09/05/2021
VHS Tape Deterioration
The number one concern with VHS is Tape deterioration. The lifespan of VHS Tapes varies, depending on quality, from 10 to 25 years. On average, a VHS tape will degrade 10-20 percent over it’s life span if stored in optimal conditions. Unfortunately, storing your tapes in a humidity and dust free environment is all but impossible for most. Tape deterioration is exasperated when optimal storing methods aren’t available. Another unfortunate reality with VHS is the wear and tear they experience from viewing and rewinding. This is due to the magnetic stripping that make up the tape portion of a VHS. When a VHS tape is played in a VCR, the tape is dragged and wound in order to project the footage, putting stress on the magnetic stripping that stores the images. The very process of viewing a VHS on a VCR is simultaneously degrading said VHS. The more your tapes have been viewed and rewound, the more they will have and continue to degrade. Moving forward, tape deterioration will only continue. That is why it is of utmost importance to save and secure your footage as soon as possible by digitizing your VHS tapes. Heritage is here to help you through the process.