How Long Do Videotapes Last?  Videotape Lifespan? Tape Mould!

 

If you have a stack of old VHS or camcorder tapes in your home, garage, shed or in the loft, you might have wondered how long do they last? And given the average Videotape lifespan, will memories and footage on those tapes begin to deteriorate over time?

 

At Videos2dvd, our experience has shown that Videotape deteriorates over time no matter how they are stored. The magnetic tape inside makes the Videotape lifespan shorter as the tape itself deteriorates.  Even tapes stored in professional tape storage environments will still experience some deterioration and of course, the overwhelming majority of tapes are not stored in perfect environments.

 

How Long does Videotape Last?
Although Videotape life expectancy varies from one tape to the next, Videotapes have been found to deteriorate 10 % ~ 20 % over the course of 10 to 25 years. Tapes that were made with better quality will have a slightly longer lifespan, and of course, if you have kept your Videotapes in a climate-controlled space with optimal temperature and conditions with minimal to no use, they will last a lot longer.

 

However, your favourite tapes are likely to have been viewed many times, making them deteriorate more quickly, and most of us do not have the ability to store our  Videotapes perfectly. Videotapes at home are subject to dust dampness and humidity, especially in the UK where we have very varied climate tapes can start to degrade from the elements, as a result, cause a tape-eating bacteria known as "Tape Mould" this can slowly eat away at your tapes and eventually render them unwatchable.

 

Digitize Your Videotapes to DVD or USB media
Your memories are too precious to leave up to chance or even to slight deterioration. If you want to keep your Videotape footage safe, your best option is to convert your Videotapes to a more updated, easily stored media format like DVD or digital file.

 

Videos2dvd can convert your Videotapes to DVD or digital files like mp4 for convenient and easy viewing and safe storage. Top brand name DVDs have a shelf life of 100 years or more, and you can store your digital files to the cloud, an external hard drive to keep them safe from harm and even share with family or friends on social media So don't put it off any longer contact Videos2dvd today and stop the deterioration in its tracks right now!