What Do I Do With VHS Tapes?

[nbafan89]

We just tossed out 370 blank VHS tapes here at work last week. My colleague had the best idea: Let's send them to Cuba, this stuff is state of the art there.

what did they contain? did they contain any sport

 

[nbafan89]

So, when I was a high school basketball player in the early 1990s, I recorded everything basketball (NBA Showtime, every game of the NCAA Tournament, regular season NBA games, you name it — I have the Webber timeout on tape, still).

Anyway, I cleaning up this pack-ratted mess. I'll keep a couple of my favorite games and shows. But otherwise, it's all getting the heave ho.

My question: Are VHS tapes recyclable? Are they good for anything? What the hell, or how the hell, do I dispose of these things?

On a side note: Have any of you kept anything on tape this long and can't get rid of it?

I've kept a couple of my play-by-play performances from my first year out of college. No way will I use them for a portfolio, but they're some of my first work.

Well, today is garbage day. A fairly good sized box of VHS tapes is sitting at the curb. I kept what I wanted and will transfer those to DVD.
don't toss any of them out, how many tapes are there with nba games that you're planning to throw out? I may be able to help you with this, don't you dare throw them to the garbage

Otherwise, everything else is off to meet the VCR in the sky.

 

[Pete Incaviglia]

Yup, I made a decision nbafan98. Not sure the point of your post. I asked for advice. Got some - but not a lot - before garbage day (the first "VHS is recyclable" came after I decided to pitch them. And, in the first post, also asked if anyone packs and unpacks these things.

So, you're point?

 

[MacDaddy]

We just tossed out 370 blank VHS tapes here at work last week. My colleague had the best idea: Let's send them to Cuba, this stuff is state of the art there.

They're probably still trying to decide between VHS and Beta.

 

[Bad Guy Zero]

Old VHS tapes + skeet shooting = Hijinks!

 

[nbafan89]

Yup, I made a decision nbafan98. Not sure the point of your post. I asked for advice. Got some - but not a lot - before garbage day (the first "VHS is recyclable" came after I decided to pitch them. And, in the first post, also asked if anyone packs and unpacks these things.

So, you're point?
my point is give them to members who are most worthy of converting them for you because I don't want to see them get tossed out, the memories of classic nba will never fade for some and you might have some rarities here and I am nbafan89

 

[exmediahack]

I'm hesitant to get rid of about 60 VHS tapes that I have. Most rare sporting events from long ago. I do have a DVD recorder and have burned over much of it.

Here is why I don't trust DVDs entirely:

VHS is analog, in that there is an ACTUAL recording that plays. Assuming that your VHS player works, it will always play until the tape gets eaten.

I'm still unconvinced that the DVDs we all burn will actually work in 10-15 years. CDs play but I often run into DVDs that don't play in certain machines. Until the DVD world gets on one "track" (DVD-R, DVD+R, etc.), I'd keep those VHS tapes handy -- even if in the attic.

 

[TigerVols]

I'm hesitant to get rid of about 60 VHS tapes that I have. Most rare sporting events from long ago. I do have a DVD recorder and have burned over much of it.

Here is why I don't trust DVDs entirely:

VHS is analog, in that there is an ACTUAL recording that plays. Assuming that your VHS player works, it will always play until the tape gets eaten.

I'm still unconvinced that the DVDs we all burn will actually work in 10-15 years. CDs play but I often run into DVDs that don't play in certain machines. Until the DVD world gets on one "track" (DVD-R, DVD+R, etc.), I'd keep those VHS tapes handy -- even if in the attic.

The engineers in my broadcasting department mentioned in a meeting the other day that they suspect DVDs have a shelf life of about 15 years or so before they start to corrupt. They want us to convert all our digimedia to hard drives soon.

 

[BYH]

I actually saw blank VHS tapes in a prominent display at the drug store the other day. I'm figuring the stock clerk was high.

 

[exmediahack]

You'd be surprised. There are in still a few places. VHS machines, on the other hand, tend to only be in pawn shops.

In the TV world, many managers still ask for a VHS tape to look at candidates. Why? Because VHS tapes always play. No formatting snafu, No "Sony DVDs won't play in Toshiba DVD player" issues.

 

[BYH]

Oh, I know blank VHS tapes are still sold. Hell I had to find a tape recorder for my Dad a few months ago and those are still sold, so I don't expect blank VHS tapes to disappear from shelves anytime soon.

But the other night marked the first time I've seen them prominently displayed since, ****, I don't know, 1997?