Dirt, humidity, and heat are the main enemies of videotape and can make the tapes impossible to play back in very short periods of time. Sometimes labels peel off attracting dust or debris and spread adhesive.
Damaged Cassette The video cassette case is broken. Stepped on, sat on, dropped, children, tape shell is missing a door, pressure cracks in the shell. When a cassette is broken the inside tape-spool (if it's ok) must be reloaded into a new manufacturer's approved shell. Normally we have to replace the complete case. Very few tapes cassettes are compatible with each other (Even though they are the same format, VHS, 8 Mill, etc, it seems every brand is different)
Broken or Damaged Tape From time to time, VCR's and video cameras damage video tapes. More often than not this is due to dirty record and playback heads. At times a tape may be ripped in such a way that the only recourse is to cut the damaged section of tape and splice the cut ends together. This will inevitably result in the loss of some of the material on the original tape.
- Edge Damage One of the most common problems is tape edge damage typically caused by misaligned transports. Physical damage (stretching, nicks, and dents, etc.) cause mistracking as the tape moves through the guide paths.
Shedding In addition to the shedding that results from chemical breakdown, shedding can be caused by poorly maintained equipment. Many tapes manufactured up to the early 1980's are notorious for their shedding due to difficulties inherent in the relatively weak bond between the binder and the substrate.
Fungus or mildew contamination of videotape is fairly common and difficult to restore completely. Warm and humid conditions encourage fungus, which attacks the organic materials in the binder. Tapes or cassettes exposed to water or moisture from floods or sprinklers are prone to fungus, especially if moisture becomes trapped inside the cassette.
Dirt and other debris can destroy a tape or impede its ability to be tracked. Dirt from any source can become embedded in the binder emulsion. Static electricity will attract dirt. We recommend cleaning all tapes before re-mastering if they have a history of poor storage conditions or have detectable signs of deterioration. We routinely clean all suspect tape before copying rather than risk damage to expensive and hard-to-replace magnetic heads.
Cassette Housings are not always dust proof in the locked position. Many are made from relatively inert polyethylene, but some are fabricated from recycled plastics with high acid content that can distort at high temperatures. Interior components can degrade, such as springs and rubber materials from the moisture trapped inside. Hinges can wear out. Standard VHS cassettes contain more than 30 parts in assembly. Many cassettes show mechanical problems after only a few years. A damaged cassette, if not detected, can result in irreparable tape damage.
