Start with the VHS tapes you most want to watch
The published VHS starting price is a starting point for a conversation, rather than a complete cost for your collection. Ask what the £25 covers, how tape length affects the quote, and whether there are separate charges for the chosen output or delivery. The published statement does not specify VAT treatment or a processing time, so obtain those details alongside the total price.
Before enquiring, count the cassettes and write down their labels without changing them. Give each tape a simple reference number and photograph its case. If one says only 'Christmas', ask relatives which year they remember before replacing that uncertainty with a firm date. Mention mould, a broken shell, loose tape or playback trouble to the provider and ask whether it can assess the cassette. Avoid opening or repeatedly playing a damaged tape yourself.
Separate the 8mm reels from the 35mm slides
Memories on Film also advertises transfer of old 8mm cine films to DVD, CD or USB from as little as £30. Its slide service describes transferring 35mm slides to DVD, CD, USB or hard drive, at resolutions between 3000 and 7000dpi. These are distinct services: neither the cine starting price nor the slide resolution should be used to estimate a VHS job.
For a mixed collection, make three inventories and ask for each part to be quoted separately. Record any writing on reel boxes and keep slide trays in their existing order. For slides, explain whether you want convenient viewing copies, images for printing, or both, and ask which scanning resolution suits that use. For cine film, describe the reels you have and let the provider confirm their suitability rather than guessing from the box alone.
Agree what DVD, CD or USB means for your order
The website lists DVD, CD and USB for both VHS and 8mm cine transfers. A delivery medium does not by itself tell you the file format or how you will play it. Ask whether the finished order includes ordinary video files, a disc designed for playback, or another arrangement, and name the devices you expect to use. This is particularly useful if one relative wants a disc while another wants to watch on a computer.
If you plan to keep and share digital copies, request clear filenames tied to your inventory. Ask whether long recordings are divided into several files and how the original material will be returned. Keep the originals after conversion, label them carefully and store a separate backup of the delivered files. A USB stick is convenient for handing material over, but should not be your only copy.
The book option is a separate family-history project
Alongside transfers, the website describes The Book of Your Film: a hardback made after a film has been created, featuring a transcription and room for additional photographs, anecdotes, recipes or other personal details. It starts at £169, with extra copies from £40 each. The stated inclusions cover professional transcription, scanning prints or slides, collation, design, printing and postage and packing; an electronic proof can be sent before printing.
Treat this as a separate enquiry about its film-and-book offering. The description does not establish that a basic VHS transfer includes a book or qualifies for that package. If it interests you, ask which film it refers to, what material is needed and what the final quote includes.
Check the files, then bring relatives into the archive
When files arrive, open each one and check the beginning, middle and end for picture and sound. Compare filenames with your inventory and note any problems precisely before contacting the converter. Then make a backup before reorganising or renaming anything.
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion; it does not digitise tapes and is not part of Memories on Film. Its free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. Albums, comments and stories let relatives add context, while Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates so a loosely dated holiday can still be found by year.
A birthday gathering could become the occasion to watch an uploaded home video together. Live Watch Parties synchronise playback, 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. Event Memories adds a secure occasion contribution link: contributors sign in without needing archive membership, their photos and videos enter the event album, and closing the link retains the memories.