How long do VHS tapes last?

[DaDude]

After researching all over the internet, all articles say that VHS tapes last from 10-20 years. But that is what puzzles me. I have this VHS tape at home that?s over 25 years old. It was my dad?s tape. It?s a video of some concerts he recorded from TV. I used to love watching it when I was little. I would watch it over and over and over when I was a kid. Of course, it doesn?t get watched much now since I?m older. But this video was watched A LOT when I was a kid and believe it or not, it still works till this day. And it?s over 25 years old. My dad started recording on it in the early 1980s. And it?s now 2010 and it still works!

So, how long do VHS tapes really last? Will this video of my dad?s last 30 years or more, especially after all that wear and tear it?s been through when I was a kid?

[Pupik]

All depends on how and where you store it. 25 years is pretty good, if it just laid on a book shelf in the living room.

[jerzdawg]

I think there are a ton of different things that come into play here. However in the end I do not think there is ever going to be an exact science in figuring out the life of a VHS. Back in the VHS days I remember the movies that were played over and over (cartoons or kiddie movies) that started to show its "age" only after a few years. Sometimes it was the VCR that had dirty "heads" but the tape was blamed. So as far as your dads video lasting 30 years... its def possible, the tougher part will be keeping a VCR around long enough to play it. I have eliminated all of my VHS via garage sale or converting home videos to DVD. Def cool that you know the tapes last at least 25 years...

[TAZMINATOR]

After researching all over the internet, all articles say that VHS tapes last from 10-20 years. But that is what puzzles me. I have this VHS tape at home that?s over 25 years old. It was my dad?s tape. It?s a video of some concerts he recorded from TV. I used to love watching it when I was little. I would watch it over and over and over when I was a kid. Of course, it doesn?t get watched much now since I?m older. But this video was watched A LOT when I was a kid and believe it or not, it still works till this day. And it?s over 25 years old. My dad started recording on it in the early 1980s. And it?s now 2010 and it still works!

So, how long do VHS tapes really last? Will this video of my dad?s last 30 years or more, especially after all that wear and tear it?s been through when I was a kid?

My mom has over 400 VHS tapes. They are still working till this day.. She got her VHS tapes during her VHS days. I still watch some of the good movies of my favs all the time such as Happy Gilmore, Caddyshack, etc.

I know there are some of old movies are on DVD now.

[perochan]

if you dont watch a lot of times, your VHS tapes will last a pretty long time. the more you watch, the more magnet on the tape stripe will wear out.

[Egocentric]

I still have an original Exorcist on VHS that i bought in 1981. Haven't watched it for about a year tho but was fine last time i did.

[PNWDweller]

Oh for the days of VHS....No more being forced to sit through the Warnings, Mandatory Previews and Garbage just to get to the main feature. Simply FF and it does the rest! lol

Magnetic storage such as tape is still used in places for data backup so it doesn't surprise me on the VHS of yours. Must have been good at keeping it away from Magnetic fields and such too!

I have had a few commercial VHS tapes as of late break in the VCR probably from age. I had one unopened one that I put in and played which was probably from 1987 or so and it did fine. I think it depends on the tape quality.

[Egocentric]