Have them transferred to DVDs. The tapes do not have the longevity of old-fashioned film and will degrade. I know. I had my kids’ baby videos (from the 80s) recently transferred to DVDs. A lot of the tape had degraded so much that the images was snowy, faded out and the sound was awful or non-existent. They had been stored in my basement, so I’m sure that contributed. MEANWHILE, I also had MY baby and childhood movies put on DVDs….and they were almost pristine. You’re talking 55-65 year old film vs 30-40 year old tapes. DO IT NOW!
Have boxes of these right next to my vinyl record collection. Hate to throw away stuff that still works even though the entire collection has been digitized.
As I have spent MONTHS going through my deceased husbands ‘collections’… please people consolidate your ‘treasures’ so your family does not have to deal with it. If I see one more damn Dale Earnhardt photo, coffee mug, model car etc. I am gonna burn the whole place down! (whew, rant over, back to sorting…:-) )
When we got engaged back in the 1970s I bought husband a Beta recorder as an engagement gift (and I have always thought he got the better of deal than my engagement ring which I did not want him to waste the money on). As each improvement came along, we bought it and for some specially treasured movies (mostly James Bond) we bought the movies on the new media also. Almost all are commercial movies and TV shows – some vacation made a long the way, no family pictures.
11 years ago we had bed bugs. To get the house ready anything which could burn, melt, or explode had to be sealed in plastic bags with bug strips and removed from the house. (Fire extinguishers included.) DVDs could stay – tapes had to go. (We also decided that our vinyl records could stay even though they melt and distort as they are so tight on their shelves there is no room for them to distort and we were right.) To deal with this situation we made a rule – if we have it on VHS, the Beta version goes. If we have it on DVD, the VHS version goes. Except of course the James Bond movies – all versions of them were kept.
dcandmx about 3 years ago
20/20 hindsight….
stillfickled Premium Member about 3 years ago
I have lots of vinyl records. 45’s and albums.
dlkrueger33 about 3 years ago
Have them transferred to DVDs. The tapes do not have the longevity of old-fashioned film and will degrade. I know. I had my kids’ baby videos (from the 80s) recently transferred to DVDs. A lot of the tape had degraded so much that the images was snowy, faded out and the sound was awful or non-existent. They had been stored in my basement, so I’m sure that contributed. MEANWHILE, I also had MY baby and childhood movies put on DVDs….and they were almost pristine. You’re talking 55-65 year old film vs 30-40 year old tapes. DO IT NOW!
walstib Premium Member about 3 years ago
C’est moi.
Iseau about 3 years ago
I stored mine in a Thrift Store, out of site out of mind.
Macushlalondra about 3 years ago
8-track tapes? Those stupid things? Why would anyone keep those? They were awful! They would split up songs!
Michael G. about 3 years ago
They glow so prettily once they catch fire.
rf_in_va about 3 years ago
Have boxes of these right next to my vinyl record collection. Hate to throw away stuff that still works even though the entire collection has been digitized.
Nighthawks Premium Member about 3 years ago
just throw ‘em all away. He’ll never know the difference
Jeeper Premium Member about 3 years ago
As I have spent MONTHS going through my deceased husbands ‘collections’… please people consolidate your ‘treasures’ so your family does not have to deal with it. If I see one more damn Dale Earnhardt photo, coffee mug, model car etc. I am gonna burn the whole place down! (whew, rant over, back to sorting…:-) )
cuzinron47 about 3 years ago
If it wasn’t for those, my bookcases would be empty.
Willi Nilli about 3 years ago
I saved about 50 of my old LPs, Barbra, Frank, Tony, Jim Croce to name a few. I recently bought a new stereo that has a turntable. Hard to find.
pbr50138 about 3 years ago
Be smart…convert them into a DVD!
mafastore about 3 years ago
When we got engaged back in the 1970s I bought husband a Beta recorder as an engagement gift (and I have always thought he got the better of deal than my engagement ring which I did not want him to waste the money on). As each improvement came along, we bought it and for some specially treasured movies (mostly James Bond) we bought the movies on the new media also. Almost all are commercial movies and TV shows – some vacation made a long the way, no family pictures.
11 years ago we had bed bugs. To get the house ready anything which could burn, melt, or explode had to be sealed in plastic bags with bug strips and removed from the house. (Fire extinguishers included.) DVDs could stay – tapes had to go. (We also decided that our vinyl records could stay even though they melt and distort as they are so tight on their shelves there is no room for them to distort and we were right.) To deal with this situation we made a rule – if we have it on VHS, the Beta version goes. If we have it on DVD, the VHS version goes. Except of course the James Bond movies – all versions of them were kept.