Which home movies can be converted?
Southern Scan lists VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, Video 8, Digital 8, Hi8, Mini DV and DVDs for conversion to MP4 files at $5 per tape or DVD. Its pricing page states there are no order minimums. The provider has clarified that converting a DVD to MP4 costs $5, while a VHS-to-DVD order totals $7.50: $5 for conversion to MP4 plus $2.50 for loading the DVD. Ask for the complete order cost, including shipping and any unusual recordings.
Other family materials may fit the same project. Standard and micro audio cassettes can be transferred to MP3 files for $5 per cassette. For photographs, Southern Scan lists 600 DPI scanning at $0.15 each and 1200 DPI scanning at $0.20 each. Keep those photo and audio prices separate from the home-video rate when making an inventory.
Prepare a collection that is easy to identify
Number each tape and make a matching list before packing it. Copy existing labels rather than guessing what is recorded, and add useful clues such as a person's name, a vacation destination or an approximate year. Photograph the labels and cassette cases so you retain a reference while the originals are away. Keep different tape formats in separate groups if you can identify them.
Ask about any cracked cases, loose tape, visible mold or recordings that previously would not play. Do not attempt to play questionable tapes simply to complete the list. Confirm whether damaged media can be assessed and whether any additional work would change the quote. This is practical preparation advice, not a statement that Southern Scan offers repairs or restoration.
Sending originals and planning the timing
Southern Scan accepts mail-in orders only and does not accept drop-offs. It says it keeps customers updated as an order progresses. Its FAQ places the usual completion window at 1 to 2 weeks after items arrive. Larger orders can take longer, especially those containing large quantities of slides and negatives. The business says it provides an estimated completion date if it expects an order to exceed 2 weeks, with email updates on receipt and completion.
Return shipping is a choice on the order form: Southern Scan says it ships original items back after digitizing if that option is selected. Confirm the mailing instructions, packing requirements and return shipping cost before dispatch. If the recordings are needed for a reunion or birthday, allow time for transit and checking the files as well as the quoted processing window.
Choose delivery, then check the files
Completed digital media can be downloaded through Dropbox at no additional charge for 30 days. Southern Scan also says files can be delivered on your own flash drive or external hard drive at no extra cost. It lists flash drives from $10 to $30 for 32 GB to 256 GB, and DVDs at $2.50 each. Ask how the chosen storage option will contain your MP4 files and whether it suits the devices you plan to use. The $2.50 DVD amount is a delivery charge on top of conversion, not the complete VHS-to-DVD price.
Download everything while access is available. Compare the files with your inventory, play the beginning and end of each video, and sample points in the middle to check picture and sound. Preserve the delivered files before making edited copies. Keep the originals and at least two digital copies in separate places; one download or one USB drive should not be the family's only copy.
Give the recordings their family context
After conversion, Memrial provides a separate private family archive for digital photos and home videos. It does not convert tapes and is not part of Southern Scan. A free archive includes 2.0 GB of shared storage, with no card needed. Invite relatives to help identify faces, places and stories, starting with a few recordings that fit the available space.
Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, so a summer vacation video with an estimated date can still be found by year. Live Watch Parties synchronize an uploaded home video, with host play, pause and seek controls plus voice and text chat for relatives nearby or far away. Free Watch Parties include 3 hours per month and up to 6 participants.
Let a new occasion add to the archive
A family reunion could bring an old home movie together with photographs taken that day. Memrial's Event Memories provides a secure occasion contribution link. Contributors sign in but do not need archive membership; their photos and videos collect in the event album. Closing the link keeps the memories already contributed. Add names and dates while relatives can help, and retain your separate backups alongside the archive.