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Today, your VCR may be chugging along just fine, playing your old home movies without incident, but tomorrow may be a different story. If that trusty old VCR breaks, finding a new one to watch your cherished memories will be difficult. Instead, you should invest in new technology that will make reliving your past much easier. Just imagine how sweet it would be to watch those dance recitals and years’ worth of Christmas morning footage on your laptop or smartphone.

The cost for a typical video tape to DVD transfer service ranges from $9.95 to $39.95 per tape. Additional services may cost extra and , VHS conversion service should be willing to work with you to create a realistic estimate for your job. While price is certainly a factor in choosing the best VHS conversion service, first you should consider all the elements of a successful VHS conversion and what it’s worth to you that every part of the job is done right.

1. Who Is Performing the Video Transfer?

Anyone with an iPhone can take photos, but that doesn’t make them a professional photographer. Similarly, with VHS conversion services, you may find someone on Craigslist who says he can do the job cheaply or hear of a friend who converted his own VHS tapes to DVD. Remember, though, that your tapes are priceless and they can’t be replaced if they’re damaged. You shouldn’t hand your memories over to someone who doesn’t have the training and professional experience to handle the intricacies of the job.

Professional VHS conversion services have trained professional staff with years of expertise and experience who understand the value of the tapes that you are entrusting to them. Trust the experts whose business depends on preserving memories.

2. How Is the Transfer Being Done?

As the VHS format started becoming less popular, several large corporations saw an opportunity to make money by offering conversion services. That’s why you may see this service offered at your local drugstore or big-box store. Those companies are in the business of making profits first and satisfying the customers second. Because VHS conversion is only a tiny part of their overall profits, it doesn’t make sense for them to buy top-of-the-line equipment and thoroughly train their staff on the proper techniques.

Those companies may be reputable and reliable in other services, but VHS conversions just aren’t what they do. A professional company will use designated computers and premium software to ensure a high-quality end result for your irreplaceable memories.

3. Where Is the Transfer Being Performed?

Some companies that offer VHS conversion don’t have the appropriate amount of space or a properly trained staff> to perform the conversions in-house. Instead, these companies collect a large number of tapes from their customers and ship them out of state or even out of the country to have the video transfer performed.

Choosing a local company gives you the peace of mind to know that your tapes are being handled with care. It’s comforting to know that you can call and talk directly to the transfer technician about the status of your job or to ask questions about the process. In a small, dedicated conversion facility, you’ll know your tapes will be treated with care.

4. What Is Included in the Price?

A reputable conversion services company won’t try to hide any fees. You should be able to request a breakdown of every charge involved in the conversion process upfront so you can get an accurate picture of what different providers are charging.

That price may be higher than what those drug stores and big-box chains advertise, but they’re probably hoping you won’t look too closely at what you’re getting — or missing. A place that advertises a price of $9.95 to digitize your tapes is almost certainly not including the price of DVDs, memory sticks or return shipping. By the time everything is added up, you could wind up paying several times over what you thought the job would cost.

5. When Will the Job Be Completed?

A good transfer facility will be able to turn a VHS conversion job around within two to four weeks and may even offer same- or next-day services for an additional price. Companies that ship tapes out to other states can’t complete even a basic job that quickly when outbound and return shipping are included, so it may take up to a few months to get your converted video.

6. What Extra Bonuses Come with the Transfer?

No two jobs should be treated the same way because every client has specific needs. A reputable conversion service will have the capability to offer the specific services you want. Maybe you want a DVD with a disc menu that has chapter marks and thumbnails for easy navigation or you want the footage itself edited in a certain way. Maybe it’s important to you that the discs are packaged in cases instead of paper sleeves.

We understand that you want to get the best deal possible when digitizing your VHS tapes, but there is one important idea to remember: those dusty old tapes are your precious, irreplaceable family heirlooms. So while the overall price is, of course, important, you should take into account the many other factors and choose a company that you can trust.

Start a Transfer Project Today!