How to Use a VHS Tape

Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: February 14, 2024

VHS was made in 1975 and was designed for and used by the public, There was a war going on between VHS vs. Betamax, and VHS emerged as one of the most popular ways to watch a video. If you want to use a VHS tape then here is how to use it. Note: VHS stands for Video Home System.

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If you want to buy a VHS tape, there are some stores like movie rental shops that sell VHS tapes along with DVD's. If you want to borrow (rent) one, then you might go to Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, or Video Joe, or some kind of video store near you. Check for stores who have the feature of renting a VHS tape.
To play a VHS tape, you must have a VHS player, then, if there is a cover on the VHS tape, you must get the tape out of the cover. There are also movies or television episodes that are recorded on VHS by employees of companies. Just put the VHS tape in the player and it will play automatically, unless you stop it by using the buttons on the VHS player.

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The commands are executed by pressing buttons that are on the front of the player. There is Play, which plays the movie; Rewind, for going backwards in the movie; Fast Forward, to go further into the movie; Stop, to make the movie stop; and Eject, to take the VHS tape out of the player.
If you would like to record a show on your VHS tape, you can record it by simply putting a blank VHS tape into the player and pressing "Record". That way, you won't miss a show or an episode of your favorite shows.
That way you won't get charged a late fee because it is overdue. This will become very expensive, so return it on the due date. If you have your own VHS tape, it's not rented, it's paid for already.
It will say "approx." (Which is short for, approximately.) For an example: Approx. 50 minutes, so that way you will know the length of the VHS movie from beginning to end.
If you are a kid, some VHS movies are scary or violent depending on the movie. Don't watch "Hostel", "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", or anything of that nature. Don't watch movies that are rated R or NC-17, or PG-13 unless your parent's give you permission to watch PG-13 movies, or more violent. If it says "Not Rated", then it is a kid's television series or movie video tape.
All video tapes feature this FBI warning. It is always the same reason in an FBI warning, so be careful. Don't copy a video tape without the permission of the copyright owner or the authorized personnel.
VHS tapes don't always have previews but instead they show logos, and sometimes there are commercials. Previews are for people who want to watch a new movie that they like or get impressed with.
Some day people will love VHS tapes rather than DVD's because DVD's will get scratched or damaged, or dirty or something. VHS tapes are much better.

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Why do the videos played on my VHS player occasionally have horizontal lines flickering across the picture?

Community Answer

Unfortunately, this is due to the VHS deteriorating over time. There is usually a "tracking" button on the VHS player or remote, and clicking it should help reduce the lines.

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I want to get rid of our video tapes. Does anyone still buy them?

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Most VHS end up sitting on the shelf for years at thrift stores since everything is available on higher quality, space-saving DVDs. They can be recycled, though. Contact your city's waste management to see if they offer VHS recycling services.

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Do VHS tapes still work?

Aasim

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Yes, though you may need an analog to digital converter in order to view the content on a modern television.

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Tips

There is sound on these VHS tapes. Hi-fi Stereo is much better but the original stereo can be OK depending on what it sounds alike.

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VHS tapes are much different than a DVD, because VHS is a video tape, while a DVD is a compact disc. Betamax is also between a DVD and a Video Home System tape.

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Betamax is not better than VHS. They are competitors. Many people prefer VHS tapes much more because they can record. Also, Betamax players are not around anymore since VHS won the war between Video Home System vs. Betamax.

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Warnings

Don't be rude. Rewind the tape fully. Nobody wants to see credits rolling or the middle or end of the movie and have to rewind the VHS which takes time and can damage the tape because it can wear it out.

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Always return rented VHS tapes on the due date. If you have to return it overdue, then you will be charged a late finder's fee and you don't want that. So always return rented tapes on time if you rent a VHS tape, rent it from the store you got it from last time.

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Don't copy a video tape illegally. According to the FBI, copying a VHS tape without permission of the copyright owner is unauthorized reproduction. If you did copy a Video tape or a video disc illegally, you might go to jail for 5 to 9 years and you will have to pay a very large fine.

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Don't be rude. Don't fast forward the VHS to the end of the movie, especially if it's a rare movie because it spoils the ending. This has happened and still said to happen to a lot of people at Blockbuster and Hollywood Video because somebody wanted to spoil the ending, spoil the tape, spoil time, spoil fun, and spoil a nice service.

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Don't touch the tape, The tape must always be clean. If you have grease, dirt, or watery stuff, it will cause it to break; leading to screen static or it may skip some parts that you want to watch. Never get them dirty.

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Things You'll Need

A VHS player
A VHS tape
A TV

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