Wisconsin
Est. 2026
Some things are worth
taking your time with.
Old tapes hold moments that can’t be recovered if the tape goes. Land records hold history most people never think to look for. We work carefully with both.
A small, Madison-based operation. One person, careful work, no rush. Serving individuals and families throughout the area.
Everything is handled personally. If something can’t be done well, we’ll say so upfront.
VHS tapes converted to MP4 files and delivered on USB drive or via download link. Playable on anything, easy to share.
Prefer a disc you can put in a player? We produce clean DVD copies from your original tapes — a good option for gifts or sharing with older relatives.
VHS-C, Hi8, Betamax, and other legacy formats. If you’re not sure what you have, just describe it and we’ll figure it out together.
Deed history, prior ownership, easements, boundary lines — drawn from public records for Wisconsin properties. Good for curious homeowners who want to know their land’s story.
A small business
run with intention.
Conventional Wonder started from a simple observation: the things that hold history — old tapes, old records — tend to get ignored until it’s too late. Tapes degrade. Documents get lost. And by the time someone thinks to look, the trail has gone cold.
This isn’t a warehouse operation. There’s no queue of thousands of tapes, no automated pipeline. Your work gets handled thoughtfully, by hand, by someone who actually cares what’s on it.
The land research side grew out of a curiosity about place — about what happened on a piece of ground before you arrived, and what that might mean for you now.
Use the contact form or email directly. Tell us what you have — tapes, a property address, whatever it is. We’ll reply within one business day with questions or next steps.
No surprises. Before anything starts, we agree on what’s being done and what it costs. For tapes in uncertain condition, we may want to look first.
Madison-area customers can drop off in person. Out-of-area customers can ship tapes to us — we’ll walk you through how to pack them safely.
Careful, unhurried. You’ll hear from us if anything unexpected comes up.
Files via USB or download, DVDs by mail or pickup, research reports as a written PDF. Payment due on delivery.
Most tapes digitize fine even after decades of storage. Heavily moldy, water-damaged, or broken tapes are harder — we’ll assess before committing to anything. Some can be salvaged with extra care; others truly can’t. We’ll be honest with you either way.
At minimum: deed history and ownership chain, any recorded easements or restrictions, and relevant boundary information from public records. Scope can be shaped around your specific questions — if you’re curious about something particular, just ask.
Tape digitization is available to anyone who can ship to us. Land research is currently focused on Dane County and surrounding counties where we have good familiarity with the records.
They come back to you with your order, every time. We don’t keep or discard originals without explicit permission.
Always. That’s what the contact form is for. There’s no obligation in reaching out, and no pitch waiting on the other side — just a conversation about what you have and whether we can help.
Get in touch
No forms to fill out before you’re ready. Just reach out when you have something in mind — even if it’s just a question.