Digitize All of Your Old Media

Analog Media

Audiotape: To digitize analog audiotape, you'll need a tape player to play back the cassette or open reel, an audio input for your computer, and a piece of recording software. If your computer doesn't already have a line-in connector, you can buy a USB device. For software, Audacity is a free, open-source sound editor that will get the job done. If the audio consists of interviews or spoken-word content, you may want to transcribe it so that the content becomes searchable. CastingWords charges only $0.75 per minute of audiotape for transcripts.

If you have more-exotic media, such as four-track cassettes or half-inch tape, and you want to preserve the independent tracks, you'll need a multitrack input device. M-Audio sells both four track and eight track USB devices. If you don't have a device to play back the original tapes, such as 1-inch analog or digital ADAT eight-track recordings, contact local recording studios. A number of restoration services, including Graham Newton, advertise online; consult one of them if you need help with damaged or broken tapes or records.

Videotape: For digital video, a FireWire or FireWire-to-USB cable should suffice to connect a camera to your computer. Otherwise, recording videotape is the same as recording audiotape. In fact, if you expect to record video as well as audio, you can use any of a number of video conversion devices to record both--possibly saving you a bit of money. For instance, the EasyCap USB 2.0 Video Capture Adapter ($15 at Amazon.com) can perform both video and audio capture. When possible, use an S-Video cable to improve the quality of the transfer.

If you'd like someone else to do the work, you should be able to find a local service that can convert old tapes to DVD. If you have old professional-grade tapes (such as U-Matic, Beta SP, or DigiBeta), you may need to find a specialist. The folks at BetaSPtoDVD.com will convert almost any old tape to DVD, and they keep a great blog about video transfers and archiving tips.

Film

Negatives and slides: Depending on the quality of digital output you want, you have various options. For 35mm slides and negatives, or other transparent still photos, you can get a decent digital image with an inexpensive flatbed scanner equipped with a transparency adapter. If you want high-resolution digital copies for later printing, your best bet is to go to a service. Most professional photographers arrange for a service like New York's Matrix to scan film on a wet-mount drum scanner, which can produce stunning results. Check your local listings for professional photo or printing services.

Motion pictures: For movies, you should go straight to the pros. But don't settle for DVD quality: Film is much more detailed than DVD video, and old footage made require some restoration for best results. Have the film scanned and returned as 1080p HD video (on Blu-ray discs or on an external hard drive). For transfers from16mm film to HD video (including film cleaning, return media, and shipping), fees range from $5 to $8 a minute at companies like My Movie Transfer and Video Conversion Experts.

Documents and Photos

For paper documents and photographic prints, a flatbed scanner generally does the trick. If you're working with art or photography, a sub-$100 entry-level scanner should be fine. If you're planning to scan an entire manuscript, however, you should probably look for a scanner that has an automatic feeder; such models start at around $300. It's also a good idea to have image editing software on hand for retouching photos and art, and optical character recognition software for converting typed or printed text documents so that you can search their contents easily.

Whether you're preserving family history or business documents, your own art works or a collection of old records, bringing your archives into the digital age and making them searchable stands to benefit you now and (especially) in the future.