How hard is it to buy a VHS player these days?

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Current Events » How hard is it to buy a VHS player these days?

01/14/2025 02:03:52 PM

01/14/2025

02:03 PM

Want to help my folks digitize some of their old VHS tapes, but they dont have a player anymore. I dont need anything fancy, but Im scared that the market is going to be like CRTs in terms of being hard to find and expensive. Am I screwed?

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Winterking

01/14/2025 02:12:14 PM

01/14/2025

02:12 PM

Maybe check thrift stores or estate sales? I think it's gonna be one of those "just be lucky" situations.

ironman2009

01/14/2025 02:12:33 PM

01/14/2025

02:12 PM

Try goodwill stores

THRILLHO

Verdekal

01/14/2025 02:13:07 PM

01/14/2025

02:13 PM

We have one. But I don't know it it works. It's been 12:00 for about 12 years now.

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not_KDTProjekt

01/14/2025 02:14:34 PM

01/14/2025

02:14 PM

Amazon seems to have a bunch of options.

Smashingpmkns

01/14/2025 02:15:02 PM

01/14/2025

02:15 PM

Pretty easy to find around here in pawn shops.

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HeroFlyChao

01/14/2025 03:01:47 PM

01/14/2025

03:01 PM

Thanks, turns out I found a few good options near me on Facebook Marketplace, fingers crossed!

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Sariana21

01/14/2025 03:07:07 PM

01/14/2025

03:07 PM

We have a combo VHS/DVD player/recorder that does exactly what you want, but we bought it years ago. I dont know if such a device is still available.

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LuigiChalmersJr

01/14/2025 03:07:14 PM

01/14/2025

03:07 PM

Check thrift stores. Some will sell them, some won't. They are generally cheap.

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Hospy

01/14/2025 03:10:12 PM

01/14/2025

03:10 PM

#10

I actually did this about a year ago, but VCRs are still readily available online and thrift stores still carry them occasionally.

Make sure to check your tapes for mold before running them because that will mess up your VCR heads pretty quickly if you didn't.

Also if you can't be bothered there are companies out there that offer conversion services. I had to use them for some badly molded tapes that I didn't want to risk.

littlebro07

01/14/2025 03:13:53 PM

01/14/2025

03:13 PM

#12

Hospy posted...

Make sure to check your tapes for mold before running them because that will mess up your VCR heads pretty quickly if you didn't.

This

It's fairly easy to clean the mold off depending on how bad it is. I also digitized all my family's old home movies last year and I had a "cleaner" VCR that I'd put the moldy tapes in. Fast forward all the way through, rewind all the way back, repeat a couple times until it's all cleared out, then clean the heads with some rubbing alcohol and repeat. Wear a mask while doing so. I had one that looked awful, like the tape was completely white so I figured it was beyond repair but it ended up working and the picture quality was great.

So if you've got moldy tapes, I'd recommend buying a second VCR for that part of the process.

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BucketCat

01/14/2025 03:20:33 PM

01/14/2025

03:20 PM

#13

Winterking posted...

Maybe check thrift stores or estate sales? I think it's gonna be one of those "just be lucky" situations.

this. I go to thrift stores and estate sales fairly often. for "vintage" tech, thrift stores are pretty hit or miss. estate sales are a bit more consistent w/ finding older stuff but ymmv

there's a site called estatesales dot net that I use, some people just post their address and when the estate sale takes place while others go all out and will show everything for sale.

ItsNotA2Mer

01/14/2025 03:49:55 PM

01/14/2025

03:49 PM

#14

As easy as going on Amazon.

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furb

01/14/2025 03:59:35 PM

01/14/2025

03:59 PM

#15