What the published service includes
Slides2disk's video transfer page names four tape formats: VHS, Video 8, miniDV and Hi8. If your collection mixes television-sized cassettes with smaller camcorder tapes, make a separate list for each format. Check unfamiliar labels with the provider rather than assuming every small cassette belongs to a supported format.
The website gives a two-hour limit for each DVD and says longer recordings are split across two DVDs. Its prices page also describes the film title being printed on the white DVD surface, with the disc supplied in a clear-fronted CD case. For USB delivery, ask which video file format you will receive and whether it plays on your intended devices.
Read the tape prices alongside the duration
The published tape-to-DVD prices are £14.00 for one tape of up to 2 hours transferred to one DVD, and £19.00 for one tape of up to 4 hours transferred to two DVDs. A separate Camcorder Tapes category lists £13.00 for one tape of up to 2 hours on one DVD, or £18.00 for one tape of up to 4 hours on two DVDs.
These figures describe DVD transfers. They do not establish the cost of a USB order. Request a quote that identifies your tape types, recording lengths and chosen output, and ask how any unknown durations will be handled. The supplied price information does not specify VAT treatment, USB charges or processing time, so confirm those details when planning an order.
Prepare a useful inventory before arranging delivery
Number each cassette and note its existing label, approximate date and anything you already know about the recording. A simple entry such as 'Tape C, summer holiday, probably late nineties' is more useful than guessing an exact date. Photograph the labels and keep a copy of your inventory so you can match the returned recordings to the originals.
Look for visible damage or mould without opening the cassette or attempting repairs. Ask whether affected tapes can be assessed before sending them. Slides2disk's website welcomes personal delivery of films by appointment; arrange your own tape handover in advance. Its contact page names Michael Bennett and gives an address on Mawney Road in Romford. Confirm arrangements directly before travelling.
Choose an output you will actually use
Start with how your family watches things now. A DVD may suit someone who still uses a disc player; video files may be more convenient for a computer or an online family archive. Since Slides2disk offers DVD or USB, explain your intended use and ask what each option includes. A USB stick is a delivery medium, so the files themselves still need to be compatible with your devices.
Once your order comes back, compare it with your inventory. Play the beginning, middle and end of every recording, listen to the sound and check that any split discs follow the right order. Keep the original tapes and save a second digital copy in a separate place. Check the recordings before deciding how to store or distribute them.
Give the converted recordings a family home
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not convert tapes and is not part of Slides2disk's service. Its free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. Invite relatives, arrange photos and home videos into albums, and add comments or stories that explain what the camera missed.
The Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping you find memories by year even when a cassette label is vague. You might date a holiday to the late nineties, then ask a relative whether they recognise the campsite. Live Watch Parties synchronise an uploaded home video for relatives nearby or far away, with the host controlling play, pause and seek, plus voice and text chat. The free allowance is 3 hours per month with up to 6 participants.
For a family reunion, 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 memories already gathered.