Downloads first, with physical copies as an option
The delivery description says conversion is completed within 1-2 weeks of receiving the tapes. You then receive a Dropbox link to download the videos, plus a DVD if you selected one. That gives you a clear starting point for planning, although it is sensible to confirm the current schedule before ordering, particularly if the recordings are needed for a birthday or reunion.
Mike Makes also states a charge of $5 per tape if you would like the recordings on DVDs or USB drives. Treat that as the published physical-copy charge, not the total conversion price. Request a complete quote covering the conversion itself, your chosen copies, any applicable taxes and shipping. The wording does not settle how many recordings go on each drive, so ask how a multi-tape order will be organized.
Arrange a La Crosse handover before setting off
The provider says people living near La Crosse can arrange a drop-off and return to save mailing costs. This is an arrangement to make directly, rather than a reason to assume there is a public counter. The website explains that Mike Makes works from home and keeps the address private. Agree on the meeting details before planning a journey.
For mailed orders, the VHS service says you must cover return shipping if you want the tapes returned by mail. Make that request explicitly and confirm the amount and method with your quote. Photograph the cassette labels, make a short inventory, and keep a copy of the list before packing. Use packaging that prevents the cassettes from shifting, and retain the mailing receipt until the originals and files are accounted for.
Sort a mixed collection by the labels on the media
The conversion list includes VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Mini DV, audio cassette, DVD and CD. That range may help when a family collection contains more than full-size VHS cassettes. Describe exactly what you have when asking about an order. In particular, the label 8mm needs clarification if you are unsure whether your item is a tape or a film reel; do not assume the same service covers both.
Keep the media in groups and assign simple numbers that connect each item to your inventory. Note any handwritten titles, likely dates and known problems. A cassette marked Christmas may contain several years, so an approximate date range is more useful than an invented precise date. If a tape has visible mold, broken casing or damaged tape, describe it to the provider before handling or attempting playback, and ask whether it can be accepted.
Choose copies around how your family will watch
A downloaded file is useful for saving, organizing and sharing, while a physical copy may suit a relative who already uses a compatible player or computer. Before ordering, ask which file format you will receive, whether separate tapes become separate files, and whether your preferred devices can play them. These are questions to resolve with the provider, rather than assumptions about the download.
Once the files arrive, save them promptly and check each against the inventory. Watch the beginning, a section in the middle and the ending; listen for sound and look for missing material. Keep the first downloaded files unchanged, with a separate copy for edits or shorter clips. Maintain another backup in a different place and keep the original tapes. A download link is a delivery route, not your long-term backup plan.
Let relatives add the names and dates afterward
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not convert tapes and is not part of Mike Makes. The free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. Check the size of your files before choosing what to upload; the allowance is not unlimited.
Invite relatives to help identify people and add comments or stories. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, making it easier to find recordings by year even when a cassette label gives only a rough clue. An uncle might recognize a holiday location, while a cousin remembers which summer everyone gathered there.
For a reunion, Live Watch Parties synchronize an uploaded home video through the host's play, pause and seek controls, with voice and text chat for relatives nearby or far away. Free Watch Parties allow 3 hours per month and 6 participants. Event Memories can collect the reunion's new photos and videos through a secure occasion contribution link. Contributors sign in but do not need archive membership; uploads go into the event album, and closing the link keeps the collected memories.