Our editors evaluate and recommend products to assist you in purchasing the items you require. We may have a very small commission if one purchase something after clicking one of our links. On the other hand, our picks and opinions are unaffected by USA TODAY’s newsroom or any commercial incentives. There’s a high possibility you’ve watched—and maybe even treasured VHS cassette recordings in the past, unless you’re a total newbie in this wide, blue-skied meadow we call life. Ancient VHS Recordings
Perhaps you grew up with a collection of Disney masterpieces. Perhaps you used the format to record all of your home and family movies. Maybe you’re just video hipster Dom’s response to the vinyl revival (don’t get me wrong: I’m not judging). Ancient VHS Recordings
Your VHS cassettes don’t have to end up in a pawnshop or a decaying cardboard box in the attic, no matter what your story is. You may still watch and enjoy them in a variety of ways.
Look for a VCR.
What’s the simplest way to keep watching VHS cassettes made for a VCR? Purchase a VCR! Regrettably, this may need some internet or Goodwill digging.Like the CRTs (tube TVs) they originally coupled with, VCRs are becoming collectible, unusual, and difficult-to-find electrical peripherals.
eBay or Craigslist are two decent options. While I don’t possess a VCR, I did manage to find a nice, almost-new Sony Trinitron CRT for a very affordable price a few months ago (except for shipping, but what do you expect)? If you have a library of the VHS tapes that you enjoy and want to experience its original, analog “warmth,” playing them on a VCR/CRT combination is the most accurate method to do so. Unfortunately, this means you’ll have to buy some outdated equipment and conduct some research and hunting.
Make a DVD of your collection.
I can’t blame you if you don’t feel like scouring stores for a VCR. Some of the new people on Amazon are ridiculously expensive, costing upwards of $750. While wealthy collectors may be interested in such an item, a device that just converts tapes to DVD may be a better option for the rest of us.
According to evaluations, this Roxio VHS-to-DVD converter hardware/software is a little temperamental, but it works and is a number 1 Best Seller in the Video Editing category. A Windows PC is required, but the gear simply allows you to “write” the analog contents of a VHS tape into a DVD.
Purchase a television with a built-in VHS player.
This is another long shot, but in the internet Spectrum phone number era, everything is possible if you look hard enough. Unfortunately, Amazon may not be the best place to find one of those useful vintage CRTs with a built-in VHS player.
However, I’m ready to guess that most folks will be able to find one on Craigslist, or even sitting on the curb if they live in a more residential area.
