Match the recording standard before counting the cost
Two Squares lists NTSC VHS, PAL VHS and SECAM or ME-SECAM VHS on its VHS service page. It also names Super-VHS and compact VHS, described as cVHS or VHS-C. These distinctions are useful for a mixed collection: a full-size cassette and a small camcorder cassette should not automatically be treated as the same item when requesting a quote.
Start with the labels you can actually read. Make a simple inventory with one line per cassette, noting the printed format, any country or camera information, and the handwritten title. If you cannot identify the standard, say so. A relative who filmed a wedding abroad may remember which camera was used even when the tape label gives no clue. Keep guesses separate from confirmed details.
Read each published price against its tape category
The VHS page lists $25/tape for North American format VHS tapes. It separately lists $35/tape for international VHS tapes, identified as PAL and SECAM, or Betamax tapes converted to AVI/MPEG/etc and copied to your hard drive. The $35 description includes that delivery wording; the quoted North American price line does not specify the same output details, so confirm what the $25 service includes.
Other tape categories have their own published figures. Camcorder tapes converted to AVI/MPEG/etc and copied to your hard drive are listed at $25 per tape. Studio tapes, identified as Betacam, U-matic and DVCAM, are listed at $35/tape for that conversion and hard-drive delivery. Use those categories to organize an enquiry, rather than assuming every cassette receives the North American VHS rate.
Request a current total for your inventory before handing anything over. Ask whether recording length, tax, an empty tape, extra copies or a supplied drive changes the charge. None of those details is settled by the price lines above. Include any cracked cases, tangled tape or visible mold in your enquiry, and ask what assessment or repair is possible before attempting playback yourself.
Choose files for the way your family watches
Two Squares says it can format media as MP4, MP3, MPEG, Quicktime, WAV, JPG and Tiff, or another format to fit a customer's needs. That is a general media statement covering more than video. For a VHS order, ask which video file it recommends for your intended devices and whether that choice is included in the quote. Audio and image formats on the wider list should not be read as VHS output options.
Explain the destination in everyday terms: watching on a laptop, sharing a short clip with relatives, or saving a complete recording for later editing. Ask about file size and how longer recordings will be divided. If delivery will use your hard drive, confirm its required capacity and compatibility before buying one. Keep a complete transferred recording even if you later make shorter versions for family viewing.
Arrange the handoff and review what comes back
The studio-tape service page invites customers to ship video tapes. Confirm that process for your particular collection, including packing instructions and the return of originals. For a local handoff, agree on arrangements before traveling. Ask for an estimated completion date when discussing the order, especially if you hope to show the recordings at a reunion.
Number the tapes and retain a copy of your inventory. When files arrive, match them to those numbers and check the beginning, middle and end of each recording. Listen as well as watch: a recognizable picture alone does not confirm that the sound or the whole recording is present. Raise discrepancies promptly. Store the original tapes safely and keep a second digital copy on a separate device before reorganizing anything.
Let dates and relatives add meaning after conversion
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital photos and home videos after conversion. It does not convert physical tapes and is not part of Two Squares. Its free allowance is 2.0 GB shared across an archive, with no card needed. Check your files' sizes when choosing what to upload, and keep your independent backup.
Invite relatives to help identify people and add stories. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, so a recording remembered only as a summer in the early 1990s can still be found by year. 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. The free allowance is three hours per month with up to six participants.
For a reunion, Event Memories provides a secure occasion contribution link. Contributors sign in but do not need archive membership; their photos and videos go into the event album. Closing the link retains the memories. It is a useful way to bring newly recorded moments alongside the older films that prompted everyone to gather.