Deep Sixing the VHS Tapes

[wraithfodder]

Yeah, that time has finally come.I'm slowly tossing VHS tapes. In my preliminary sorting, I found the wretchedly awful "Lucky Pierre" episode of Dynaman, a show which aired in the 80s, I think. sorta like Power Rangers. This episode was about a giant French frog kidnapping Japanese brides. I kid you not. A true classic. Not on YouTube (removed, alas). I remember showing it to James Doohan in my hotel room at a Pennsylvania Con eons ago. He just sat on the floor, drink in hand, jaw dropped open as he couldn't believe what he was seeing...

Also found Peter Cushing's Island of Terror, which I tend to describe as 'mutant turtle creatures rampaging UK island, sucking the bones out of is population'. ;)

Meanwhile, shows that are out on DVD are going, although it will be a while before I toss Magnum PI, or Riptide. Got rid of half of Miami Vice as I replaced with DVDs. Combat! goes tonight, but I'm sitting there staring at the one tape of Black Jack Savage, which isn't out on DVD. If I can't find a fan who wants it, to the garbage can it goes!

What's most fun about old tapes is the old commercials, the news footage. I found a news item of a British soldier, dressed up as a gorilla, skydiving for charity. The chute failed, and he plummeted to ground. Amazingly, he survived with no lasting damage. Checked YouTube but not there.  One thing about old TV commercials is that they seemed a lot nicer in tone. These days, it's all drug ads, or in-your-face type ads (may be just the market I'm in, but I miss nice ads).

And the rest of the garbage can will be filled with poison ivy vines. Been ripping 'em out (wearing long gloves) and hope not to get it.

Comments

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Oh man. I'm surprised someone still has VHS. (although I do still have a box of Disney)

That Island of Terror sounds awesome!

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Well, it's the hoarder in me ;) Yeah, I do enjoy Island of Terror because it was a series sci/fi horror flick, and well, it's got Peter Cushing! :)

[timespirt.livejournal.com]

I have been doing the same over the years. I also have been copying some of the stuff not available to DVD to keep.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

That's what I need to start doing. I hate having a tape with one hour episode on it and it's all I want. Hmm, wonder if there's way to transfer from VCR to PC and then burn to DVD...

[timespirt.livejournal.com]

I know there is stuff out there that can do that. Look around, you will find something. I have a VCR/DVD combo machine from the 90's that I use to make my DVD's. I can also edit at the same time.

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

James “Scotty” Doohan? Is there a story behind this? If you like to tell, I would like to hear ;)

I tossed out my Stargate videos a while ago but also still have tons of other stuff I recorded – not necessarily things one can get on DVD, just bits and pieces but still I haven’t watched it in years so my interests have changed and it probably wouldn’t be worth the effort. Then again, it was part of my life (being a fan of different shows and actors) and I would be sad to see it go.

I definitely need somehow to transfer the video with all the interviews with me when President Obama visited Dresden. I am afraid though of my video recorder not being good anymore and ruining the tape so I haven’t done it yet.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Same here. I got rid of all Stargate tapes about a year after getting DVDs. And yeah, it's little things I want, and it was a big part of my life (eegads) watching all that tv ;)

I have to research how to xfer VHS to DVD without a VCR (have one, but still). I'm sure there are devices out there, but sometimes I think you may need to watch as you record to make sure tape is okay. One friend stored her VHS improperly and they got mildewed and no, those shows aren't out on DVD...

[graculus.livejournal.com]

That was one thing I couldn't get my head around when I've visited the US, all those adverts for prescription-only medicine! Here we might get the occasional advert for stuff you can buy over the counter but you'll never see an advert for Prozac or ED drugs on TV here.

I'm currently ignoring the boxes of VHS tapes, even though I don't have a player any more. I figure when I start to get rid of them, it'll be a few at a time since the one place in the UK which used to recycle them stopped a couple of years back. It's just a painful thought, especially as a bunch of them were sent to me by kind folks from the US (season 1 of Wild Wild West, for example, long before it was out on dvd). *sigh*

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

The drug ads breed like promiscuous bunnies. They're everywhere.... Sigh.

I suppose one reason (besides downsizing as I'll probably move next year) is that I realize with HUNDREDS of videotapes, I'm never going to have time to watch 'em again. And I realize that sometimes the memory is better than watching show again, as you realize, wow, it wasn't that good, was it?

And on buying DVDs, I hate when they change the music used. Especially on shows like WKRP, or Stingray with Nick Mancusco. And then, I can't find ENG or NIGHT HEAT on VHS. Canadians, you gotta catch up and put 'em out! ;)

[jaekayelle.livejournal.com]

I've been doing that, too. Wasn't as painful as I thought, but I have yet to dump my Paradise (Lee Horsley western) tapes and a few others.

What about Adderly? Do you still have those?

[leesa_perrie]

I still have some VHS tapes, mainly because I haven't gotten around to sorting through them! Though there are a few I'll keep for now (there's some home vids scattered over them), and atm I don't have a DVD player that plays R1, so a few shows aren't out on DVD that I can play. When that changes, those vids will no doubt go! When I get around to sorting through them!!

If you find a way of transferring VHS to computer, I'd be interested to know.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I should go through our VHS, maybe watch a few for nostalgia (we still have a VCR). I wonder if there's a market out there for VHS, especially ones with old commercials on them? I mean that's antique television right there ;) Plus I'm sure there are people who have things taped that no longer exist anywhere else in any other form.