Last-Ever VCR To Be Made This Month, So Here’s How To Convert Your Old VHS Tapes

Yes, there actually was a time before DVD and Blu-Ray and streaming.

There was a time when consumers had two just different videotape formats to choose from. VHS and Beta battled for the hearts, minds, and wallets of the consumer. VHS would win that battle, and VHS-compatible VCR’s would own the 1980s and for years to come.

Fast forward, er, so to speak, to today. The last Japanese company to still manufacture VCRS says the very last VCR will roll off its Funai Electric Japan assembly line this month. The unsurprising reason given is declining sales and difficulty in securing parts. So what’s to come of VCRs/VHS tapes, you ask?

As Mental Floss notes, the VHS tapes you pop into the VCR are somewhat akin to vinyl record albums. You see (as opposed to hear) the imperfections in the process. Movies can end up feeling too clean, perfect, and digitally sterile these days. Old-school viewers want a few glitches here and there. While VHS tapes continue to become prized heirloom/collector’s items… the only problem will be, what to play them with.

How To Convert Your VHS Footage To Your Laptop

If you are like most American households, you probably have stacks of old VHS tapes somewhere in your house. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to transfer your tapes onto your laptop using a video capture adapter. In order to avoid taking up too much space on your computer’s hard drive, the best bet is to then transfer the files from your laptop to an external hard drive. All you’ll need is a computer, a VCR and an adapter so that you can upload the video that’s playing in your VCR straight onto your computer or laptop.

An adapter can run you anywhere from around $10 to $80. This process can be done on a PC or a Mac, so be sure to choose an adapter that will work with your type of laptop and operating system. Check out the video below for more details:

h/t: MentalFloss