Transfer VHS to DVD - Before Your Images Become Lost Forever!

So many of our earliest family memories may be saved on some kind of magnetic tape format such as VHS tape. Some of us may even have old home movies – on real motion picture film. Now, that’s going back awhile. Film lasts a really long time – unless it was really poorly handled or left in an extremely humid environment. But, do you know that video formats such as VHS have a relatively short shelf life depending on the care they received and the environment in which it was stored? Well, if you are lucky enough to still have some really old video on magnetic tape that still holds the images, then you might want to read the rest of this article.

In order to make a VHS tape, magnetic particles are held to a tape with a chemical binder. The binder adheres the magnetic particles to the backing as well as helps to create a smooth surface so the tape can be transported through the VCR. Lubricants and cleaning materials prevent excessive tension, tape dropouts, and static charges that can attract dust. Although magnetic tape had many advantages, the biggest disadvantage to consider now when comparing it to other media is that it is very susceptible to deterioration. That’s why it is no longer around. Technology has improved and we have alternatives. But what do we do with our old videotapes?

The point of failure for magnetic tape is usually the chemical binder. It loses its softness and lubrication. Because of this the tape sadly becomes unreadable. This degradation process cannot be stopped but we can take some preventive measures to preserve the images on these inferior media. This may or may not buy you some time. You may or may not be able to salvage these tapes. But there are still a lot of people who are doing it so the chances are good that most of your tapes can be rescued.

Until we can transfer these precious memories to a digital format, follow these guidelines to help prevent further data loss:

1. Place your tapes on a shelf just like a book – standing vertically.
2. Never store magnetic tapes near a device that produces a magnetic field – however weak. This would include PCs, cell phones, and other electrical devices.
3. Store tapes in a location with a stable and moderate temperature. A spot with a minimum of humidity is key.
4. Fast-forward and then rewind your tapes periodically to avoid uneven stretching.

The ultimate goal is to transfer your magnetic tape media to a digital file format as soon as possible so it can be stored on a computer hard drive. This will allow you to edit your movies on a computer. Another big advantage of digital files is that they can more easily be copied to newer media as technology advances. And multiple back-ups are more easily made with digital files as the source. (The best scenario would be to make a primary copy, a back-up copy, and a back-up copy in a second location.) This is the best way to move your images into the 21st century.

If high quality transfers and editing are not necessary for you and your tapes, then you can save some money and computer disk storage space by transferring directly to DVD. You will not be able to edit your movies and you will lose some potential quality – now and as the images are transferred from one family generation to another.

This is a lot of information – but it is only a description of the problem. You will need to learn more. Just click on this link to my site called DVD VHS Transfer. There you can read some more free articles to give you the information you will need to go to the next step. Take action now - - before it's too late. Good luck!