Are your family’s home video tapes piled haphazardly in a box or stored away in an attic or basement? If so, you run the risk of losing the video on them forever!

Tapes are sturdy, but they are made of plastic and glue, materials that degrade over time. They are also prone to damage by common household irritants, such as dust and hair. Caring for your videotapes correctly is the key to a long lifespan.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

The temperature of the location in which your video tapes are stored plays the most important role in their longevity. Humidity and heat are tapes’ two greatest enemies, and should be avoided at all costs.

The reason is this: over time, normal atmospheric humidity seeps into a tape’s binder glue, causing it to expand and contract. This unavoidable occurrence is the main reason why tapes degrade. But when a video tape is stored in an environment that is particularly humid, this process accelerates. In addition, excessive heat can warp the plastic tape or distort the cassette’s shell.

Therefore, a cool and dry storage location is best. Experts recommend an ideal range of 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower floors are better since they are generally cooler, but avoid basements and cellars, which have higher humidity levels. For the same reason, stay away from any rooms that experience steam, such as bathrooms or laundry rooms. And avoid attics, due to their tendency to trap heat.

If tapes have been stored in a location that is hotter or colder than the normal environment, let them acclimate before playing them. Even slight humidity changes can cause a magnetic tape to expand and contract, which changes the tape’s physical dimensions. If you play a videotape that is affected by humidity, the altered dimensions can clog VCR playback heads and jam tapes.

MAGNETIC FIELDS

Next to environmental conditions, the second most dangerous threat to video tapes is magnetism. This is because the audio-visual information on a tape is comprised of magnetic particles. These magnetic particles are susceptible to data loss, which can be caused by anything from static shock to normal electrical fields.

Electrical fields can be found everywhere, including near TVs and home stereo components, but can also be located around a device with a large motor, such as vacuum cleaners and refrigerators. Thus, avoiding storing tapes near electric equipment. Use a cabinet or, preferably, a room separate from your entertainment center.

VIDEO TAPE PACKAGING

Video tapes should always be stored in their cases, which prevent airborne dust from entering a tape cassette. VCRs are very sensitive to dust and other small particles. If a speck of dirt slips underneath a cassette’s flip door, it can be picked up by the VCR’s heads during playback and can clog the deck. Foreign debris can also increase the number of magnetic particles that are rubbed off a tape when it is played, as well as dissipate a tape’s electromagnetic charges.

In addition, store tapes in an upright position, like a book on a shelf. Storing tapes flat stresses the edge of the video tape, which can eventually result in tracking errors. And never stack tapes on top of each other, since pressure can cause the plastic cassette shell to warp.

PLAYBACK ISSUES

Every year, the magnetic particles that comprise a tape’s audio and video wear off naturally, simply from normal decay. However, this degradation is accelerated every time a tape is played, since video heads rub off data when they pass over a tape’s surface as well.

Therefore, limit how often you watch important tapes. The best solution is to convert video to DVD, which enables you to safely watch the video while preserving the original tape. However, always, always, ALWAYS keep your original copies after you transfer tape to DVD! Never get rid of master video tapes because they will always contain the highest-quality version of your footage.

TAPE EXERCISE

While you should limit playback, tapes can benefit from other forms of VCR exercise. Insert each of your tapes into a VCR every few years and fully fast-forward and rewind it. Exercising a videotape in this way repacks the mylar tape and relieves any accumulated stresses caused by uneven moisture absorption from normal humidity. When re-tensioning isn’t done, the tape can become stretched or warped.

Along the same lines, always rewind a tape to the beginning before putting it away. When a tape is kept rewound, the majority of the physical tape is protected because it is wrapped inside the outer layers.

Finally, maintain your VCR or camcorder, because dirty video heads are abrasive to tapes. Use a head cleaning tape to eliminate dirt on your own, and have the unit professionally cleaned at least once a year. When not in use, cover VCRs and store camcorders in camera bags to lock out dust.

All videotapes break down over time. But with proper care, you can ensure that your tapes last a lifetime–and maybe even beyond.

Author Bio: Jennica Musselman is the owner of Timeless DVD, specializing in professional DVD transfer, DVD duplication, and video transfer service. We transfer tape to DVD from VHS, VHS-C, Betamax, Mini DV, Hi8, 8mm tapes, and more. We can also convert video tapes to computer files and convert a Flash or hard drive camcorder to DVD. Read the Timeless DVD Blog!

Category: Entertainment
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