Old VHS Tapes: What to Know

Video Asylum

TVs, VCRs, DVD players, Home Theater systems and more.

Frank2001

Tapes made and recorded, say, prior to 1990, are now at extreme risk for normal playback unless they've been properly cared for.
"Properly Cared For" -- means {1} storing tapes in a temperature-controlled enviroment; {2} kept relatively dust-free; and {3} wound and fully rewound every six to twelve months.
Tapes made by TDK, Maxell, Fuji, Sony and JVC seem to last the longest {even some that haven't been rewound within the last 5 years!}.
Tapes by BASF, Scotch-3M and Memorex also last about as long, but each tape needs to be checked periodically.
Ampex Tapes {the 189's in the ALL-GRAY carton, and older ones in a black carton with a rainbow logo) are the Critically Endangered Species List.
If you have such Ampex tapes, especially any that were made and recorded more than 10 years ago--then they have probably begun to deteriorate. Playback of such tapes is not recommended, as they can clog tape heads and may also cause warping and/or breakage of the VCR's tape transport.
Such Ampex tapes will also put a devestating strain on your VCR's Fast-Foward and Rewind functions. This is especially true of the "Fast-Wind" generation of VCR's that have been made within the last six years.

My Humble Abode

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

Topic - Old VHS Tapes: What to Know - Frank2001 23:03:05 05/17/01 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.