Christmas has come and gone in a flash, and from everyone here at Video2DVD, we hope you had a fantastic time full of wonderful memories. Chances are, someone got the camera out and was snapping pictures throughout, or someone was filming the kids opening their presents on their phones, ready to share with the whole family wherever they are.
Nowadays, everything is captured on phones. But before the rise of smartphones, we relied on VHS recorders to capture those festive memories. Perhaps you or your parents or grandparents have some past Christmases filmed on VHS tapes. When was the last time they were brought out to watch? Well, hopefully, those tapes are still in good condition, and someone has a VHS player to play them.
Suppose the festive period has reminded you of those Christmases in years gone by and makes you want to break out those recordings for some good old nostalgia. In that case, you should consider getting them converted onto a more reliable format. Here’s why:
VHS Tapes are Unreliable
VHS tapes were a fantastic piece of tech back in the day, and they will always have a place in our hearts. But nowadays they just don’t cut it. Compared to the likes of DVDs and MP4 files, VHS tapes are a world away and have many disadvantages that these more updated formats don’t share, such as:
- VHS tapes can degrade naturally over time.
- VHS tapes need to be rewound to the beginning when watched through.
- Playing VHS tapes can accelerate tape degradation.
- VHS tapes can only be played on VHS players.
- Mould can develop on the tape of VHS tapes due to improper storage.
- VHS tapes don’t have a menu or skip function.
- VHS tapes have poor visual and audio quality.
- VHS tapes are bulky and difficult to transport.
When compared to DVDs and MP4 file formats, VHS doesn’t compare. Even if your VHS tapes are in good condition, you still need a reliable VHS player to watch them. If you want to share the footage with others, you need to ensure they also have a VHS player available, or you’ll have to transport yours over to their house so that they can play the tape.
Aside from most people owning a DVD player, DVDs can also be played in other ways, such as on a games console or a laptop or computer. MP4 files can be played on virtually any computer device or smartphone, and they can be transferred digitally so you can share the footage with people practically anywhere in the world in an instant provided you both have an internet connection.
DVDs and MP4 formats can also be customised with start menus, and the footage can be edited into scenes that can be skipped through, making viewing just that much better. You can get straight to the good stuff like the present opening and skip over grandad’s recording of the entirety of the Queen’s speech.
While VHS tapes are great for nostalgia, they have nothing on the simplicity, accessibility and additional features that a DVD or MP4 format can provide the viewer.
Keep Every Christmas Memory Safe
This Christmas was unique for many of us, and while it might not have been quite what we all envisioned, there’s no denying that it will have been a Christmas to remember. Chances are you recorded the best bits on your phone and have already backed them up to the cloud, but can the same be said for those Christmases you enjoyed decades ago?
If you have old Christmas Day recordings tucked away in an attic somewhere on VHS tapes, you may have already lost them. Those tapes won’t last forever, and they can deteriorate naturally even when left in optimal conditions. Fortunately with Video2DVD, we can convert VHS to DVD, video to MP4 and much more.
When you give us your old VHS tapes, we can transfer your treasured memories from video to DVD or onto a USB stick for a VHS to digital conversion. Nostalgia is great, but not when it comes at the cost of your precious footage being lost for good. When you let our experts handle the conversion for you, you can rest assured that you’ll have a more robust copy of your past Christmases to enjoy time and time again.
And don’t worry about your treasured tapes. Once we’ve done your conversion, we will post your VHS tapes back to you along with your DVD so you can keep the original copy. But now you have a backed-up version should the worst happen.
Keep your Christmas memories safe for years to come and for future generations to enjoy. Contact us today to find out more about our VHS to USB or DVD conversion services.