Knowledge base
The guide index
Every guide we have written, grouped by what you own. Straight answers about old tape, film and photographs, from the team that handles them in the Norwich lab.
VHS
24 guides
How to Store VHS Tapes So They Last
A tape kept well can stay watchable for decades. A tape kept badly can be lost in a couple of winters. Here is what actually makes the difference, room by room and shelf by shelf.
7 min readAre VHS Tapes Worth Money? A UK Reality Check
Nearly every box of tapes contains nothing a collector wants and a few things a family cannot replace. Here is how to tell which is which, and how to check a price properly.
7 min readVHS to Digital: The Complete UK Guide
One tape, one play, one file that lasts. This guide walks the whole journey from a cassette in a cupboard to a video on your phone, and points you to the right detail at every step.
9 min readWhere to Get VHS Tapes Converted to Digital in the UK
There are three routes and they are not the same job. Here is what happens to your tapes on each, the questions worth asking before you hand anything over, and how to choose.
8 min readVHS Tape Stuck in the VCR? What to Do Next
The recording is almost always still there. Whether it stays there depends on what you do in the next ten minutes, and mostly on what you do not do.
7 min readHow to Convert VHS to Digital at Home
It can be done on a kitchen table with a second-hand deck and a capture device. Here is what the job really involves, where it goes wrong, and how to tell whether your tapes are the ones to practise on.
8 min readHow to Play VHS Tapes in 2026
Finding the tape is the easy part. This guide covers what you need to play a VHS tape today, how to get a VCR talking to a television that has no SCART socket, how to read a bad picture, and the tapes you should not put in a machine at all.
12 min readHow Much Footage Fits on a VHS Tape?
A VHS tape label does not always tell you how much footage is actually on it. Here is how recording lengths work, why long play matters, and how to estimate what is on your tapes before digitisation.
7 min readWhat Quality Can You Expect from VHS to Digital?
VHS will never become true HD, but a careful transfer can preserve the best version of what is still on the tape. Here is what improves, what cannot be fixed, and why the right equipment matters.
7 min readCan You Convert VHS Without a VCR?
Yes, but the tape still has to be played on the right equipment somewhere. Here is what to do if you have old VHS tapes but no working machine at home.
6 min readWhy Does My VHS Tape Have No Sound?
If the picture plays but the sound is missing, the tape may not be silent. VHS audio is more complicated than many people realise, and the right playback equipment can make all the difference.
7 min readPAL vs NTSC VHS: Can UK Tapes Be Converted?
Not every VHS tape uses the same video standard. If you have tapes from the UK, USA, Canada, Japan or Europe, here is why PAL, NTSC and SECAM matter before digitisation.
7 min readVHS to DVD, USB or Cloud: What Should You Choose?
DVD may feel familiar, but it is no longer the most practical way to preserve family tapes. Here is how USB, cloud and DVD compare when converting VHS to digital.
7 min readWhat Is VHS?
The cassette tape that defined a generation of home video. Here is the full story of VHS: how it works, why it mattered, and what to do with your tapes now.
7 min readVHS to USB or Cloud: Which Is Right for You?
Your tapes have been converted to MP4 files. Now comes the practical question: how do you want to receive them? Here is an honest comparison of USB and cloud delivery, and why the best choice often depends on how you actually plan to watch, store, and share your family footage.
4 min readHow Much Does It Cost to Convert VHS to Digital?
A transparent look at what you will actually spend, whether you do it yourself or use a professional service. UK prices, no fluff.
6 min readWhat to Do with Old Video Tapes
They have been sitting in a cupboard for years. Here are your options, ranked from most to least useful.
4 min readWhen Did VHS Come Out?
VHS first arrived in Japan in 1976 and reached UK consumers in 1978, but the real story is how quickly it took over home life, and why those tapes are now too old to ignore.
5 min readCan You Fix Damaged VHS Tapes?
Your tape is snapped, chewed, mouldy, or the shell is cracked. Is the footage lost? Often, no, but the safest answer is not always a simple home repair. Here is what can usually be fixed, what can sometimes be recovered, and what is genuinely beyond saving.
5 min readWhere to Buy a VHS Player in 2026
VCRs stopped being made years ago, but your tapes are still sitting in cupboards, lofts, and spare rooms. Here is where UK buyers still find VHS players in 2026, what can go wrong with a second-hand deck, and when digitising is the better choice.
5 min readWhy Convert VHS to Digital?
Your VHS tapes are not going to last forever, and neither are the machines that play them. Here are the real reasons to convert your collection now, not “one day”, while the footage is still recoverable.
5 min readVHS vs Betamax: The Format War Explained
It is the most famous technology battle of the home-video era. Here is the real story of why VHS won, and why better picture quality was never enough to save Betamax.
5 min readHow Long Do VHS Tapes Last?
The honest answer is: probably less time than you think. Here is what happens to magnetic tape over the decades, and what you can still do about it.
6 min readMouldy VHS Tapes: Can They Be Saved?
White powder, fuzzy patches, musty smell: mould on VHS tapes is more common than you think, and it spreads. Here is what to do (and what not to do).
5 min read
Cine film
9 guides
Found Old Cine Film in a Loft? What to Do Next
Loft storage is rarely kind to cine film, but the footage may still be recoverable. Here is how to handle old reels safely before digitisation.
7 min readVinegar Syndrome in Cine Film: What It Means
A vinegar smell from old cine film is not just an odd storage odour. It can be a warning sign of acetate film decay, and the sooner it is dealt with, the better the chance of saving the footage.
7 min readDoes Cine Film Have Sound?
Some family cine reels are silent, some have magnetic sound, and some 16mm or 9.5mm films use optical sound. Here is how to spot the clues before digitisation.
7 min readSuper 8 vs Standard 8: How to Tell the Difference
Both formats are 8mm wide, but they are not the same. Here is how to identify Super 8 and Standard 8 cine film before sending precious family reels for digitisation.
7 min readHow Many Minutes Are on a Cine Film Reel?
A small cine reel may hold only a few minutes of family footage, while a larger reel can hold half an hour or more. Here is how to estimate running time before digitisation.
7 min readIs It Safe to Project Old Cine Film?
Old projectors can bring family reels back to life, but they can also damage fragile film in seconds. Here is when projection is risky, what to check first, and why scanning is usually safer.
7 min readWhy Old Cine Film Turns Red, Pink or Orange
Many family cine reels fade towards red, pink, orange or purple over time. Here is why it happens, what can be corrected, and why scanning sooner gives the footage its best chance.
7 min readFrame-by-Frame Scanning vs Projector Transfer
Not all cine film transfers are equal. Here is why true frame-by-frame scanning is the safer, sharper and more faithful way to digitise old family reels.
7 min readTypes of Cine Film Explained
Your family cine reels could be any of four common formats. Here is how to tell them apart, and why that matters before anyone tries to project or digitise them.
6 min read
Camcorder
6 guides
Can You Convert Camcorder Tapes Without the Camcorder?
Yes. You do not need the original camera to save old camcorder footage, but you do need the right playback equipment for the tape format.
7 min readHi8 vs Video8 vs Digital8: How to Tell Them Apart
Video8, Hi8 and Digital8 tapes look almost identical, but they are not the same format. Here is how to identify them, what equipment can play them, and why the difference matters before digitisation.
7 min readWhat Is VHS-C?
VHS-C was the compact camcorder version of VHS, used by families throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Here is how to identify it, why adapters can be risky, and how to preserve the footage now.
7 min readVHS-C Adapter Not Working? What to Do
VHS-C adapters were useful when the tapes were new, but old adapters can jam, misload or damage fragile tapes. Here is what to check, what not to force, and when to stop before the footage is put at risk.
7 min readWhat Is MiniDV?
The little blue cassette that brought digital video to the masses. Here is everything you need to know about MiniDV, and why your tapes need attention.
5 min readWhat Is Hi8?
If you had a camcorder in the 1990s, there is a good chance your tapes are Hi8. Here is what the format is, how to identify it, and what to do with your tapes now.
5 min read
Photos & slides
6 guides
Why Do Old Slides Turn Purple, Red or Blue?
Colour slides can shift dramatically over time, especially if they have been stored in warm or damp conditions. Here is why it happens, what can be corrected, and why scanning them now is often the safest choice.
7 min readHow to Digitise Old Photo Albums Without Removing Photos
Old albums often contain more than photographs. They hold handwriting, captions, order, context and family stories, so scanning them safely takes a little care.
7 min readCan Scratched Negatives Be Restored?
Scratches, dust and marks on old negatives do not always mean the image is lost. Here is what can often be improved, what is permanent, and why the scan itself matters so much.
7 min readWhat DPI Should You Scan 35mm Slides At?
Slides are tiny originals, so resolution matters more than it does with ordinary prints. Here is how to choose the right scanning DPI without wasting time or storage.
7 min readHow to Scan Old Photos at Home
A practical guide to getting good digital copies of your printed photographs, slides, and negatives without damaging the originals.
5 min readSlides vs Negatives: What's the Difference?
They are both small, transparent, and come in old boxes. But slides and negatives are different formats that need different scanning approaches.
4 min read
How we work
4 guides
The Best Gift for Parents Who Have Everything
They do not need another scented candle. They need to see their children's first steps again.
4 min readHow to Pack Tapes for Posting
Your tapes are irreplaceable. Five minutes of careful packing makes sure they arrive in the same condition they left.
3 min readWhat Happens After You Place Your Order
You have pressed the button. Here is exactly what happens next, step by step, so there are no surprises.
3 min readHow We Digitise Your Tapes
You send us your tapes. We send back digital files. But what actually happens in between? Here is a transparent look at every step of our process, from the moment your parcel arrives to the day your files and originals go back home.
5 min read