Why VHS tapes should not wait another decade
VHS launched in 1976 and became the household video format in Latvia in the late 1980s and 1990s. That is why most collections we receive are 25 to 40 years old. At that age the recording is usually still readable, but the safety margin shrinks every year.
The tape is a plastic base coated with a magnetic layer held on by a binder. Over time the binder absorbs moisture, turns sticky and starts to shed. On screen you see faded colours, white flecks (drop-outs) and hiss in the sound; at worst the tape sticks to the VCR heads. Storage in attics, garages or summer cottages with big temperature swings speeds all of this up.
The second problem is hardware. Nobody makes new VHS decks, and the ones left in homes often have worn heads and perished belts. Such a machine can chew an old tape within a minute, so please do not play precious recordings on an untested VCR “just to check”.
How to tell it is a VHS tape
A standard VHS cassette is the largest home video tape: about 19 × 10 cm, with two clear windows showing the reels. The label often reads E-180 or E-240, the running time in minutes at standard speed. A noticeably smaller cassette is VHS-C, Video8, Hi8 or Mini DV. An S-VHS logo means you should read our S-VHS guide.
How we capture a VHS tape
VHS digitization is more than a cable from a VCR to a computer. In our Tallinn lab every cassette follows the same route:
- Inspection. We open the flap and check for mould, splits and crinkled edges. Any repair is agreed with you first (€9).
- Re-tensioning. We wind the tape to the end and back once, so tension evens out and stuck layers separate.
- Playback. We use serviced professional decks. The signal passes through a time base corrector (TBC) that steadies a jittery picture.
- Capture. Video is recorded at full PAL resolution, not squeezed through a cheap USB dongle. More in our analogue digitization explainer.
- Check and delivery. We review the recording, trim the blank snow at the end, save MP4 files and upload them to Google Drive or copy them to USB.
What you receive
A three-hour VHS tape as MP4 takes roughly 4–8 GB. The file plays on phones, computers, most smart TVs and in editing software. If a tape holds several events, we can split it into separate files on request.
| Delivery | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google Drive link | €7.90 | Quick sharing with family |
| USB 64 GB | €12 | Up to ~10 VHS tapes, a physical copy |
| USB 128 GB | €19.90 | Larger collections |
What VHS digitization costs
A standard VHS tape costs €15 per cassette, whatever its length. Orders of more than 20 tapes get 10% off and a 64 GB USB stick included. Repairing a damaged tape or cleaning mould costs €9 per cassette, only with your approval. We invoice a private person or a company once the work is done.
Example: 12 VHS tapes with a Google Drive link come to 12 × €15 + €7.90 = €187.90, plus the locker parcel to Tallinn, usually €5–9.
Sending VHS tapes from Latvia
Our lab is in Tallinn, Estonia, but you do not need to travel. A parcel locker is the simplest option: the tapes arrive in Tallinn the next or the following working day.
Put the cassettes in a rigid cardboard box, fill the gaps with paper and add a note with your name and email. Ten to twelve VHS tapes usually fit an S or M locker size.
How to order
- Send a requestTell us the formats and number of tapes. We reply with exact information, the price and shipping instructions.
- Ship to a parcel lockerWith Omniva, SmartPosti or DPD, from a Latvian locker to the Tallinn locker we give you.
- Get your filesUsually within 10–14 working days: MP4 via Google Drive or on USB, paid by invoice.
VHS questions
Can a mouldy VHS tape be digitized?
Usually, yes. We clean the tape carefully before playback (€9 per cassette) so the mould does not reach the heads. Most cleaned tapes play well.
What if the VHS tape has snapped?
Do not tape it with sticky tape. Send it to us: we splice it with proper splicing tape or move it into a new shell. A repair costs €9 per cassette.
Will I get my tapes back?
Yes, if you want them. We return them by locker or post, or you can collect them from our Tallinn office at Mustamäe tee 50.
How do I pay for VHS digitization?
By invoice after the work is finished, issued to a private person or a company.