How It Works: Converting Your Media to Digital, Step by Step
From the closet shelf to your family’s phones, in seven steps.
You send it or drop it off. Our own team digitizes it by hand in Orange, California, checks every file, and sends it home with your originals. Here is exactly what happens along the way.
The Short Version
Build a free estimate, then ship your media or drop it off at our studio in Orange, California. Our own team digitizes everything in-house, reviews every file, and returns your originals with your digital copies on the drive you chose.
- Start
- A free online estimate, down to the penny
- Send
- Ship with tracking, use a Safe Shipping Kit from $35, or drop off in Orange
- Timing
- Call (888) 405-2685 for current processing times and priority ordering
- Updates
- We tell you when it arrives, goes into production, and ships
- Returned
- Your files on the drive you chose, with every original
The Seven Steps
What you do, what we do, and when.
- 1You, at your own pace
Build your free estimate
Pick the kinds of media you have, enter rough counts, and choose your options: quality, output, and how you want it back. Your estimate updates as you go, down to the penny. When you are ready, reserve your place in line, order a Safe Shipping Kit, or plan a drop-off.
- 2You
Pack it up and send it, or drop it off
Ship it to us yourself, or let us send a Safe Shipping Kit with a sturdy box, packing materials, and prepaid return shipping, from $35. You are always welcome to drop off at our Orange studio instead, and larger local orders can qualify for pick-up. - 3Us, the day it arrives
We check everything in
We unpack your shipment, count every item against your order, put a tracking label on each one, and enter it in our production system. We call or email to confirm it arrived safely. If your deposit has not been paid yet, we collect it then.
- 4Us, in our own studio
We digitize it by hand
Each format has its own workflow. Film is inspected, cleaned, lubricated, and scanned frame by frame, and each reel stays its own file; we never splice reels together. Photos and slides are cleaned of dust before scanning, and tapes are inspected and prepared before capture. Any restoration you chose, such as color correction or grain reduction, happens here.
- 5Us, before anything goes home
We review every file
A technician checks your files for completeness, picture quality, and the options you ordered. If something is not right, we fix it before your order is finished.
- 6Us, then you
Your originals and files come home
We copy your files to the drive you chose and pack your originals with them. Any remaining balance is settled, then we email your tracking number, or let you know your order is ready for pickup.
- 7You and your family
Watch, share, and back it up
Your memories play on phones, computers, and TVs, and can be shared with family anywhere. We usually keep a copy for a short time in case you need another, but please do not count on us as your backup: keep at least two copies, in two different places.
Snug in a sturdy box, nothing loose, photos protected from bending.
Shipping Your Media Safely
- Use a sturdy box, not an envelope or soft mailer
- Pack it snug so nothing can shift, and keep photos flat
- No need to wrap each item
- Include your printed estimate, or a note with your name, phone, email, and return address
- Ship UPS or FedEx; with USPS, buy tracking and keep the number
Ship to: Legacy Digital Productions, 202 W Lincoln Ave, Suite A, Orange, CA 92865. Moving before your order is done? Tell us and we will update your return address.
Your Media Never Leaves Our Hands
From the day it arrives until the day it goes home, your media stays with us.
Never sent out
No subcontractors, no mail-out warehouse, and nothing goes overseas. Every item is digitized in our Orange studio.
Every item labeled
Each tape, reel, album, and box gets its own tracking label when it arrives, and your order stays separate from everyone else’s.
Not one item lost
After more than a million reels and millions of individual items, we have never lost a customer’s media.
Want it back for the holidays?
Get your order to us by October 31. After that, rush service is available.
Our Satisfaction Guarantee
We stand behind every transfer we perform. If you're unhappy with the quality of our work, we'll make every reasonable effort to make it right, at no additional charge. And if another professional service can produce a visibly better transfer from the same originals, we'll match their quality or refund what you paid us for the affected transfer.
See Our Full Satisfaction Guarantee →Questions About the Process
Who is Legacy Digital Productions?
Legacy Digital Productions, often searched as Legacy Digital, is a media digitization studio in Orange, California, founded by Scott Foster in 2001. We convert film, video tapes, slides, photos, negatives, and audio to digital, all in-house by our own team. We are not a digital marketing agency, and we are not affiliated with other companies that use the name Legacy Digital.
How long does media conversion take?
Processing times depend on our current queue and the size of your order, so call us at (888) 405-2685 for current processing times. Working toward a date? Ask about priority ordering, and we will tell you honestly what we can finish by then. The work itself takes from a few hours to a few days, depending on the size of your order.
Will I hear from you while my order is in progress?
Yes. We let you know when your media arrives, when it goes into production, when it is finished, and when it ships. You can also sign in to your account or call any time to check on it.
When do I pay?
If you did not pay a deposit when you placed your order, we collect it when your media arrives. Any remaining balance is settled when the work is done, before your order ships or is picked up.
How should I ship my media?
Pack it snugly in a sturdy box, not an envelope, so nothing can shift, and protect photos from bending. There is no need to wrap each item. Include a printed estimate or a note with your contact details. We recommend UPS or FedEx; with USPS, use a service with tracking and keep the tracking number. Full shipping instructions.
Can I drop off instead of shipping?
Yes. Walk-ins are welcome at 202 W Lincoln Ave, Suite A, Orange, CA 92865, Monday through Friday, 8AM to 4PM, and evenings and weekends are available by appointment. Ask about local pick-up for larger orders.
Do you send any work to another company?
No. All of the work is done in-house by our own team. Your media never leaves our studio until it comes back to you, and it is never sent out of the country.
What if something cannot be converted?
You are not charged for it, and anything already paid for it is refunded. We tell you which items could not be converted and why, and the original comes back to you either way.
Do you keep a copy of my files?
Usually for a short time after your order is finished, in case you need another copy. It is not a long-term backup, so keep at least two copies of your own in separate places.
Can I get my order back in time for the holidays?
For holiday delivery, get your order to us by October 31. After that, rush service is available; call us and we will tell you honestly what we can finish by your date.
Other questions? Call us at (888) 405-2685. A real person answers, 7AM to 7PM, 7 days a week.
Know someone with a box of old tapes?
Ready for step one?
Your free estimate shows your price instantly, and there is no obligation. Or call and we will walk you through it.
202 W. Lincoln Ave., Suite A, Orange, CA 92865
Walk-ins Mon to Fri, 8AM to 4PM
Evenings and weekends by appointment
Phones answered 7AM to 7PM, 7 days a week
