Well, shucks, if you decide you need a few old tapes let me know. I have no shortage of mylar. → What was the movie you bought on VHS, VHS Hi•Fi, LaserDisc and DVD? ----------------------------- Sometimes I'd get 'spare-itis' of a particular title. I got 'spare-itis' for THE CAREY TREATMENT (1972), for example. I could've stopped at having 2 of them but I didn't . . .
I have quite a few and I am always asking myself if it is time to let them go. Some of it is "good" though, like all the Disney animated movies and the unedited THX versions of the first three Star Wars.....You know, the one where Han shot first.....and Mos-Eisley was almost abandond outside the tavern.
I got rid of mine. It was a tough decision but they were taking up so much space. I converted some of them to dvds. Then that machine broke. I ended up buying dvd's of most of the VHS tapes. Now they and my cds take up a lot of space. I wonder how long these VHS players last? Tapes would get tangled etc. Are VHS players still available ?
I have around 30 - around 6 pre-recorded stuff like Rude Boy I just keep for sentimantal reasons and about 25 that is stuff recorded from the TV
I literally have 4(!) left - fan club-only Metallica content from the mid-late 90s. I attempted to digitize them a few months ago, but was not successful with the modern(?) VHS with HDMI output. I have a capture card/device that removes the encryption but I still couldn't get it to work. Likely most of the content is already on YouTube.
Ditch those. With a bit of effort, you can download 1080p/4K versions of the original movies, sourced from actual original film prints. They look amazing. Project 4K77 | The Star Wars Trilogy
If we're counting tapes with stuff I recorded on them plus pre-recorded tapes, probably around 100-150. The pre-recorded tapes are mostly Beatles and Disney stuff. I guess I'm keeping the Disney stuff for the artwork on the packaging, and I have a rule about never throwing away anything Beatles. The remaining ones with home vids need to be transferred to some other media.
Also, some lunatic edited together "de-specialized" versions of the re-releases, without the unwanted added crap, but with the superior digital surround track, and the cleaned-up special effects (no more visible matte lines in space.) I don't have many VHS tapes left. Mostly rare Disney stuff my wife collects, including a German release of Song of the South. VHS players will last as long as analog cassette decks, but like them, you need to re-belt them occasionally. I have a professional Sony deck, and a Panasonic world-standard deck that can play the German tape. Both need some work, it's on my lengthy list of stuff to get to
I received in the mail today an inexpensive video nugget. A 'tape-only' WARNER HOME VIDEO release of "Pale Rider". I noticed it on eBay a few days ago and could tell it was the first release of the movie. Has the purple label 'backing' along with the 'Non-Returnable' shiny sticker on the side of the videocassette + the ((Warner Bubble-Shield)) logo sticker. Cost me $6.78 including the shipping and tax. Pale Rider (VHS, 1990) for sale online | eBay The heading says 'VHS, 1990' but the tape is obviously older.
I must amend my earlier post which is quoted below. I inadvertently left out the 3 VHS tapes included in the Metallica Live Sh**: Binge and Purge box set, featuring concerts from Seattle and San Diego. <<My VHS collection is now down to just a few titles: American History X (1998) 2 independent videos of Detroit-area railroad In Cold Blood (1967) Kitten With a Whip (1964) The Men (1950) Tombstone (1993) The Warning (1980) a.k.a. Without Warning 3 independent pro wrestling videos 10 miscellaneous adult oriented videos stored away in a closet I just recently traded away 2 VHS tapes (The Blair Witch Project and The Curse of the Blair Witch, both 1999) because I have both on DVD. Got about 75 cents in store credit for the pair. Still have my old VHS player from around 2000 connected to my TV.>>
I had that big box, too. Those videos are available via DVD, so I ditched the VHS version. Maybe I kept the book.
I have KITTEN WITH A WHIP (1964) on tape as well, Moonbeam_Skies. It's on Universal with the 'UNIVERSAL TREASURES' heading on the top of the box, I do believe. Universal issued a few movies with the 'Treasures' heading. One was "BOOM!" (1968); another was SCOTT JOPLIN (1977). Think SECRET CEREMONY (1968) was another. Can't think of anymore offhand besides those four.
About 100. Mostly concert videos. Was reading recently about Rush - A Show of Hands VHS is a much better sounding mix than the DVD issue. Haven't compared them yet.
Have never counted, but several hundred of them; c. 2015 or so, I found the collection of someone who'd apparently taught history of film at the U resale store and bought maybe 100 of them for 50 cents or a buck apiece. Keeping working VCRs together seems to be the biggest problem I've had; went to buy a new one back around then, only to find that they were no longer available/being manufactured.
♣ VIDEO THINGS ♣ Universal released the 1966 movie MOMENT TO MOMENT on VHS in 1998 . . . but does not appear to have ever issued it on a digital medium as of yet. I thought that rather odd. The vast majority of movies Universal released on tape have also been issued on disc. But not this one, it seems. Stars Jean Seberg, Sean Garrison, Honor Blackman, Arthur Hill. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.
I’m in the process of digitizing home movies we have on VHS. We have our old VHS movies boxed up so while I have everything set up I pulled some out to watch. After years of DVD’s and Blu-rays those tapes look awful in comparison, just awful. Boy did we get spoiled by advances in technology.
This newly released RLM video is certainly pertinent to the subject under discussion. And check out the auction on Ebay! It's skyrocketing (for a good cause)!
I remember when that thing was going out being replaced by DVD. I kept buying those just to watch at night and save money from cable, dvd and get bored of watching so I can work more and make money. Now I still have those VHS and probably donate it,.,,,,
@Michel_L: I have some tapes that hadn't been played in 20 years or more and they still played ok after decades of non-use. I had a Columbia tape of THE BOYS IN COMPANY C (1978) that was originally released in 1982 and I played it about a month ago. God Knows how long it had been since the videocassette had seen the inside of a VCR. ALSO: In early 2021, I sent a Canadian fella a tape I'd bought from a closing video store in late 1997/early 1998 [I went to that store several times and picked up a lot of tapes] and I'd never played it in the 23 years I'd owned it. It was THE DEVILS (1971-UK) in an old-time Warner clamshell. I had told the fella it was in nice condition overall with no mould or dust or mylar 'flecks' inside the shell but simply hadn't been played for probably 25 years. I sent it. He got it. He played it. He told me it played fine and had no reason to lie! Lately I've played a passel of tapes: The Boys In Company C, Night Moves, Going Berserk, Brewster's Millions, Critical Condition, Jeremiah Johnson (twice on the same tape -- I hadn't seen this in forever), The Hired Hand, Unforgiven (W/S tape), The Missouri Breaks (W/S tape), Johnny Dangerously, Superstition, House of Death, Graduation Day, Chu Chu and the Philly Flash (this movie is not on DVD or Blu-Ray, btw. Probably because it's so bad!), The Godmonster of Indian Flats (1973).
^^^ I've haven't found any issues with any of the VHS tapes I play either, all of which have to be at least 20 years old give or take. ^^^
@Johnny66: I have about 80 Australian VHS/PAL-format tapes in my collection. WARNERs, VIDEOSCOPEs, CBS/FOX Video Australia releases and various other labels in small quantities. I have two '20th Century Fox Video' 1982 Oz releases: HARD CONTRACT (1969) •and• THE FIRECHASERS (1970-UK). Neither came out on video in the U.S. so I was glad to pick them up years ago. That 'IGS' [Investment Grading Services] reeks of being a scam for idiots who want to have their video boxes 'Graded' and don't mind paying for 'grading'. Yeah, right. It's not actually video grading because there's no way to 'grade' an actual VHS tape unless one actually plays it and since these are sealed up that ain't happenin'. And some of those movies that have been sealed up for 30 years could well be full of mould as the shrinkwrap traps the moisture over time if the tape isn't stored in a dry area. Otherwise . . . Mould City! I've seen some tapes with enough white powder/dead mould inside the shell that looks like a cocaine factory exploded in there. Yuck. And, besides, even if these jokers at IGS would play a tape they'd probably lie if it didn't play worth a damn! As far as someone or some business entity paying 5 digits for actor Thomas Wilson's copy of BACK TO THE FUTURE . . . you takes yer chances, eh? It's silly season!
@Grand_Ennui: I have a simple system for doing my best to keep these aging video relics working. I keep the VCR heads clean, I rewind the tapes after I watch them and I store them in decent conditions that are not damp and/or overly humid. Nothing special. I also don't play tapes that are mouldy! Those occasional tapes I run across that are mouldy get binned. I know a few video collecting folk who live in the UK with its damp climate and they have actually created home-made contraptions to try and clean mould off the mylar itself. I am not convinced and give them shade for thinking they can actually clean the mould from the mylar . . . but they try because aging British videocassettes are pretty rare in good condition. A friend of mine over there swears he can clean mould off the mylar and I tell him he's fulla hot air! I call him 'EL MOLDO'.
