One enquiry for VHS and camcorder recordings
Video Artisan explicitly lists VHS to DVD, VHS-C to DVD or USB, Video8/Hi8/Digital8 to DVD or USB, MiniDV camcorder to DVD or USB, and Betamax to DVD or USB. It also describes videotape to MP4 file and general video to DVD or USB services. These are useful distinctions: a small camcorder cassette should not simply be counted as another VHS tape when requesting a quotation.
Make a short inventory before getting in touch. Write down the format printed on each cassette, its label and any known recording length. If the format is unclear, photograph the cassette and its case rather than guessing. Keep the original order where tapes appear to form a sequence, such as the different parts of a wedding or a long holiday.
The published range also includes cine to DVD or USB, standards conversions and DVD duplication. A collection with both film reels and videotapes can therefore start with a single enquiry, while keeping each medium clearly identified. Ask which service applies to each item and how the resulting files or discs will be labelled.
Choose the viewing copy before agreeing the transfer
DVD, USB and MP4 appear in Video Artisan's conversion descriptions, but they answer different questions. DVD is a disc delivery option, USB describes a storage device, and MP4 describes a digital file format. For VHS specifically, confirm whether the proposed order will supply a disc, digital files or both, and what those files will be compatible with.
Think about who will use the recordings. A relative who regularly watches discs may want a DVD, while a family planning to organise videos on a computer or upload them to an archive will need usable digital files. Ask whether one file will represent each tape or whether recordings can be divided into named parts, and establish any associated cost before agreeing.
Do not discard the physical tapes once a convenient viewing copy exists. Store them somewhere dry and stable, and keep a separate backup of the digital transfer. A USB device is useful for delivery, but the only copy of an irreplaceable recording should not depend on one small device.
Arrange the correct Loughton handover
The contact page identifies the studio at 'Soundings', Clays Lane, Loughton, Essex IG10 2RZ as by appointment only. It separately lists the administration office at 174 Roding Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 3BS, with the description 'evenings and weekends'. Those are distinct contact locations; confirm where an agreed tape handover should take place rather than arriving without an arrangement.
The published telephone number is +44 (0) 203 602 3356, and the email address is [email protected]. Use the initial conversation to settle the quotation, expected completion date, collection arrangements and return of originals. Mention cracked cases, tangled tape, mould or previous playback problems before handing anything over. Ask whether the item can be assessed and what work would be appropriate; conversion listings alone do not establish a repair service.
Check the recordings while the labels still make sense
Once the transfer is returned, compare every file or disc against your inventory. Play the beginning, a point in the middle and the end of each recording, checking that sound is present and that the right tape matches the right label. Note any missing sections or playback difficulties clearly before contacting the converter about them.
Invite a relative to help identify unfamiliar people and occasions. A handwritten label such as 'summer holiday' becomes much more useful when someone remembers the year, place or people involved. Keep uncertain details marked as approximate. Preserve an untouched copy of the delivered files before making shorter clips, changing filenames extensively or experimenting with edits.
Turn the digital copies into a private family collection
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not digitise tapes and is not part of Video Artisan. You can upload photos and home videos, arrange albums, invite relatives and add comments or stories. The free allowance is 2.0 GB shared across the archive, with no card needed, so consider the size of your video files when choosing what to upload.
Timeline uses exact or approximate dates to make memories easier to find by year. For a family birthday gathering, Live Watch Parties can synchronise an uploaded home video for relatives nearby or far away, with the host controlling play, pause and seek and everyone using voice or text chat. Free Watch Parties allow 3 hours per month and up to 6 participants.
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 retains the memories, leaving the birthday contributions alongside the older recordings the family has brought back into view.