VCR/VHS Resources
Maintaining or obtaining the VCR and VHS, for whatever purposes…
Yes, VHS is dead technology, but for various reasons, some might want to keep the tape and machine. A few might even want to obtain them. You might want a VCR spare to watch really old tapes, or you might want to start converting tapes and still need the VCR to do it. Good VCRs are becoming harder to come by, so it’s ever more important to keep whatever ones you have in working condition - same goes for tapes, especially if you recorded them yourself.
Below are possible links to check out if you want to obtain or maintain your VCR and tapes, as well as other links related.
Diagonal Lines on Capture - Something to watch out for if you’re doing conversions from VHS, namely that nearby cables can cause visible disturbance on the footage.
How to Manually Clean Your VCR - Eventually, the VCR is going to require cleaning, no matter how carefully you use it. Cleaning tapes aren’t that reliable because re-using them is like re-using a dirty towel; you smear the debris around. Some might be wary of opening and cleaning the machine yourself, but the tutorial here works - I’ve used it a number of times myself.
VCR Buying Guide (S-VHS/D-VHS/Professional) - Generally, older VCR models are better than the more recently released. The list here is pretty much the best you can get - pretty much what to look for if you are converting or archiving your tapes at top quality.
Videohelp.com - Useful site for anything video related. There’s also a forum that’s pretty active and very knowledgeable on the subject.
