When a VHS tape will be lost forever?

[Caius]

Does anyone know the exact time of degradation or degaussing of a VHS tape?

I work with conversions here in Brazil and in my place, Amazonia, there are a lot of fungi and insects that cause a slime on these tapes. I have to leave the tape in water with a mild cleaning product.

I've already taken many tapes between 1986 and 1990's that were very battered by this, but after the treatment the video came up with a clean image.

But how much longer will the media recorded on this tape last?

Before and after pictures of the treatment.


[Attachment 63198 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 63199 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 63200 - Click to enlarge]

[dellsam34]

Wow that's a lot of labor crambling up a tape like that and respooling it, If I do that I will have to charge $100 a tape to break even. Anyway, no one knows how long the magnetic media keep its magnetic properities and still produce a decent RF output, it all depends on the storage conditions from few years to infinity.

[Caius]

I had been in another group, they put a chart there, which said the time of each tape according to the year it was recorded, but it also depended on the material of the tape, manufacturer, how it was preserved.

But the group doesn't exist anymore, I already looked for this chart on the internet and didn't find it.

[pandy]

I had been in another group, they put a chart there, which said the time of each tape according to the year it was recorded, but it also depended on the material of the tape, manufacturer, how it was preserved.

But the group doesn't exist anymore, I already looked for this chart on the internet and didn't find it.

Some charts are available at the papers dedicated to media storage and restoration/preservation - saw few government papers with such extrapolations but they are very limited... The only way to extend life is to perform backups - regular backups.

[jamessoul]

I am amazed you can get it back on the reel w/o wrinkling the tape. any issues with tapes going sticky after the water treatment what do you do to get them completely dry again ? they are still using magnetic tapes from the 60 with audio on them so potentially the lifespan is more then we are commonly told

[Caius]

I am amazed you can get it back on the reel w/o wrinkling the tape. any issues with tapes going sticky after the water treatment what do you do to get them completely dry again ? they are still using magnetic tapes from the 60 with audio on them so potentially the lifespan is more then we are commonly told

It is a long process after to remove all the liquid, but with the help of soft cloth gloves, isopropyl alcohol and hairdryer not very strong, I usually complete the entire process in a long tape in 1 hour and 30 minutes more or less.

Showing a small summary of the treatment and tape retraction and a short video from a 2002 VHS (EP mode) which had this problem.

[Alwyn]

Impressive!

[Sharc]

+1

[nicholasserra]

Pretty cool. What's the cleaner you're using, just isopropyl? I've occasionally had moldy tapes, but never tried to clean them.

Respooling isn't bad, use a cordless drill and a T45-50-etc Torx bit. Takes a minute or two.

[Caius]

Pretty cool. What's the cleaner you're using, just isopropyl? I've occasionally had moldy tapes, but never tried to clean them.

Respooling isn't bad, use a cordless drill and a T45-50-etc Torx bit. Takes a minute or two.

I leave it soaked in water for about 3 hours, along with a neutral detergent. The most complicated part is the removal and drying, to Respool everything it takes about five minutes using the device i set up. During glove drying i use isopropyl only, just on the thumb finger.

[Attachment 63379 - Click to enlarge]

[lordsmurf]

VHS media has a lifespan of 35 to 65 years.

Lots of 70s and early 80s VHS tapes are starting to degrade now, falling with the 40-45 year range.

[Caius]

VHS media has a lifespan of 35 to 65 years.

Lots of 70s and early 80s VHS tapes are starting to degrade now, falling with the 40-45 year range.

Great! So we don't have an exactly number right?

In the case of a tape that was vacuum sealed, the material wouldn't degrade so much in 30, 40 years right? But would the electrical signal in the video also last for so many years?

[jagabo]

Thursday afternoon at 3:37 PM.

[Alwyn]

Caius had better get cracking on the capture then.

[lordsmurf]

In the case of a tape that was vacuum sealed

That's honestly a silly non-realistic semi-academic question.

Part of the reason it's a range is because of multiple factors.
For example, we're on earth. Magnetic fields. You're now asking about magnetic decay, a physics question. Even in space, a vacuum, there is magnetic decay.

[Sharc]

The tapes may survive the players easily.

[Caius]

In the case of a tape that was vacuum sealed

That's honestly a silly non-realistic semi-academic question.

Part of the reason it's a range is because of multiple factors.
For example, we're on earth. Magnetic fields. You're now asking about magnetic decay, a physics question. Even in space, a vacuum, there is magnetic decay.

Like. Will the tape material last longer or the electrical signal recorded? In my opinion, the material (made from petroleum) will degrade first.

[lordsmurf]

In the case of a tape that was vacuum sealed

That's honestly a silly non-realistic semi-academic question.

Part of the reason it's a range is because of multiple factors.
For example, we're on earth. Magnetic fields. You're now asking about magnetic decay, a physics question. Even in space, a vacuum, there is magnetic decay.

Like. Will the tape material last longer or the electrical signal recorded? In my opinion, the material (made from petroleum) will degrade first.

In a vacuum still? (These sorts of science answers are online, just not specific to video.)

[Alwyn]

I would have thought storing a tape in a vacuum-sealed bag would be great for keeping out moisture and dust.

[Cornucopia]

On a spooled roll of tape, only the outer air-facing layer is affected by dust. Moisture will seep in a bit, though, and so vaccuum sealing could help. Same thing with rusting of the iron-based tape - vaccuum sealing will reduce the available oxygen agent, but it isn't eliminated (they aren't perfect vaccuums), so it will just occur more slowly. Heat will increase reaction rates, regardless.

But isn't this all just hypothetical ponderings? Nobody realistically vaccuum seals their home movie tapes, except maybe the archivist from the Library of Congress.


Scott

[Sharc]

I would have thought storing a tape in a vacuum-sealed bag would be great for keeping out moisture and dust.

If at all, the protection should be done in an environment of slight overpressure with a protecting non-reactive gas, rather than vacuum which applies mechanical stress on the tapes and sucks the dust in.
And as said before, don't forget to preserve and protect the tape players (VCR gear etc.) which one will need to play the tapes in 50 years from now.....

[jamessoul]

they sell that inert gas at wine shops i believe they use argon. they sell argon at welding shops and you should be able to get a cylinder used for cheap. doubt anyone will go down this path