The Negative Effects of Aging – on old VHS tapes and VCRs

While the advances in media technology have been amazing, one of the drawbacks of progress is that old formats get left behind. I’m sure you’ve heard it said that you need to convert your old VHS tapes to DVD before the tapes deteriorate. Tape condition is a very important factor in getting a quality transfer. But the most important factor in getting a quality digital transfer from a VHS tape is the playback machine.

When VHS was state of the art, professional VCRs were made to produce a stable, clear picture and sound far superior to the consumer VCRs of the time, which in turn are better than the new VCRs in the VCR/DVD combos made today. These excellent professional machines have not been made in years, and they are aging and disappearing from second-hand markets. Replacement parts are no longer made, and manual electronics repair is becoming a lost art.

We currently offer VHS transfer on professional VCRs with time based correctors, and intend to do so as long as possible. But please take our advice, and don’t delay. Time is not being kind to this technology.