How often do you really watch your skating tapes?

[Cupid]

I have tons of my daughter's skating VHS tapes sitting around. I don't want them to deteriorate - what is the best way to preserve them? Where do I take them to convert into DVD's. Is that the best route to go? How expensive is it? I remember plugging in an old tape into an old VCR and it ruined the VCR.

Do they not make VCR's anymore? I right now have a combination VCR and DVD player and have had it for years.

[floskate]

Over here in the UK at least, VHS to DVD conversions are expensive and many companies use equipment that you can buy for yourself. I have a VCR/DVD combi recorder which also has a copy function where I can copy directly onto DVD from my VHS's. It's multi-format but PAL comes out way better than NTSC as a rule. It cost me around $500 a couple of years ago but considering the purpose of my task, I've had way more than my money's worth from it.

[icenut84]

I had lots of videos too and transferred them to DVD - editing is your friend It can be a long process but it's worth it in the end, and only a couple of discs per season doesn't take up too much space. I tried to be drastic and work on the basis of keeping the top 4 in the event plus any others that I particularly liked/were particularly dramatic or historic, but I could have edited them even more really - some still ended up being quite long. Maybe when I get some better technology I'll transfer them again and cut them down more. No rush - I just did a bit when I had some spare time. It was fun rewatching old performances

[MacMadame]

I stopped making skating tapes a long time ago when I realized I never watched them.

[BaileyCatts]

Ahhhh. So many views! I'm so torn. On the one hand, I just "want" them. On the other, I have never watched them. Then my VCR's are all dying so soon won't have the option anyway. Copying to DVD could take several years it seems and then ... would I ever watch the DVD's, and do I have the patience to figure the technical part out (I'm thinking no .. my patience fuse is about thislong and the posts where some describe it leaves my head spinning). And I am in a total declutter mode now as I'm trying to make room for my mom to move into my house. I have already decided I will no longer tape gymnastics in Summer Olympics (and already tossed 2000 O's in my fit of rage). I think I am going to have to make the hard decision to just stop taping as of now. I'm still thinking on what to do about the current tapes though, so please keep adding opinions if you'd like.

[viennese]

I sorted out my bookshelf size collection of VHS tapes (1986-2002) down to one banker's box...now the massive task awaits, converting them to DVD.

But I suspect I'll be looking at those tapes and posting a notice here, offering to mail them off to a more diligent digital FSU'er.

A few years ago, I stopped saving even the big competitions after watching a few times.

So many people posted superior quality videos online. That doesn't stop me enjoying TV rebroadcasts, and recording those to re-watch. Competitions only, though. I haven't watched a cheesefest in 100 years.

[SpeedySucks]

I hate to read about people throwing away old tapes, especially ones from the 80s and 90s. Some of those competitions are so rare and hard to find, and there may be only a few complete recordings of them out there. Even the networks may not have some of this footage anymore, so it could be lost forever. There are many people out there who would love to have the tapes or would be more than willing to convert them to DVD.

In addition to skating tapes/DVDs, I also collect Olympic footage. I've managed to find fairly complete recordings of several Olympics through eBay and other sources. I don't like to think of how many people have old tapes of Olympic footage just sitting in their garages or basements, or even worse, have thrown the tapes away.

[skatesindreams]

SpeedySucks, as a fellow collector/archivist/historian of this material, I couldn't agree more with your post.
Please let us know if you no longer want your tapes/DVD's.

[Dave of the North]

One reason not to throw them away - I remember when Debbi Wilkes was doing Retro Ice Time - she would be looking back at an event and say "Oh, we couldn't find the dance event" or whatever. This is the CTV network not holding on to their tapes of events...

[BaileyCatts]

.....I have a VCR/DVD combi recorder which also has a copy function where I can copy directly onto DVD from my VHS's. ....

How many hours fit on a DVD when you copy over from VHS this way? Example is every tape I have I taped in 6 hour mode, editing commercials as I go (on majority) and fit as much of competition as possible on first tape to fill the tape (or reach an easy breakpoint). So for almost every Nationals and Worlds, I have 2 tapes each comp. If I have about 5.5-6 hours on each tape ... how many DVD's will it take to copy one tape?

On the other hand...... its so hard to decide what to do. I am 50/50 on the issue, even though I never watch them, but I have them and I just "want" them, but but but ......

[Kruss]

I rarely watch them anymore, but am hard pressed to part with them, so I keep them in storage. I keep promising myself that on cold winter days I'll go through and convert to DVD the programs I want to keep, then get rid of the tapes, but.....but.....there's such a goldmine there.

[BaileyCatts]

^^ That's my issue too, when I think about what I have .... every US Nationals since about 1992-ish, Worlds since 1992-ish, Olympics since 1988, and a host of Pro events during the 94-post skating explosion (although I tossed a lot of late 90's Pro ones in my fit of anger .... dammit ... maybe .... or not). Of course, I have no idea if these tapes are even any good (I know some are not watchable/poor quality) .... but then again I have them ......... :sigh:

[Allskate]

The last time I moved, about 4 years ago, I just threw them all away. Included were a ton of gymnastics videos as well. I felt bad, and sometimes still do, but they were all VHS and I had no VCR.

I did the same thing. It was painful. And I almost immediately regretted it. I had so many of them and they were taking up a lot of room. I wish I had saved at least my favorite ones.

[BaileyCatts]

^^ ........ see, that's my issue too!! I am so regretting tossing those ones I did, even though I never watched them and some were full tapes that weren't even marked, so I have no clue what was on them.

But then again......... man its hard!

[floskate]

How many hours fit on a DVD when you copy over from VHS this way? Example is every tape I have I taped in 6 hour mode, editing commercials as I go (on majority) and fit as much of competition as possible on first tape to fill the tape (or reach an easy breakpoint). So for almost every Nationals and Worlds, I have 2 tapes each comp. If I have about 5.5-6 hours on each tape ... how many DVD's will it take to copy one tape?

On the other hand...... its so hard to decide what to do. I am 50/50 on the issue, even though I never watch them, but I have them and I just "want" them, but but but ......

On average 2 hours per DVD for good quality. You can opt for up to 8 hours on mine but the difference in quality is very obvious.

[viennese]

Amazing that TV networks *lose* the master tapes/films - as in, can no longer find them.

Regular old VHS tapes deteriorate ... especially when they're recorded at the fast speed.

[skatesindreams]

Amazing that TV networks *lose* the master tapes/films - as in, can no longer find them.

They used to "tape over" events. also.

[floskate]

They used to "tape over" events. also.

I never saw the Ice Time or Retro Ice series until I received them in a tape trade. I was shocked when I heard Debbi Wilkes say time and again how the original footage had been lost - particularly the mens LP from 1979 Worlds. Thankfully the canadian footage does exist thanks to a wonderful person in Canada who saved everything they aired on TV!!

[SpeedySucks]

I never saw the Ice Time or Retro Ice series until I received them in a tape trade. I was shocked when I heard Debbi Wilkes say time and again how the original footage had been lost - particularly the mens LP from 1979 Worlds. Thankfully the canadian footage does exist thanks to a wonderful person in Canada who saved everything they aired on TV!!

Which is all the more reason why people shouldn't throw out their old tapes. Who knows how many events ABC has lost over the years, especially since ESPN took over ABC Sports in 2006.

[BaileyCatts]

For those of you who have copied your VHS to DVD .... I also have a lot of pre-recorded VHS tapes (92, 94, 98, 02 official Olympics tapes, some SOI tapes, Magic Memories on Ice and other assorted skating show tapes). I'm definitely keeping pre-recorded tapes until the last of my VCR's dies, but is it possible to copy those pre-recorded tapes to DVD, or do they have built in codes to prevent copying?