VHS and the New Movie Night

How home video reshaped movie watching, television recording and family memories.

Television on your schedule

VHS entered the consumer market in the 1970s and made it practical for families to record broadcasts and watch programming at a time of their choosing.

The rental era

Video rental stores gave people the chance to build movie nights around a physical selection. Box art, rental stickers and handwritten labels became part of the experience.

More than commercial movies

For many families, the most valuable VHS recordings are home movies and off-air material that exists nowhere else. Each tape should be treated as a potentially unique record.

When transferring VHS

Test the VCR with a nonessential tape, inspect the cassette for damage and capture video in real time using a compatible signal path. Keep the original tape after digitizing it.

Related resources: Tape care guides · Explore tape formats