Legacybox review

Ever wanted to streamline your dusty boxes of photos, home movies and audio into digital media you can more readily enjoy and share? Mail-in kit Legacybox offers a way to preserve outdated media like VHS and Betamax tapes, 8-mm film, 35-mm slides and reel-to-reel into easy-to-view drives, discs and downloads. But expect to pay a pretty penny for the convenience.

Legacybox

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Last verified 23 Apr 2020

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How does Legacybox work?

You choose from four Legacybox kits that can fit your needs — from 2 items to digitize and on up to 40. When your box arrives, you pack in your media using safety barcodes to track each item before mailing the whole thing to Legacybox with a prepaid shipping label. The company then transfers your photos, videos and audio recordings onto a thumb drive, cloud or DVD — whichever format you choose.

What’s included in a Legacybox?

Here’s what you can expect in your Legacybox:

• Item barcodes and master sheet to track your media
• Prepaid shipping label
• Welcome guide with instructions
• Space to include your media

What formats does Legacybox digitize?

Legacybox can digitize a range of media storing audio, film and photos:

• Tapes — VHS, VHS-C, MiniDV, Hi8, Digital8, MicroMV, Beta, PAL
• Photos — Prints, 35mm film, negatives
• Reels — 8mm, 16mm
• Audio — Audiocassette, cassette tape, compact cassette, reel-to-reel

Pros and Cons

How much does Legacybox cost?

Prices range from about $60 to $1,100, depending on how much media you want to convert.

Each kit comes with extra barcodes for converting more media, if you decide to include it. The company bills you for any add-ons after your order is processed.

You can also mix and match with each package. For example, with the 2-Item Starter box, you can convert one set of pictures and one film for a total of two items.

How long does it take?

Digitizing takes 4 to 6 weeks to complete after the company receives your box. Legacybox emails regular updates so that you can track the progress of your media.

What do people say about Legacybox?

Overall, customers online appear to be happy with the service. Redditors rave about the quality of even 25-year-old Camcorder films and the return of original media within a month. Technical complaints involve the inability to “deinterlace” the output versus doing it yourself. The service’s many discounts are a welcome bonus.

Other similar services

Big-box stores like Walmart and Costco also offer photo and video transfer services — for a significantly lower price.

Bottom line

For a lasting gift for your loved ones or a meaningful activity for the whole family, give Legacybook a look. It just might help you declutter those dusty shoeboxes of tapes and photos while providing a more convenient way to share your memories. And while prices can be steep, depending on how many files you’re converting, it’s not as expensive as the technology required to do it yourself.