which the family intends to watch. Record any unexpected gaps or playback problems clearly. Keep the original tapes and make a separate backup of the digital files before reorganising them. A USB stick is convenient for delivery, but having only one copy leaves the memories vulnerable to loss or damage.
From converted files to dates, stories and a shared screening
After conversion, Memrial offers a separate private family archive for digital memories. It does not convert tapes and is separate from Graham's Video Service. The free allowance is 2.0 GB shared across the archive, with no card needed. Check your video sizes when choosing what to upload first.
Invite relatives to help identify people and add stories. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, so a holiday remembered only by its likely year can still be found by year. Keep the original tape label in your notes when a date remains uncertain.
A Live Watch Party synchronises an uploaded home video, with the host controlling play, pause and seek while relatives nearby or far away use voice and text chat. The free allowance is 3 hours per month with up to 6 participants. For a family anniversary, Event Memories provides a secure occasion contribution link. Contributors sign in but do not need archive membership; their photos and videos collect in the event album. Closing the link keeps those memories.