Make the first enquiry specific to your tapes
The useful question for To DVD Shop is whether it can currently digitise the particular tapes you own. Mention VHS explicitly, along with any other labels you can read on the cassettes. VHS-C, Video8 and MiniDV are different formats, so avoid describing a mixed collection simply as video tapes. If labels are missing, clear photographs of the cassette and its markings can help a prospective converter identify it.
Give a rough tape count and explain what you want to preserve, such as complete family recordings rather than selected highlights. Ask for a written explanation of the proposed service, the price calculation and any additional charges. Establish how long the work is expected to take, how the originals are returned and whether you need an appointment. These are questions to resolve before committing; they are not confirmed arrangements for this listing.
Decide whether DVD meets your actual goal
A DVD might suit someone who wants to watch recordings on an existing player. For a family hoping to watch on phones, computers or a private archive, ask whether a digital video file is available as well. Do not assume the business name settles the output choice. Confirm the file type, how it will be delivered and whether your household can open it without specialist software.
Ask whether you would receive each tape as a separate file and how long recordings are divided, if at all. Consider requesting descriptive filenames linked to your own tape inventory. If you already have DVDs from a previous transfer, explain that separately: copying an existing disc and converting an original VHS tape are different jobs. A short discussion of the intended viewing device can prevent you paying for an output that is awkward to use.
Prepare originals without experimenting on them
Number each cassette and keep a simple list of its label, likely contents and any known problems. Photograph handwritten labels before packing. Those notes can later explain why one recording matters, even when the picture itself gives few clues. Ask relatives whether they recognise a date, person or occasion, while allowing uncertain answers to remain uncertain.
If a tape has visible mould, a cracked shell, loose tape or a history of jamming, describe the problem before sending it anywhere. Ask whether damaged material can be assessed and whether any extra work needs your approval. Avoid trying to clean or repair the recording yourself. Agree how tapes should be packed and delivered, and retain your inventory so you can check that every original comes back.
Check the transfer while you still have the originals
When the digital recordings arrive, compare them with your inventory. Open every file, then sample the beginning, middle and end for picture and sound. Check that expected recordings are present and that filenames clearly identify the right tapes. If something appears missing or unusually short, ask the converter to explain it while the project is still easy to trace.
Keep the originals after conversion and make a second copy of the digital files in a separate place. A single USB drive is convenient but should not be your only copy. Preserve an untouched set of the delivered files before making shorter clips or editing titles. If relatives will receive copies, agree which recordings are suitable to share and which should remain within a smaller family group.
Bring dates and distant relatives into the recordings
After conversion, Memrial provides a separate private family archive for digital photos and home videos. It does not digitise tapes and is not part of To DVD Shop. The free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. Check your files against that allowance before planning to upload a collection.
Use albums to organise recordings and invite relatives to add comments and stories. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping you find memories by year without inventing a precise day. For an undated birthday recording, a relative might recognise the school uniform or remember which house the family lived in, giving you a useful approximate year.
Live Watch Parties synchronise an uploaded home video for relatives nearby or far away, with the host controlling play, pause and seeking, plus voice and text chat. The free allowance is 3 hours per month with up to 6 participants. For a family reunion, Event Memories offers a secure occasion contribution link: contributors sign in but need not be archive members. Photos and videos collect in the event album, and closing the link retains the memories.