General Digitization Questions

RVA Rewind makes the process simple for families and businesses in Richmond and across the U.S.

1. Contact us. Call or use our contact form and tell us what media you have.

2. Drop off by appointment at our Richmond, Virginia location, or ship your media carefully packed. We recommend labeling items and including a simple inventory list.

3. We inspect and transfer your media in-house using professional equipment. Typical turnaround is 2–6 weeks after we receive your items, depending on volume and condition.

4. You receive digital files on a USB drive and/or download, and your original media is returned with the order.

You can mix formats in one project—video, film, photos, audio, and many common data disks. Add-ons such as photo restoration or video enhancement are available when you need them.

Questions before you send anything? Reach out—we will help you plan packing, formats, and delivery. Start with what media we digitize or request a free estimate.

We digitize a wide range of analog and optical media at our Richmond, Virginia shop. You can mix and match formats in one order.

Video tapes: VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS, Video8, Hi8, Digital8, MiniDV, and similar consumer camcorder tapes. We also transfer professional formats such as U-Matic, Betacam, and DVCPro.

Film: Super 8, Regular 8mm, and 16mm reels (sound where present and readable).

Photos: Prints (most sizes), photo albums, plastic-mounted slides, and film negatives. Digital restoration is available for damaged or faded images.

Audio: Compact cassettes, microcassettes, 8-tracks, reel-to-reel (up to 7"), and vinyl records.

Data disks: Common floppy, Zip, CD, and DVD data recovery-style transfers (as capacity and condition allow). Specialty formats such as 5.25" floppies or Jaz disks are not always standard—ask first.

Not sure about a format? Contact us with a photo of the media and we will confirm before you ship or drop off. Browse service pages or request a free estimate with approximate counts.

Typical turnaround is about 2 to 6 weeks after we receive your media in Richmond, Virginia. Timing depends on the number of items, format mix, condition, and any add-on work such as photo restoration or video repair.

Large orders, fragile film, moldy tapes, or damaged disks may take longer because careful inspection and handling come first. Mixed projects (video + photos + audio in one box) are common; we schedule each format with the right workflow rather than rushing everything through one line.

We will keep you updated if something unexpected comes up during inspection or transfer. Need a faster timeline for a special event, memorial, or family reunion? Contact us before you send media and we will tell you what is realistic for the current queue.

Drop-off by appointment and mail-in are both options. For planning tips, read how the process works, browse service pages for your formats, and request a free estimate with approximate item counts.

You get your original media back plus digital files. Delivery options typically include a USB thumb drive and/or a secure digital download, depending on what you choose for the project.

Files are organized so you can play them on modern computers and devices:

• Video and film — commonly delivered as digital movie files

• Photos — image files suitable for viewing, sharing, and printing

• Audio — digital audio files for phones, computers, and media players

• Data disks — recovered files as stored on the media, on modern delivery media

We can discuss preferred formats when you place the order. Your originals are returned carefully packed with the digital deliverables when the job is complete. Many customers keep both: digital copies for everyday access and originals stored safely as the physical archive.

Not sure USB vs download? Ask when you contact us—we will match delivery to your devices and how you plan to share files with family.

Yes. We can provide a USB thumb drive with modern connectors so it works with newer computers. Many drives support both traditional USB-A and newer USB-C style connections—ask us when you order so we match the drive to your devices.

Your digitized files are standard formats that open on Windows and Mac without special software in most cases (for example, common video, photo, and audio types used for everyday playback). If a computer only has USB-C ports, we can plan a drive or adapter approach that fits.

If you only want a download and no physical drive, that option is available too. Some customers choose both: a drive for offline backup and a download for immediate access.

Contact us if you need help choosing the best delivery method for your setup, or see what you get back after digitizing for a broader overview of deliverables.