I have a single VHC-C tape, can I swap the spool into a normal VHS?

[Wills]

Hi all,

I have a single VHS-C tape and I don't even know what's on it - don't really want to spend 30 quid on an adaptor, or indeed pay a conversion company to digitise it.

Can I take the spool out and put it in a full size VHS cassette?

I've taken many VHS tapes apart over the years, and I'd have no issue with the mechanics of it.
Question is - are the spools inter-changeable, or does the tape lie/positioned differently in a VHS-C tape?

Another option would be to manually transfer it onto a normal VHS spool bobbin, but I'm aware I could damage the tape doing that, and also of course even though it's only a 30 min tape, I'd imagine there's still a fair amount of tape there....

Thanks!

[lordsmurf]

Why would transfer into a full spool cause damage?

There's no different risk than re-shelling full-sized VHS tape.

[aramkolt]

Yes, you can swap VHS-C into a regular VHS shell presuming you splice it on to the the full size hub that is on the other side of the tape, would just make sure you keep a clear tape leader in place on both ends of the tape. My understanding is that the regular size hub can be used from the VHSC tape without any modification within the full tape.

[Wills]

Thanks both; I moved the VHS-C spool into a normal VHS cassette, and the VHS player attempts to play it but I can't seem to get a picture....nothing.

Is VHS-C recorded in some way differently (compared to VHS) that would mean it won't play?

My thinking was that it should surely play from a normal VHS cassette given that the adaptor means the tape would be offered up for reading in the same way as a normal VHS cassette - but it doesn't seem to work at all.....

[cholla]

Could the VHS-C be a blank tape ?
If it was never recorded on then nothing will play.

[Wills]

I don't think so; it was in a broken converter, I don't think it was blank.....could have been, though, I guess.

[dellsam34]

Make sure you did not flip the tape upside down or over, It has to be transferred as is to the bigger shell, The clear sides of the reels are facing up and the white sides facing down for both cassettes.

[Wills]

Absolutely, that's what I did. To be honest it would hard not to do that, as the spools wouldn't fit in, if it was upside down.

[dellsam34]

Well, then the tape is blank or it has been erased.