7 News: Australia VHS tapes not digitised by mid 2025 might be lost forever

[VHSvideocapture]

I didn't know VHS tapes were originally programmed with a kill switch that said
"if this tape is not digitized by 2025 when digital technology has become common,
this tape shall self-destruct".

Does anyone not recognize by now how to recognize clickbait trash ?

We often hear the 35 year lifespan written everywhere on the internet it's not just digitizing companies saying it.
Everything today is programmed with an off switch they want you to buy again.

Look.at how micro$oft operate? A new OS every 10 years, but why? Money
What was wrong with windows xp? Windows 7?

[VHSvideocapture]

Interesting how powerful television can be. A digitisation company employee I know told me today that since this "news" report came out they have been flooded with new work. The same story can probably be repeated right around Australia.

While they are careful with their words, the TV journalist left the impression that mid 2025 is some sort of natural cutoff point. Questionable journalism.

Do you think they are being paid by a digitizing company to fear monger?

[timtape]

Interesting how powerful television can be. A digitisation company employee I know told me today that since this "news" report came out they have been flooded with new work. The same story can probably be repeated right around Australia.

While they are careful with their words, the TV journalist left the impression that mid 2025 is some sort of natural cutoff point. Questionable journalism.

Do you think they are being paid by a digitizing company to fear monger?

I'd only be guessing. But the problem is less the tapes degrading in storage than the playback devices. Also the smaller video format players like mini DV and 8mm are much harder to find working or to repair than say VHS.