How to Care for...
Video Tapes
Introduction
The popularity of video has exploded in recent years with the development of video cassette recorders (VCRs) and portable, hand-held camcorders. People now routinely record television programs, movies, and events from their own lives.
Videotapes unfortunately have a relatively short life expectancy (10–30 years), which makes them a less than desirable option for preserving old home movies. Treating videotapes carefully will maximize their life span.
Causes of Damage
Videotape is composed of magnetic particles (metal oxides) incorporated into a binder layer on a polyester base, or a thin magnetic film deposited on a polyester base without a binder. The metal oxide particles store or record the signals, and the binder layer keeps the particles where they belong. The binder layer may hydrolyse (a chemical reaction that renders the binder soft or sticky) over time or it may lose its integrity and begin to flake off, leading to loss of information as the magnetic particles are lost. Videotapes in this condition will not play properly because they clog VCR heads. The polyester base can be damaged by uneven winding from recording or playback; this results in tracking problems when the tape is played.
The most common causes of damage are improper handling and extremes or fluctuations in heat and humidity. Dust and debris that get trapped between the layers of wound tape or accumulate in the equipment can also result in damage, i.e. scratching and equipment contamination. Magnetic fields (from televisions, speakers, magnets, vacuum cleaners, etc.) are a problem only if they are strong and close to the tape.
Handling
Pick up videotapes by their plastic cases; do not touch the tape or allow dust to come into contact with it. Food, drink, and cigarette smoke can contaminate tapes and must be kept away.
When playing a videotape, avoid placing it on "Pause" for long periods as this places stress on the tape. Likewise, do not shuffle between "Fast Forward" and "Reverse" without first stopping the tape. After playing, ensure that the tape is fully wound on one reel before removing it for storage. Do not leave tapes in the VCR.
Store videotapes upright (i.e. standing up on end like books) with all the tape wound on one reel; leaving them flat or partially wound can result in warping of the protective case or distortion of the tape.
Keep videotapes at least 7.5 cm (3 in.) away from magnetic sources and do not store them next to stereo speakers or under television sets.
Avoid extremes or fluctuations of heat and humidity; do not store videotapes in basements, attics, or garages, and keep them away from heat vents or strong sunlight.
Cleaning and Repair
Techniques exist to retrieve or restore damaged videotapes but these can be carried out only by a skilled professional.
Videotapes recorded on machines that are now obsolete (such as Sony Betamax) can be re-recorded onto newer formats. Again, consult a professional.
