LegacyBox VHS to DVD Review

Are you someone who is currently in the market for VHS to DVD tape transfer services? If so, you've probably been exposed to a few different providers offering similar products, and promising similar experiences. There are a few pretty well known "brand names" these days, and each of us is known for something a little different. One of the most common questions we find ourselves discussing with customers is "what makes Forever Studios' VHS to DVD service different from LegacyBox?" And to be honest, that's a great question. If you really start doing your research, some of those differences begin to become clear, but not everyone has a ton of time to go searching out all of these answers.

If you ask us, the big differences between Forever Studios VHS to DVD service and LegacyBox's VHS to DVD service come down to three main things - Access to to live service from real people, fundamental quality differences in transfers, and greater attention to detail throughout the process.

If these VHS tapes look familiar to you, you're in the right place.

Additionally, while we're generally known as being the more “premium” and "boutique" provider for media digitizing, what many people don’t know is that (all things considered) you’re generally not paying more to go with Forever Studios vs. LegacyBox. LegacyBox actually wrote a blog post about us recently comparing our services, and it made us think we should clarify some of these things a little further. Because when you factor in things like overall customer experience, processing times, and video quality, and paying for a bigger box than you need - the value proposition ends up shifting quite a bit towards our services here at Forever Studios.

What we also found a little weird is that they make it out like we only generally serve the South Florida market, which is kind of funny, because we've been one of their national competitors for years, and offer a pretty similar secure ship kit based system to theirs.

Lastly we have to address something that stands out as the elephant in the room these days: LegacyBox's VHS tape transfer service has garnered some negative feedback lately that raises legitimate concerns about its reliability and value. While we don't really like to sling mud at our competitors, the fact is that something isn't a good value if you're not getting what was advertised. And while any big company is inevitably going to have a certain number of customers who either didn't have the best experience, or had some unrealistic expectations; it's always worth looking a little deeper when we're dealing with priceless and irreplaceable media materials.

Over time, the magnetic tape in old VHS media deteriorates. Transferring them to a digital format is the right choice!

What Tape Formats Does LegacyBox Transfer?

LegacyBox transfers VHS, Betamax, VHS-C, Mini DV, Hi8, Digital 8, Micro MV, and 8mm Video Cassettes.

What Tape Formats Does Forever Studios Transfer?

Forever Studios transfers all the formats that LegacyBox offers to transfer, and then some. Basically, we're able to transfer any tape ever made, and that includes professional formats such as BetaCam, BetaCam SP, Umatic, and a variety of other professional grade tapes typically used in broadcast studios. We're also able to work on the Mini DVD format used in late 2000s camcorders.

How Much Does LegacyBox Cost?

LegacyBox has been using their box based pricing system for quite some time now, which provides pre-set quantities of transfers for specific prices. While they regularly run sales and promos, the starter kit that fits two tapes is priced at $34.99. The family-size kit that fits up to ten tapes is $159.99. The closet kit fits up to twenty tapes and goes for $319.99. The trunk fits up to forty tapes for $624.99. If you want additional end products with your transfers, that's going to cost you additional money.

LegacyBox does consumer tapes like VHS and Mini DV, but not Pro tapes like Umatic.

HOW DOES LEGACYBOX PRICING WORK?

Now, here's the thing: with LegacyBox, customers don't pay per tape. So, for example, even if you need seven tapes digitized, you'll pay the same amount as someone with ten tapes, because that's the box size you would buy. Also, that doesn't even take into account how the digital files are delivered, which with any digitizing company is a separate costs. As you add more tapes or media items to your "box" the cost of the USB, Cloud or DVDs increases.

To be honest, we don't like this pricing model. It's too inflexible, and too likely to put you in a position where you're paying for more than what you actually need to have worked on. The limitations of the pricing make it so you can't really build your project around the work you actually need done. It's not set up to make things easier for you. It's set up to make things easier for them.

With Forever Studios, you're only ever paying for EXACTLY what you need. Does that mean you need to spend a little more time setting up your project during ordering? Yes! But that's for a reason. We want your project to be an exact reflection of your needs, and you have access to live help from our Customer Care team via phone, e-mail, live chat and more to help you get your project dialed in just the way you want it.

And we can pretty much guarantee you that if you put your project together and price it out with Forever Studios, you're going to find that we actually cost less money in most cases. Pricing transparency is what we're all about.

This is a LegacyBox… box. Lol. Punny. (Photo from legacybox.com)

WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL FEES AT LEGACYBOX?

With LegacyBox, digital downloads are available free on the company's cloud storage service for 90 days. After that trial period, the subscription renews quarterly. Customers also have the choice of thumb drives or "disc sets".

Cloud storage is free for the first 90 days, then renews at the quarterly rate shown above. Thumb drive and disc set fees are one-time add-ons per kit.

USBs are a great way to enjoy digital files. Forever Studios offers premium high qulaity USB drives.

VHS to DVD Services

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What is the Expected Turnaround Time at Legacybox?

Many customers have reported having to wait longer than the promised 10-12 week turnaround time (which is in and of itself is a pretty long time to have your priceless tapes hanging out in a warehouse somewhere). One particularly unsettling negative review recounted a customer's experience of sending in 22 irreplaceable tapes, only to find that LegacyBox didn't even start the conversion process until three months had already passed. That's a severe lack of efficiency, letting video cassette tapes sit in limbo for weeks on end, unaccounted for.

Again, our goal here isn't to be negative for the sake of being negative. We just have to draw a point of comparison, because Forever Studios' turnaround times are 2-3 weeks for our standard projects, with 1 week rush service available. And if you look at Forever Studios reviews, you'll see that we hit those dates with regularity. And let's say for argument's sake that for whatever reason we AREN'T going to be able to hit our advertised turnaround time, we're going to proactively reach out to you and make sure you know EXACTLY why. Every single item that comes to Forever Studios is tracked meticulously and NEVER leaves our sight. And the thing we find most important is making sure that your VHS to DVD service is something that's fun and exciting, not stressful.

ARE THE LEGACYBOX RUSH AND EXPEDITED OPTIONS WORTH IT?

The rush and expedited processing time options at LegacyBox are reported to be a mixed bag, with many reporting aggressive sales tactics to push customers into spending more money for "faster digitizing", even when the transfer company was already behind schedule. That is less about customer care and more like, well, pressure tactics. A company shouldn't be responding to missing the mark by asking for more money to achieve a basic degree of responsible service. Again, we also need to point out that you're paying a lot more for LegacyBox to expedite a project, only to potentially get to turnaround times that Forever Studios delivers for free.

With Forever Studios, we stand by our digitizing times, and will never ask for more money to prioritize a project if it ever somehow falls behind, which it’s very unlikely to ever do. And if it ever did, we would prioritize it for free, not ask for more money.

Every company that serves a national audience has negative reviews, but we invite you to compare Forever Studios to LegacyBox.

LegacyBox's Customer Service Issues

Customer service issues are a recurring theme when looking into LegacyBox these days, with numerous complaints about a complete absence of support, basic respect, and empathy. People have described their attempts to reach out via phone, email, and even text as futile endeavors that were met with silence and apathy. It's alarming for any company to have staff that doesn't at least try to help, especially when there's an issue with their video tape conversion project.

And honestly it pains us to point this out, because LegacyBox was actually rather polite in their recent article about us. But the fact of the matter is that we're not dealing with trinkets and regular "eCommerce" stuff here. If you're buying a product from somewhere and their customer service is bad, that's one thing. But when you're sending in your life's memories to a VHS to DVD transfer service, it's inexcusable. 

Prepare to weeks for return of your VHS tapes with LegacyBox.

Additionally, the quality of transfers has come under fire. Many complaints on file have expressed disappointment over the sub-par digital videos, with some noting that their video tapes had additional damage caused by the conversion process. While accidents and bad transfers can happen, and they’re an unfortunate reality of working with aged media materials, whether or not a company takes responsibility for these issues makes all the difference.

Forever Studios: The Better Option 

Forever Studios is America's most trusted home movie VHS transfer service. We transfer VHS, VHS-C, Hi-8, Mini DV, Beta, Umatic, DVC Pro, and DV CAM. Our team of experts treat the analog video formats that hold your precious memories with the respect they deserve. Oh, and the actual cost of conversion is upfront with no hidden fees.

Forever Studios Tape Quality vs. “Competitors”

What Does Forever Studios Charge for VHS Tape Transfers?

At FS, our per tape price is usually discounted to around $12 per tape, and sometimes cheaper. Forever Classic, the standard conversion video quality, is better than anything a big box company can create. But if you want something a little more, Forever Gold (for an additional $5 per tape) enhances visuals, colors, & sound. Not a bad deal, right?

The differences between Forever Classic and Forever Gold is truly astonishing.

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS TO RECEIVE DIGITAL FILES AT FOREVER STUDIOS?

Getting DVDs or the digital format files of your VHS tapes is easy and affordable at Forever Studios. There's the convenient thumb drive (an archival grade USB that can be played on computers and TVs) for $30, DVDs for $5 per tape, and a year-long Forever Cloud subscription for $55 (or a 30-day trial for $5 per tape).

IS FOREVER STUDIOS TRUSTWORTHY?

The short answer is: Yes. The best part about trusting Forever Studios with your beloved memories is our exceptional Customer Care team, our awesome transfer quality, and the short digitizing time of 2-4 weeks (sometimes faster). Our team takes care of every step of the process, providing email updates so our customers have peace of mind. The longer answer is in the amazing track record of glowing reviews and testimonials from people all over the United States.

A happy Forever Studios customer enjoying their VHS memories.

Look, a competent digital conversion service should not take 10-12 weeks, and the entire process should be monitored so that no priceless memories get lost. Simple as that. If you need analog media types like video tapes transferred onto DVDs or USB drives, go to a company with museum-quality results at an affordable cost. 

Zachary Goldberg, Founder

“A VHS tape sitting in a box is already degrading. Every year you wait, the magnetic coating breaks down a little more and you lose quality you can never get back. That is why we built a process around fast turnaround and real quality control. When someone trusts us with 25-year-old memories, we treat every single tape like it is the only copy, because it usually is.”

Legacybox vs Forever Studios at a Glance

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the two services based on publicly available information and customer reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Legacybox a legitimate company?

Yes. Legacybox is a real company based in Chattanooga, Tennessee that has been in business since 2009. They have processed orders for hundreds of thousands of customers. However, their customer satisfaction ratings are mixed, with a 3.9 on Trustpilot and a 2.5 on Sitejabber, so experiences vary widely.

How long does Legacybox take to return your tapes?

Legacybox quotes 10 to 12 weeks for standard turnaround. Some customers report receiving their orders faster, while others have reported wait times of 16 weeks or longer. Rush and expedited options are available at additional cost, but reviews of those options are also inconsistent.

Does Legacybox do a good job with VHS tapes?

Quality results are mixed based on customer reviews. Some customers are satisfied with the output, while others report issues including grainy video, missing audio, and incomplete transfers where only part of a tape was digitized. The single quality tier means there is no premium option for better results.

Can Legacybox lose my tapes?

While rare, there are documented cases of customers reporting lost or damaged media. Legacybox provides tracking and a barcode system for each item, but once your media is in their facility, the risk exists with any mail-in service. This is why many customers choose services with shorter turnaround times, which reduces the window of exposure.

Is Legacybox cheaper than Forever Studios?

It depends on the order size. Legacybox uses bundle pricing, so you pay for a fixed kit size whether you fill it or not. A 2-item kit runs $69.99 ($35 per item). Forever Studios charges per tape starting at $14.99 for Classic transfers. For small orders, Forever Studios is typically more affordable. For large orders using Legacybox sale pricing, the per-item cost can come down, but the quality tier and turnaround time differences still apply.

What is the best alternative to Legacybox?

Forever Studios is frequently cited as a top alternative, with a 4.97 rating across nearly 1,700 verified reviews. Other alternatives include Capture, iMemories, and local digitization shops. The best choice depends on your priorities: budget, quality, turnaround time, and the level of personal service you need.

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