I am a huge fan of the Verve. I had finally bought all their CDs, so I thought I’d buy their video “The Verve, The Video 96-98”. If it had been on DVD I would have, but it doesn’t appear to be. I didn’t think this would be a problem.
However, I watched the video as soon as it came in the mail. It started off with some crackling noise and fuzz on the screen but I thought I could deal with it. Then the noise got louder and more constant as the video went along.
Now what I want to know, is if all the videos would be of this same mediocre quality, or if I could try to get a new one from Amazon.com or Virgin records. I don’t think any new videocassettes would have been made since 98, but I’m not sure.
I would also appreciate any answers about how long and how well videos of any kind hold up.
Video cassettes certainly degrade over time, especially if they have not been touched. There are several reasons for this:
The media itself is not capable of maintaining the same strength magnetic charge for several years.
As a tape lays wound and unwatched, each segment of tape is in close contact with 2 other segments of tape with their own magnetic charges, which interfere with each other.
I once purchased a used vhs tape from a rental store and was amazed that the quality was as good as it was. This was a title that had been out-of-print for over 15 years.
I have also bought unopened, older tapes that have had the same problem you describe, deteriorated quality. I own a very high-end VCR which cleans up the picture quite a bit, but it does nothing for the sound. There just isn’t enough data there to work with I guess.
My advice is that if this item is really OOP, you have a lost cause. You can try finding a used one, but I doubt the audio will be up to par. I know that CDs which are OOP in the states are sometimes still produced elsewhere. See if you can find a recently produced title.
Around 15 years they turn to fuzz. It depends on the quality of the cassette & the recording speed & how they are stored & if people put them on the dash in the car in full sun.
