If you still have Video Home System (VHS) tapes. It might be time to consider converting them to digital. VHS tapes have an average life expectancy of 10 to 25 years under proper storage conditions.
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Things that cause tapes to degrade faster include storing them in hot and humid conditions, low-quality tapes, storing them near a magnetic source, recording over old tapes, and excessive use. Many people still have boxes of old tapes hidden in closets and basements. Drag those boxes out and take a look at them.
If you don’t have a working VHS player and want to preserve the contents on the tapes, consider using a digitizing service. Compact Discs (CDs) and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) discs can last as long as 100 years without losing integrity.
There are several ways to digitize your VHS tapes. The first method you can do yourself if you have a working VHS player with a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). Place a recordable DV disc in the reader and the tape in the machine. Press “Play” for the tape while pressing “Record” on the VHS side. If you don’t have the necessary equipment, there is still hope. If you have a VHS camera, it can be connected to a DVR. This method works the same as above.
Using a digital recovery and conversion service is the easiest option. These services will take your tapes and convert them into DVDs for a minimal cost. The contents of several tapes will fit on one disk, so it helps to have them somewhat organized. Their experience working with older tapes allows them to succeed better in recovering those family moments before you lose them.
Preserve your past. Please share.
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