Home Video (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 4k)

699 readers

9 users here now

On Reddit we have r/dvdcollection, r/boutiquebluray, r/4kbluray, r/steelbook, r/vhs, etc but let's start simply with a community to cover all the forms of home video collecting.

So, do you feel nostalgic for a format? Are you looking forward to a release? Heard any exciting news? Want to show us your shelves? Then post away.

Elsewhere on the Fediverse:

Chat:

Rules:

Be excellent to each other

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

Emperor@feddit.uk

UKFilmNerd@feddit.uk

While garage sale-ing recently, I found some old VHS tapes - I've now decided I want to start a personal archive and digitize these types of obscure tapes (programming.dev)

submitted 5 months ago by notnotmike@programming.dev to c/homevideo@feddit.uk

6 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I got an Elgato capture card and a VCR off of EBay and have already digitized three tapes I've found at garage sales.

Any advice for cleaning up the image and audio? I recall there were VCR cleaners but never was confident of their efficacy.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] thouartfrugal@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The spinny thing is the head drum. The divots are electromagnetic heads, usually four for video in a HiFi deck. Be careful when cleaning them as they are fragile. Avoid using any kind of material that may snag in their narrow gap. I like to use a strip of white paper wetted with isopropanol, holding it against the drum and turning it with the other hand. Repeat that till the paper comes away clean.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago

Oh this is great advice.

I also recommend softly holding whatever moistened but not dripping medium you're using up to the cleaner head divot line and spinning the head itself with your other hand.