A mixed collection needs separate estimates
Studio 85 publishes an audio cassette rate of $14.99/tape for the first two hours. Cassettes over two hours incur an additional $5.00 per hour on the corresponding cassette. For 8mm and Super 8 film, the published rate is $0.30/foot for reels without sound, with an additional $0.05 per foot on the corresponding reel when it has sound. These are separate services with different charging units; neither figure is a VHS price.
Before requesting an estimate, divide your collection into audio cassettes, film reels and video tapes. Note any running times or reel lengths already written on their cases, but describe uncertain labels as uncertain. Ask for an itemized estimate, the currency used and any applicable taxes or other charges. The dollar symbol in the published prices does not by itself settle those details.
Confirm the VHS service before planning a handover
For a VHS enquiry, Studio 85's contact page gives the cell number 416-992-5485 and email [email protected]. Begin with the formats printed on your tapes and the number you want assessed. Ask whether those formats are accepted, how video transfers are priced and whether recorded duration changes the estimate. This establishes the service you need before you make collection or travel plans.
The published pricing notes refer to dropping off materials. Confirm the actual handover location and arrangements directly, especially because the United States listing area does not verify a storefront or a service boundary. Ask about expected completion time at the same point. For a tape with visible mold, a cracked shell or a history of playback problems, describe the damage and ask whether assessment or repair is possible. Avoid testing a suspect tape in a player simply to find its running time.
USB or download: decide how you will use the files
Studio 85's pricing page says that your own USB storage device must be provided when materials are dropped off, and that a download link option is also available. It also lists a 64 GB USB storage device at $10.00/stick. Confirm which delivery options apply to your particular transfer and whether storage is included in your estimate.
Choose with your next viewing device in mind. Ask which file type you will receive and whether it will play on your computer, television or phone. For USB delivery, check the required capacity and device preparation before handover. For a download, ask how long the link remains available and allow time to save every file. Keep an inventory matching each original label to its delivered filename so relatives can recognize a recording later.
Keep the originals and check the whole transfer
Studio 85's FAQ states that all cassettes, film reels and hard copies will be returned in the exact condition in which they were dropped off. Record your own inventory before handover, including labels and any existing damage, then reconcile it with the returned materials.
Once the files arrive, open each one and sample the beginning, middle and end. Check that sound is present where expected and that the recording matches its label. Raise missing material or playback problems promptly. Retain the originals after conversion and keep an additional digital copy on a separate device. A USB stick is convenient for delivery, but a single copy should not be the only place your family history survives.
Let relatives identify the people and years
After conversion, Memrial can provide a separate private family archive for digital photos and home videos. It does not convert tapes and is not part of Studio 85's service. Its free plan includes 2.0 GB shared across the archive, with no card needed. Compare your files with that allowance before uploading a large collection.
Invite relatives to help supply names, comments and stories. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, making memories easier to find by year even when someone remembers only the likely summer. A Live Watch Party synchronizes an uploaded home video through the host's play, pause and seek controls, with voice and text chat for relatives nearby or far away. The free allowance is three hours per month with up to six participants.
Use a reunion to fill the gaps
A family reunion can bring fresh photographs together with the older recordings. Memrial's Event Memories offers a secure contribution link for the occasion. 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 contributed. It is a practical way to gather everyone's view of the day while the converted collection gives that gathering a longer family context.