Should I throw out all the VHS tapes I taped myself over the years- of tv shows and movies?

Question

Hey, I'm trying to clean my room and I find that I'm turning into a bit of a pack rat, keeping things I probably should throw out, so I wanted to get the general opinion of everyone here on vhs tapes. Should I throw out the vhs tapes that I taped tv shows on or movies? I would tape them when I couldn't watch them, and it seems like I've kept everything. I'm definitely keeping momentous events like weddings, birthdays, etc... that are on vhs, but what about the rest? Garbage? Also, if I have pre-recorded bought vhs tapes, should I throw them out or give them away as I replace them with dvds? I've replaced a few of my vhs tapes for dvd versions, so what should I do with the old vhs ones? Thanks.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

If you havent viewed it in the past year throw it out. You can also convert them to DVD using a PC or a DVD recorder, VCR combo

Answer 2

You can always convert them into Digital using your home PC.

Sad thing about VHS is its deterioration over time, putting it in Digital preserves it at that state and it is A LOT easier to store of course. You can have it saved on a large hard drive or put it onto a DVD (I would prefer Hard Drive though).

Here's a good article to get you going:
http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/5020

Answer 3

I don't know about you, but I know that I would keep them. I also tape movies onto VHS so that if for some day I would like to watch them I can.

Answer 4

I am a self-confessed packrat, lol... my collection tho, is books, not vhs tapes. Here is the criteria I use, when deciding to keep a book --

Is it in a collectable format? (anniversary, limited edition, etc)
Do I enjoy re-reading it? (in this case.... how often do you watch the same tape?)

If its not a 'collectible' version, or I don't enjoy using it again and again... it gets removed from my shelves.

Someone has already suggested that you convert your tapes to digital format.... you can do this, if you have a video card allowing you to hook a vhs tape player with your computer. Then, you can either 'burn' the tapes onto cd's or dvd's, or store them on a hard-drive or other device. For my money, I would go with the dvd's.

As far as 'getting rid' of the tapes you are not going to keep... you might consider giving them to a local charity (a food pantry, shelter, GoodWill, Salvation Army, etc), or posting them as available on your nearest FreeCycle.org website. With FreeCycle, you post a message stating what you have available, for free, and others in your area can respond, and come and get them... thus, 'recycling' things, rather than sending them to a landfill.

Have Fun sorting them, hehehe.

Answer 5

Last year I bought a combination VCR/DVD recorder. With a good one you can record all of your tapes to DVD. They only take a fraction of the room. That way you can keep everything without all of the clutter. I put labels on all of the cases, bought the rectangular open storage boxes at Staples and alphabetized them. Now I can find what I'm looking for when I want to see it, and it only takes up 1 shelf instead of the whole closet.