VHS, camcorder tapes and the rest of the collection
Mtek Media lists VHS, VHS-C, Digital8, MicroMV and MiniDV among the formats it can transfer. Its FAQ also names Super8 and film reels. If your family collection mixes full-size videotapes with smaller camcorder cassettes, identify each type before requesting a quote. Keep film reels separate from tapes so the estimate can describe each medium clearly.
Make a simple inventory with a number for each item and the wording already on its label. A relative may recognize a wedding, school performance or vacation that you cannot date yourself. Record those recollections separately instead of changing the original label. Tell the provider about broken shells, tangled tape or signs of damage, and ask whether assessment or repair is available before attempting playback.
The price difference between a disc and a file
The FAQ publishes $18 for DVD only, $17 for an MP4 video file on a flash drive plus the cost of the drive, and $22 for both DVD and MP4 on a flash drive plus the drive cost. The home page also states $18 per tape. Ask for an itemized total for your chosen option, including how the charge applies to your recordings and whether any additional charges apply.
Mtek sells USB 3.0 flash drives. Its prices page says the drive is selected according to the number of videos and file size, with all tapes saved onto one drive and the drive price varying by capacity. The transfer figure therefore does not tell you the complete flash drive order cost. Ask what capacity your collection needs and whether your own drive can be used.
An MP4 file is a practical choice when you want to copy recordings to another storage device or upload them to a private archive. A DVD can suit relatives who already use a DVD player. If you order both, decide which copy will be used day to day and which will be kept safely, then check that your intended equipment plays the result.
Check the schedule and the handover details
The website gives different timing descriptions: its services page says less than two weeks, while the home page says most orders take less than 2-4 weeks. Neither provides a dependable completion date for a particular collection. If you hope to show a recording at a birthday or anniversary, ask for a current estimate before placing the order and leave time to check the finished files.
The FAQ describes DVDs in standard cases, each disc labeled with its associated content, and the order placed in an Mtek Media box. That describes the finished packaging; it does not explicitly confirm how original tapes are returned. Agree on the return of every original and use your inventory to check the handover.
Make your own copies while the order is fresh
Mtek Media says it erases video data after a successful transfer and does not normally keep customer video copies. Keeping a copy requires a special request and an additional charge. That makes your own backup plan especially useful: treat the delivered drive as the starting point for preservation, rather than the only place your recordings will live.
Open each file, check the beginning and end, and sample several points for picture and sound. Match filenames to your inventory so an unlabeled clip does not become a new mystery. Copy the files to another storage location and confirm those copies open too. Keep the original tapes in a dry, stable place even after transfer; a digital copy does not require you to discard them.
From transferred footage to a private family archive
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not transfer tapes and is not part of Mtek Media. You can upload home videos and photos, organize albums, invite relatives, and add comments or stories. The free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. Check file sizes before choosing what to upload.
Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping relatives find memories by year even when the tape only says summer vacation. Live Watch Parties synchronize an uploaded home video, with host play, pause and seek controls plus voice and text chat for relatives nearby or far away. Free Watch Parties include 3 hours per month and up to 6 participants.
For an anniversary gathering, 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 the collected memories. That can bring a newly converted anniversary film together with pictures and recollections from relatives who were there.