Is your service available outside the UK/Europe?

Yes, our services are available WORLDWIDE.

How long does it take for a DVD to be produced?

DVD packages are based on a two to three week turnaround from the moment materials are received in full. This timescale may not apply during the Christmas holiday period. We will post a notice on the site when applicable. Turnarounds for large volume duplication, printing and customized packaging (i.e., wedding invitations or favours) may be longer.

Is it possible to get my DVD quicker than that?

Yes, we offer a special 'rush' service at extra cost. The cost will depend on timescale, project complexity and delivery location. Please contact us to discuss.

Can I cancel my order?

Cancellations will incur an administration charge of £25 if cancelled prior to the receipt of your material. We regret we cannot accept cancellations once development work is in progress.

How do I choose the styles I want?

Once you've placed your order, you will receive a link to our Design Center, where you can choose your styles and customize your DVD. Please refer to the get started page for detailed information and browse through our demos.

I have placed my order, what happens next?

You will receive a confirmation reference; this reference should be quoted on any communications regarding your order. Your confirmation will include a link our Design Center, where you can customize your DVD, choose styles and custom options. We will also send you suggestions suitable for your particular project, i.e. styles, colour schemes, etc. suited to a particular project.

Do I need to have my photos in digital format?

No, we can scan your prints or 35mm negatives or slides for a small charge. We can also correct, enhance and apply special FX to your photos. Please visit our photomagic section.

How do I send my photos for scanning?

You can send them by courier or by post. You will receive full instructions when you place your order.

Can you scan any print, negative or slide?

Currently we can scan prints up to A4 and 35mm negs or slides.

How will you return my photos to me?

If you use our specialist scanning service, your photos will be returned to you free of charge by First Class post (UK mainland only). Return to locations outside the UK mainland, by Special Delivery, Recorded Delivery or any other service will incur an extra charge. Please contact us for details.

How can I ensure the safe return of my photos?

You can elect to have them returned by Special Delivery or Courier, at a charge. If you have both negatives and prints, we recommend you send us your prints & keep your original negs.

How long will it take to get my photos back ?

We will return your photos within 5 working days. After they've been posted, your photos should reach you within a week depending on your location and the type of service used to return them. UK First Class post is normally delivered the following day.

I have my photos on digital format (CD or memory card), how do I send them?

You can send your photos on CD, ideally this should be a duplicate CD rather than the original. You can also send them by e-mail or upload them directly to our server. Please note most email systems have restrictions regarding the number of attachments you can send, the file size of each attachment and/or the overall size of a single e-mail.

What are the restrictions regarding e-mail attachments?

These restrictions vary according to your e-mail provider. Our limit is 20-255Mb per e-mail but you may have a lower limit depending on your e-mail account. Ideally you should use an e-mail client (Outlook, Outlook Express, etc.) rather than web-based e-mail services. With a few exceptions, web-based e-mail (webmail) often has much lower limits. Free accounts such as hotmail can have limits as low as 1Mb.

I want to submit over 100 photos, is there a more efficient alternative to e-mail ?

Yes, we can arrange for you to upload the files directly to our server. Otherwise you can send your files on a CD.

What do I do if I have a many pictures & they're all very big, or if I'm still using a slow dial-up connection?

The best thing to do is to send a CD by post. It may not be as quick as e-mail but in the long run it may save time. If you have a fast internet connection, a file transfer facility can be set up.

Is there anything I should know about uploading photos, or large files in general?

Most internet connections are optimized for download speed, meaning that upload speed is often only a fraction of the download speed. Even if you're on 8Mb broadband, the upload speed can be as low as 256k. Whenever you send an e-mail, place a file on a remote server or transfer it to another computer, you will be uploading files & the above speed issues will apply. Bear this in mind when sending us your files.

Other than e-mail issues, is there a restriction on the size of the photos I can send?

No, if you send them on CD they can be any size, however, the ideal size should be around 1Mb per photo. Very small pictures (such as those often used on websites), may not look their best when used on DVDs and memory books.

Can I send my photos in a Word document, PowerPoint file or other type of document?

You could, but it's not advisable, since image quality may deteriorate considerably. Additionally,extracting photos from documents such as Word, PowerPoint or PDF files can take time & will incur extra charges.

Do I have to submit my photos all at once?

No, they can be submitted in batches, however, with the exception of photo services, we cannot start work on your brief until we have received all the necessary content.

How do I know it is safe to pay online?

All transactions are carried out via PayPal's secure servers. No credit card information is collected by us or stored on our servers at any time. When you are redirected to PayPal's secure payment gateway you will see 'https://' on your browser address bar, this means you are using a secure server.

Do I need a PayPal account?

No, you can pay without one, just submit your details at the checkout.

Is there any charge for using PayPal?

No, making payments is free, with PayPal it is the merchants we bear the charges.

Do you accept any other payment methods?

We prefer payments to be made via PayPal, where you can use any major credit or debit card. In certain circumstances we can accept cheque, money orders or bank transfers. Please note these payment methods may incur charges and will delay your order. Cheque must be fully cleared. Please contact us if you are unable to use PayPal.

How long will it take to get my DVD once it's done?

That depends on your location. First Class post within the UK arrives in one or two days. Allow 3 or 4 days for Europe and a week to ten days for other locations. It will usually take longer over the Christmas period and during long breaks such as Easter.

Can I get it any faster?

Yes, there are a range of courier and Special Delivery options available at extra cost, please contact us to discuss.

Is delivery included in the price?

We offer FREE first class postage within the UK mainland with all DVD packages. DVDs can be sent anywhere in the world via airmail, please contact us for charges.

How do I indicate which styles I want to use and any other custom options, headlines, etc.?

After placing your order you will receive a link to our Design Center where you'll find a design brief form to submit your instructions regarding style, colour schemes, design options, special effects, music choices, backgrounds, menus, etc. Without a brief we cannot design a bespoke product for you. FOR WORK TO BEGIN, BOTH FULL INSTRUCTIONS AND PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED.

Where do I find the forms?

You will get a link to the Design Center once you've place your order.

What if I have problems with them ?

E-mail webmaster@memoriesgroup.com

How much time do I have to send the forms?

Take as long as you like, just remember we won't start work till we've receive both the forms & your material. We cannot issue refunds for work that was not completed in time due to the absence of written instructions.

Do I need to have my photos in digital format?

No, we can scan your prints or 35mm negatives or slides for a small charge. We can also correct, enhance and apply special FX to your photos. Please visit our photomagic section.

How do I send my photos for scanning?

You can send them by courier or by post. You will receive full instructions when you place your order.

Can you scan any print, negative or slide?

Currently we can scan prints up to A4 and 35mm negs or slides.

Can I use any photo I have?

You can but remember that the best results will be obtained from good quality photos. A minimum of 3 Megapixels is recommended for digital photos, ideally 5x7 for prints although you may get good results from good quality 4x6 prints. Please note that any texture on the paper (such as canvas style) will show up on the scans and deteriorate the overall quality. Ideally you should submit photographic prints rather than inkjet prints as their quality is higher and glossy photo paper has very little texture.

Can I use photos taken with my mobile phone?

We discourage the practice of using the built-in cameras for anything other than transmitting photos over mobile networks as these photos are notoriously low in quality. High megapixel counts on modern mobile cameras do not make much difference as the tiny lenses cannot record small detail.

What file formats do you accept?

We can open almost any image file: JPG, TIFF, PNG, BMP, etc. JPEG is the most popular file format but if you're saving the pictures yourself make sure you use the maximum quality setting to avoid loss of quality.

Can you enhance or retouch my photos?

Yes, please refer to our photo services section.

I want to add video to my DVD or to order a video DVD, how do I supply the video?

You can supply video on DVD, CD-ROM or mini-DV tape. Short video clips in most popular digitals format can be e-mailed or uploaded to our server for inclusion.

Can I use video on the web, send clips by e-mail, or include them in PowerPoint presentations or on CD-ROMs?

Yes, we can encode video in a wide variety of formats suitable for web, e-mail, CD-ROM or presentations: MPEG, Windows Media (WMV and WMA), Flash Video (FLV), Real Media, Quicktime, MPEG4, etc.

How about IPods, handheld computers and mobile phones?

We can also encode video to the most popular formats used by mobile devices.

Can I use my own music?

Yes, you can, provided you send us the source file. Please note that illegal usage or distribution of copyrighted music may constitute and offence.

How do I send music?

Ideally, in digital format, by e-mail, server upload or on CD. The most popular format is MP3 but we can also use most other formats, including WAV, WMA, MPA, AC3, etc. If you decide to send a CD we will endeavour to ensure its prompt and safe return. We cannot accept music on non-digital formats such as cassette tape or vinyl disks.

Can I have narration on my DVD?

You are welcome to submit your own recording or voiceover in any of the formats described above.

What do I need to play DVDs?

DVDs can be played on DVD players connected to your TV (set-top boxes) and DVD drives attached to you computer. A drive capable of reading DVDs (DVD-ROM or DVD writer) and DVD player software are required for computer playback. DVDs are produced in accordance to the DVD specification and should be playable on all players, however, please note that some older players do not play back DVD-Rs (or DVD+Rs) and very old computers may not have the necessary hardware to play DVDs.

Are DVDs PAL or NTSC? Does it really matter?

The choice is yours. If you live in the UK or Europe, you need a PAL DVD, however, most PAL DVD players can also play NTSC DVDs. If you live in North America or want to distribute DVDs in North America, you will need an NTSC DVD as most NTSC players DO NOT play back PAL DVDs. If you plan to share your DVD with people in both areas, your best bet is an NTSC DVD. You can also order an dual-format combo, i.e., 2 DVDs: one in PAL format, the other NTSC for worldwide distribution. Please note that DVD formats are derived from traditional TV standards, computer drives do not care which format you're using, they will play back either provided you have the necessary software.

Is there any region coding or copy protection on the DVDs?

No, these features are only used on commercial DVDs.

Can I copy my DVD?

You can make copies for personal use only. You are not allowed to use the DVD for commercial purposes, for example to advertise a product or service or to promote any kind of design, multimedia, video, broadcast, media or internet-related service. You may use a showcase DVD as your personal portfolio. Removing the copyright notices, logo or watermarks or using the DVD for commercial gain is an offence.

Can I order additional copies?

Yes, we will be happy to provide additional copies of your DVD for a small charge.