It might be the nostalgia talking, but I genuinely love tape formats, and in particular, VHS. There’s something deeply charming about tape-based physical media, from the scan lines, to the rewinding, to just about everything else in between. Put together, the experience is pure retro tech bliss from start to finish.
I grew up in the days when Blockbuster was the go-to place for renting out VHS tapes, and I have fond memories of taking home a handpicked movie or TV show on a Friday night, inserting it into my VCR player, rewinding it, and watching its contents with popcorn and hot chocolate in tow.
Over the years, I’ve also collected a fair number of VHS tapes, most of which lie dormant in a plastic tote in my closet. Aside from films and shows that I’ve purchased, my collection features a number of important home videos of sentimental value. The problem — and this is a very big problem — is that, much to my dismay, VHS tapes are something of a ticking time bomb.
Tapes were never meant to last
The VHS format has a limited lifespan
Indeed, VHS tapes aren’t designed with longevity in mind. Putting aside the format’s propensity to physically unwind and tangle up, its magnetic tape strip tends to degrade over time. This isn’t just something that happens when stored in an inopportune location — it happens over time even in ideal storage conditions.
Adding insult to injury, VHS tapes also degrade during use. This may sound odd in today’s digital-based world, but it’s true: the average tape is subject to wear and tear each and every time it’s played back on a VCR player, with rewinding and fast forwarding only accelerating this deterioration.
In other words, if you’re like me and have a back catalog of VHS tapes, then your collection is slowly but surely destroying itself. This is a disheartening fact, but it’s one that’s important to come to grips with in order to proceed with preserving your nineties-era home videos. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure your multimedia lasts a lifetime and then some.
…I’d highly suggest digitizing your tape collection.
As a first order of business, I’d recommend relocating your tapes to a cool, moisture-free, and climate-controlled environment if they aren’t already. Next, I’d highly suggest digitizing your tape collection. This can be done through the use of specialized equipment, or by employing the services of someone with know-how and the proper gear.
Personally, even though I’ve gone ahead and digitized my home videos, I maintain my VHS collection as a backup of sorts. Plus, I love going through all my tapes from time to time, as it reminds me of Blockbuster, family movie nights, and all the rest of it. Every time I open my plastic tote filled with VHS tapes, I’m immediately transported to the past.
Deep down, I know that my tapes will all eventually stop functioning properly, but I also rest assured knowing that the physicality of their existence will remain indefinitely. I might be the odd one out, but I don’t have plans to ever throw away my tapes, regardless of whether they work or not. I just love the format too much to ever let go of it, even if I’m ultimately fighting a losing battle over longevity.
