subject: Your Old Video Tapes May Be Fading Away [print this page] Only a few years ago, before the digital revolution, tape was the only way to store video.
Many people still have hours of video tapes in their loft or garages, unwatched and slowly deteriorating with age. Any tape over 10 years old that is not stored perfectly is in danger of deterioration or tape mould.
The fungal blight, or 'tape mould', has already ruined thousands of miles of audio and video tape in Britain and much more is likely to be deteriorating in storage.
Family footage stored in cardboard boxes in damp garages and lofts are at particular risk, but even larger private and public collections are sometimes stored in damp conditions with temperature variations that can allow one infected item to destroy entire collections.
The ideal way to store videos to try and preserve them is to store them upright in a dark area away from heat sources and changes of temperature. This will help prolong their life.
Even if you have stored your tape perfectly there is still the problem that you probably threw your video tape player away years ago. Also video cassettes came in a range of formats - VHS, Betamax, Hi8, Video8 and Digital 8 to name just a few of the more common ones.
The solution is to convert your old video tapes to digital - either DVD, Blu-Ray or even to mp4 to keep the memories alive and safe. Then the video can be safely backed up or even viewed!
If you have all the equipment to play the tapes you can purchase the hardware to connect the video player to the computer and then some software to record and convert the video.
Alternatively you can use a digital conversion service to make the transfer for you.
Some tips...
VHS and audio tape should not be stored in:
garden sheds, lofts, cellars or anywhere where the temperature fluctuates
Tapes should be kept:
in the dark, away from direct heat sources but in a cool cupboard that is a constant temperature all year round.
How to deal with tape mould:
Look for a fine white dust and don't blow it away across the rest of your collection. Don't play the damaged tape, this could infect the machine and do not place near other newer tapes. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching infected tape.
