There is no question that VHS tapes have seen their day in the audio-visual timeline. But if you lived through the time they were the pinnacle of technology, then there’s a good chance you still have an old collection of VHS tapes in the loft. Perhaps there is an element of nostalgia, and maybe you have always planned to transfer them to DVD but just haven’t got around to it yet. It’s fine, a VHS tape doesn’t have a use-by date or anything, right?
Actually, no! Here are four disastrous things that can ruin your treasured memories that are confined to VHS tapes.
1. Mould
You may not think that something which looks like a chunky plastic box could attract mould. But any spots where there are powders or dust could be destroying the tapes you think are stored away safely. A touch of mould powder can be easily wiped off a VHS tape, but if left too long it will become a thick coating of the fungus on your fragile magnetic tape ribbon. No video transfer lab will risk harming their equipment to transfer mould-infested tapes to DVD.
2. Tape Warping
High temperatures can cause the magnetic ribbon in VHS tapes to warp. This will lead to image disruption and noise during playback, which can’t be undone. After a certain point, the tape ribbon won’t be able to run smoothly in a player.
3. Sticking
Another thing that can ruin the shelf-life of a VHS tape is air quality. Humidity can be a killer for your old recorded wedding vows or your child’s first steps, because the tape in the VHS housing can become sticky. Once stuck, the reels of tape essentially become a hockey puck, and can never be used again.
4. Shredding
The magnetic tape in VHS technology is very fragile, and through a combination of temperature change, humidity and wear and tear, the tape can become torn and shredded. Once this has happened, there is no way to repair it, so whatever you had on tape is lost.
All these things and more can happen without you knowing, and the next time you pull out your old tapes you will find they are destroyed and their content is lost. Take action now to protect your treasured memories by contacting Video 2 DVD Transfers today to convert your old video to DVD before it’s too late!