![\"VHS](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdN_9jKmER6ICOxytJpHSVrKvizoKjWddnihbqMSNvWzfl8i6Ik6rPR5rUYONc0tKTliVo21Lc5Z2ZL1q1Q_I8d8B60ima2C-bv8ZsfcKDfPwBuq3jJTDm3PHviqHMKAIbEGMt9t_iNxRZvKi1PTYdN4PIc?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"Fancy](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd_4sXfF4CcttdrQWp6whzyLjQLY7oWASQLTNUfGHT4UjEfBHkLc4lvt5leIXvxmLRvir0ll7Y6LCrv80f2jnMoEeznVpVitaLj_sMEYMyko4B_rIw9UUVPTRpG2Nac2_MfwFVO1Zm5tiKrqzr2d5tJmDI?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"iMemories](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd1cxiRs8-_qbkBhfBZOQxQhpnQeF6QBhwt5xz4iQnDQfSlTgilF_NRs7PPudBOJtC9S34viFBQYvZStms5ZfEvXKrMsUy2cN-zlKH_ldwmGFvjIjyzfeqBUXk3P047yCiS-S85GF4TfsPjEYqM-Y37ZB8?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"A](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcIs-PKLzsTn5qp5ty0lS56-9WhB3UdbF3SHxWsJHsuygAfbujvYkHjI0EPUEkj08zHaXyZgswY62LtB7d5Kpls6SjdOPSqT5YtPOv6K_U-Jyt2K6xDHmhACGm4WEEKT5jWOn7HAKCWvDdZgYfhJlfn5LmV?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"The](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcBZrbpISqiRr4vP8RaInwK_-YbTY2l6dEZXmxRPTwo4gUHoyK19X0lkoSwddutiT4ED3mn51RYe13tQQjgwSquMEtxDjSN6TZqHwNujXTiikyjYD6xYb87vKac6PU6w2YmV_4J4D8SoiCPBrsNLNGxaa8?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"High](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc0fTSoDKMiAlr_yU2vSdolilSm77ZucQGSFWjwabQvuYKdtahGYB6bsyEIA-6_53q2LFwrCU4Y0MsQyyn1rGs_Bh0dgWW9mQqawbV97TDE3peyF93GK3Z2EBn3r45aDVsZp8U-cTKcYX9Tz-nrpGfZs4M?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"Blockbuster](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXewnRrbnXdtziF7dqV6Gu7jwtOMx5GbjEbtMlJtiAAv4-QhxvxGDC7uag9sutQ0A14rSHxW1oawo7m9okjkME6cGllHFRB45_LofzTE6NnoNSU6_t6JkMpulYCinmxEyuCeF7e1DuW5_g1geVMCu-JKNSJ2?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"An](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdtCG03HPfh1UM7Z13mUyDu9gz7iLosNQqiGkbZCkVuqdYq-IU8IusQ7ml4JJBlAqYRv6_dqB5cWl32VW7k7-FY-EcpPTdDnLk9JPizpy_n4RrFzFo0L1LTrfJO5jFctNKbO8KKakFi0Haj8G8OAGgzEr-R?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"A](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdG6Kma4x5JaNIp2rzwXJSX4qEkd57G5N3h0ykSRgwSq5PX-kiojv4hjC6a08eduodb7inR4GJ1jsvtPUO8-jvkGZUMQ7u5F2LDDKvOWwoMZCFeXsUm8fDPej10uG0mJMpG9r1Ptsnv0am_zztV56Bv5VfB?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"Forever](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdWEW3sGpuWNCxVGBYKUtMK8xPt3B-FgT9n-3-LQwopPlI8_Kg4DNbCymGfbmkWREQynNMNjYZ3yJ17n1ZJzFMtkL0DHSqi6GYgryEK6qN5jzmBEPk1fjOc_yrmkuqM-VsrqOuDR2VqCCahsTVHx-tt82U?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"Pro](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXebQtzS7q7nVp3EmPIr4GhvwDWZP3T7M9TnCHzeDmdbvV3tt-spkZaiF6mztEN4XU-Ek88EKr3ZamKemQlq5jG8-w10Cm9f_NYd-jHZnDgtPiPQzp7JE7Bb_2GuKYGMX48LP8d78dplD9j8R_W2_1UWfS7r?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"Forever](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfgye21r3cjlDf-FMVoDNGmO41iavMAH5jbHc0jD8hp_8mFkHa1kEg9RMo1Gtd5-JCVFwtDu1STvYOWX77zKicd1lkVdueuwjKxGFHGqajZhZ33mVloMFY68biPF6eC5deKq-XNprrqsEH0HrptSph3u-TJ?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
![\"DVDs\"](\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXefRIE2v2hGdpT2XieQY2-6Wcnpz-BpCB3acTKPs6wkStD58y1pptmHZ7uO38jhpt88bu24T9ZXBUcy9UU0-pF4Ct8rMsiwtr6s0h5SXVfKS3DnKDFjTDoZ7Dt8MO7u9jYVeNDapUU00rS-_07HLiMcwYuz?key=gK6RaFw6wNIlR3Aama8GXw\")
A 2024 Guide to The Best VHS to DVD Services
Compare top VHS to DVD conversion services in 2024: Forever Studios, Legacybox, iMemories, and Walmart. Transfer your VHS tapes with our in-depth guide.
Nothing says nostalgia like watching old video tapes. I know I'm aging myself here, but some of my favorite memories as a kid were when my mom used to take me to work with her, and she would set me up in the back office with a VHS tape (Beauty and the Beast and Space Jam were my go-tos) and one of those old-school TVs with an attached VHS player. Over time, those VHS tapes got damaged to the point I couldn't play them anymore. Now, I am lucky; I can stream my favorite digital videos and not bother with the fragility of physical VHS tapes.
\n\n\n![\"Old](\"https://memoya-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images-blog/703dd11a-0857-49d7-a274-18de2c482293.jpg\")
An old TV with a VCR player… brings me back
\n\n\nThe same cannot be said for people who have sentimental family memories recorded on VHS tapes: your kid's first steps, holidays, birthdays, etc. The very reason we document such important parts of our lives is to be able to remember them and pass them on to future generations. They shouldn't be shut away in storage, gathering dust and moisture, which will ruin them.
\n\n\nWhat Should I Do With VHS Tapes?
\n\nSo, I have a question for you... Do you have video tapes hidden in a box in the middle of your garage or attic? If you do, it's time to preserve their contents by turning them into a digital format. The only way to guarantee they see tomorrow is by converting vhs to digital files.
\n\nI'm gonna speak specifically to South Florida on this specific issue... We live in a very humid climate, and any VHS tapes you may have in storage will undoubtedly have trapped moisture and mold growth. That's not even considering the damage to the actual hardware and magnetic tape.
\n\n\nOh goody. A bunch of VHS tapes in a visibly wet box.
\n\n\nAt Forever Studios, we want you to be able to enjoy your memories for... well, forever. We care about preserving your home movies and want them to be as good as (or better than) they were when you first recorded them. We're your go-to shop to turn your video cassette tapes into DVDs because we are affordable, reliable, and efficient.
\n\n\n![\"Forever](\"https://memoya-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images-blog/0a3971e5-baff-40cb-ae82-1b8c5a38f274\")
\nWhere Can I Go to Convert VHS Tapes?
\n\nFor the sake of fairness, I am going to break down the details of some other companies that offer the same tape transfer services. iMemories, LegacyBox, Walmart, Capture, and Forever Studios. Each was chosen because they have a well known national reputation. It's essential to research the media transfer company you will trust with your precious memories.
\n\n\nWHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A DIGITIZING COMPANY?
\n\nThe criteria I will analyze for each of those companies are price, quality, and reviews. At the end of each analysis, I will provide my honest opinion on whether the value of their products is worth the price. These categories were chosen because they offer a good overview of each company and what you will get out of them.
\n\n\nTurn VHS tapes into DVDs
\n\n\nWHICH DIGITIZING CUSTOMER ARE YOU?
\n\nAre you the kind of customer looking for the best deal possible, or are you someone who looks for amazing quality regardless of the price? Everyone has their own priorities, but I am partial to the best overall value. More bang for your buck, if you will.
\n\nWhen it comes to precious memories stored on fragile video formats, it's important to invest in a decent, dependable conversion process, but no one should pay a bunch of money just to digitize their priceless memories. Going to just any company is a risk that could lead to missing VHS tapes or additional damage.
\n\n\niMemories
\n\n\n
IMEMORIES COMPANY INFO
\n\niMemories is a digitizing service company that was founded in 2005 and stationed in Scottsdale, Arizona. They were named as one of the top 10 on Fast Company's 2023 list of the World's Most Innovative Companies. Reportedly, they have 200 digital restoration specialists who work on digitizing \"VHS, VHS-C, Betamax, 8mm, Hi8, Video8, Digital8, MiniDV, [and] MicroMini.\"
\n\nIf you choose to go to iMemories, they have an app (for an additional fee of $7.99 per month or $49.99 per year) to access your digitized media. They have an 18\" wide, 12\" tall, and 6\" deep \"SafeShip Kit\" to ship your media. The box is supposed to be crush-proof, and the kit includes a welcome guide, a pre-paid label, shock-resistant cushions, waterproof bags, and a customer card.
\n\n\nThe iMemories Box
\n\n\nHOW EXPENSIVE IS IMEMORIES?
\n\n- \n
- \n
Starting price $14.99
\n \n
iMemories prices are based on how many items are being digitized, which is typical for the industry. VHS digitizing costs $14.99 per tape at the currently advertised “50% off” rate. If you want to transfer those VHS tapes to DVD, it's an additional $19.99 per disc. The website is not fully transparent on how much you're going to have to pay. There's no area to detail what forms of media you're sending them and how many. This has led to some expensive issues.
\n\n\nWHAT IS THE QUALITY OF TRANSFERS AT IMEMORIES?
\n\niMemories is one of those fast-service companies that doesn't take the time and effort to truly appreciate the media they work on. Their turnaround time is a staggering one to two weeks, which is unusually quick in the industry.
\n\nGiven the topic of the article, I'll focus on reviews centered on VHS to DVD conversion. Overall, the reviews are positive on the iMemories website and Google, with most of them stating that the digital version of their tapes was satisfactory.
\n\nThe negative reviews state that their tapes went missing, weren't digitized in an acceptable amount of time, or the results were poor quality. The Amazon reviews are overwhelmingly negative (an awful 1.9 out of 5). One review claimed iMemories is a scam, while quite a few others stated that the video quality and the audio quality on the conversions were blurry or fuzzy.
\n\nIn addition to the less-than-satisfactory final product, most reviews said that iMemories is a waste of money and the customer service staff lacked empathy.
\n\n\nTaking it old-school with a black-and-white snapshot of Blockbuster.
\n\n\nLegacyBox
\n\n\n
LEGACYBOX COMPANY INFO
\n\nLegacyBox is a digital media preservation company that was founded in 2007 and is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They are considered a \"leader\" in the crowded market of digitization services. When people search for such professional services, LegacyBox is one of the first options to appear.
\n\nLegacyBox has four shipping boxes available for purchase. You get a box, a welcome guide with instructions, safety barcodes, and a pre-paid shipping label. The process is simple enough; fill the box with your media (VHS tapes, VHS-C, Mini-DV, Hi8, Super 8, Digital 8, MicroMV, Betamax, and PAL), ship it out, and you'll get new digital copies in ten to twelve weeks.
\n\n\nThe LegacyBox
\n\n\nHOW EXPENSIVE IS LEGACYBOX?
\n\n- \n
- \n
Starting price $30
\n \n
As previously mentioned, LegacyBox has multiple shipping options to choose from. With their 50% off flash sale, the starter kit (which fits up to two forms of media) is $30, the family kit (which fits up to ten forms of media) is $140, the closet kit (which fits up to twenty forms of media) is $280, and the trunk kit (which fits up to forty forms of media) is $550. There is quite a variety of options, but you'll be paying for bulk conversions, not individual items.
\n\nTheir cloud service, thumb drive option, and \"disc set\" come at an additional price that is dependent on the size of the shipping box. Now, I don't really know what a \"disc set\" is; it's really not clear how many DVDs you get or if there's any way to choose. Even when I looked for more info, there wasn't any.
\n\n\nWHAT IS THE QUALITY OF TRANSFERS AT LEGACYBOX?
\n\nThe reviews on the LegacyBox website are, of course, all positive. And, as stated before, they've been casually considered a top-rated company due to being the largest brand for a long time.
\n\nNevertheless, there are quite a few complaints one can find with just a few Google searches. The most prevalent issue is that LegacyBox is very expensive. I mean, $30 for two tapes?! Never mind the fact that a 10-12 week turnaround time is ridiculous.
\n\n\nAn old VHS tape that’ll cost you a good $30 to digitize.
\n\n\nOne particular painful review I read on Reddit stated that LegacyBox was perpetually understaffed with terrible management. The customer had sent them 22 tapes, including two that were completely irreplaceable, and they didn't even begin to convert them until after three weeks. Which means they were in storage for at least two weeks (taking shipping into consideration).
\n\nOh, and apparently, there's an option for rush processing, and the customer service rep kept pushing for the customer to shell out extra for it (even though LegacyBox was behind schedule).
\n\nThe reviews on Amazon were not really any better than iMemories. Most stated that the quality of the finished products wasn't worth the price, tapes were outright unconverted, or the DVDs received were blank (because they converted blank tapes!). If you want a fun read, go to the BBB website and look through the current 48 complaints on file against LegacyBox. It's certainly unreal.
\n\n\nWalmart
\n\n\n
WALMART COMPANY INFO
\n\nAll right, so everyone knows Walmart. It's a big-name company that is synonymous with selling pretty much anything and everything. And since they're on this article, you can take an educated guess that they also do VHS tape conversions. I'll state plainly that Walmart doesn't do the actual conversion process. They outsource it to Capture.
\n\nSo what Walmart can convert, Capture can convert. VHS, S-VHS, Betamax, VHS-C, S-VHS-C, Video8, Hi-8, Digital8, DV, DVCAM, MiniDV, and DVC.
\n\n\nDoes anyone want to play ispy?
\n\n\nHOW EXPENSIVE IS WALMART DVD?
\n\n- \n
- \n
Starting price $15.96
\n \n
The starting price of VHS conversion on the Walmart website is $15.96. That's for the first 30 minutes. It's an additional $5.46 for every 30-minute period after that. I'm sorry, but that's quite expensive. And for some reason, Walmart only allows you to submit one VHS tape per transfer project.
Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't make any bloody sense. If you want to add a DVD, it's $3.96 per disc (up to 2 hours of content each). The only semi-reasonable price is the USB drive for $12.96, with no transfer limit.
\n\n\nWHAT IS THE QUALITY OF TRANSFERS AT WALMART?
\n\nAs stated above, Walmart's conversion service is really Capture's conversion service. So reviews for one are reviews for the other. And to be completely honest, every time I tried looking up specific info on WALMART and VHS conversion, I kept getting reviews for VHS/DVD players. So... yeah, not very helpful.
\n\n\nA really old VCR player
\n\n\nCapture
\n\n\n
CAPTURE COMPANY INFO
\n\nCapture (formerly known as YesVideo) was founded in 1999, so it's been around for quite a long time and is one of the first in the business. Their corporate location is in California and the production studio is in Georgia. Their first foray into digital conversion was to turn video tapes into DVDs. Capture was also one of the first companies to have a cloud service, MemorySafe.
\n\nDespite the long list available on the Walmart website, the Capture website has a limited list of analog video formats they convert: VHS, VHS-C, MiniDV, Video8, and Betamax. They're a big box company that speed-runs through conversions with little to no level of care.
\n\n\nCapture doesn’t transfer DVDs that have copyright.
\n\n\nHOW EXPENSIVE IS CAPTURE?
\n\n- \n
- \n
Starting price $29.99
\n \n
Capture's VHS to digital services cost $29.99 per tape (at the time of writing this article, there was a 40% off sale that dropped the price to $17.99). Adding a DVD to your order will cost an additional $6.99 (which is quite expensive), and a flash drive is $14.99.
\n\n\nWHAT IS THE QUALITY OF TRANSFERS AT CAPTURE?
\n\nLooking for reviews and info on the Capture's transfer quality was oh-so fun. I'm joking. I kept finding reviews about the TV show Capture, which looks like a decent show. But that's not the point of this article. Soooo... Here's what I could find. I'm actually quite surprised; Capture has a lot of really good reviews, but unlike a lot of companies, the negative reviews are easily accessible on their website.
\n\nThe reviews I found on the Capture website were mostly positive, praising them for their high-quality video conversions. However, a lot of the more negative reviews talked about how they add extra service fees. For example, one gentleman sent in a bunch of VHS tapes during a \"sale,\" but the cost was increased because two of the Betamax tapes were more than two hours long. Other negative reviews state that their media wasn't converted at all or some of it was missing.
\n\n\nYour go-to spot for VHS to DVD transfers
\n\n\nForever Studios
\n\n\n
FOREVER STUDIOS COMPANY INFO
\n\nForever Studios is located in Boca Raton, South Florida. We are dedicated to preserving American family's beloved memories into digitized memories for generations to come. Our experts in media digitization will provide you with a higher level of quality, dependability, and overall experience than any other company out there.
\n\nWe transfer VHS, VHS-C, Hi-8, Mini DV, Beta, Umatic, DVC Pro, and DV CAM. For every project we take on, we aim to create finished digital transfers worthy of professional historical organizations. Forever Studios makes the entire digitizing process a quick, easy, and worry-free experience.
\n\n\nHIGH-DEFINITION TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY AT FOREVER STUDIOS
\n\nOur base transfers, Forever Classic, are the ideal combination of quality and affordability. With the most up-to-date industry technology, extreme care, and subtle digital enhancements, you'll be amazed at the results. Forever Gold transfers, which cost an additional $5 per tape, take our excellent basic transfer techniques and turn the dial up by enhancing the visuals, color, and sound of the video.
\n\n\nWith the right tech and expertise, you’ll be amazed at your new DVDs
\n\n\nHOW EXPENSIVE IS FOREVER STUDIOS?
\n\n- \n
- \n
Starting price $10
\n \n
At Forever Studios, the VHS digital conversion service costs $10 per VHS or Camcorder tape. For TV Studio Formats (which are not typically used in the consumer market), we charge $35 per tape.
\n\nForever Studios has three ways for you to receive your upgraded videos (including DVDs, of course). We have archival-grade flash drives for $30 each, Forever Cloud (an online platform that allows you to view, save, and share media) for $55/year, and last but not least, DVDs for $5 per tape.
\n\n\nDavid is an amazing technician who will actively take care of your digitizing project.
\n\n\nWHAT IS THE QUALITY OF TRANSFERS AT FOREVER STUDIOS?
\n\nNot to brag, but Forever Studios has a 4.9 rating on Google reviews. I could wax poetic about the company I work for, but why don't I let one of our former clients say their piece?
\n\n\"After a thorough search for a company that could handle my media preservation needs, Forever Studios stood out for their exceptional approach and service offerings. Unlike larger companies in the same industry, such as Legacybox, iMemories, and Capture, Forever Studios provided a more personalized and attentive experience.
\n\nTheir commitment to ensuring the careful preservation of my media, coupled with the option for enhancement services, instilled confidence in their capabilities. The end result exceeded my expectations. I received a thumb drive containing all of the media on it. I couldn’t have been more pleased with my decision and experience.
\n\nThey were cost-competitive, and communication was top-notch. I wholeheartedly recommend Forever Studios for their outstanding service and quality of work. Thank you for providing an exemplary service that has left a lasting positive impression on me.\"
\n\n\n\nFinal Thoughts
\n\nIf you've read any of my other articles, you'll know that I always urge my readers to do their research before trusting a company with important and sentimental media. Not every company has your best interests in mind.
\n\n\nMake your VHS tapes DVDs worthy of family night
\n\n\nConsidering how bad the reviews are, I'm going to have to say iMemories and LegacyBox are not the places to go. If for no other reason than the fact your media might go missing. Capture, on the other hand, is an ok company if you have VHS tapes that you don't mind sending to a big company that doesn't have employees dedicated to your specific project.
\n\nForever Studios is the place you need to trust with what's important. I can't tell you what to do, but if you have VHS tapes that are very sentimental, damaged, or irreplaceable, it's best to choose a media transfer company with museum-quality results and overwhelmingly positive customer satisfaction.
\n\n\n![\"VHS](\"https://memoya-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images-blog/fd541dba-0589-4811-b29d-faaaaa4930e5\")
\n