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John Toma | NOSTALGIA NATION's avatar

Great post! I thought I was the only one that collected in this niche when I found random tapes like this!! Definitely a niche thing, but I enjoy it. I have been considering growing my vhs collection, but I've had a few of these tapes destroy my VCR in the past... Great to see others are into this also!

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Retroist's avatar

You are not alone. They are not as common, but I never pass up a tape with a home recording on it. I had fears of damaging my favorite VCR and Cassette decks. So I eventually picked up a decent slightly modern VCR and cassette deck at goodwill for 5 bucks to do any testing I might have with questionable tapes.

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John Toma | NOSTALGIA NATION's avatar

Funny you said that… I recently picked up a back up VCR. I should have done this a while back lol

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Retroist's avatar

As you probably know as a collector, it starts with one backup VCR and then two and then....

:)

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J.Q. Graziano's avatar

Agreed. Wonder how things ever worked out with "loping" Jimmy . . .

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Dan Pal's avatar

I have over a hundred cassette tapes from my childhood back in the 1970s. I recorded everything from plays my friends and I made up to secretly recorded phone conversations to TV shows. They would probably the first things I'd grab if my house ever caught on fire!

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Retroist's avatar

I only have a single recording of my childhood friends and I very happy to have it. One hundred tapes is a treasure trove!

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Dan Pal's avatar

Yes, I need to digitize more of them!

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Retroist's avatar

You ever post any of them online?

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Dan Pal's avatar

I didn't know until your article that you could do that or that anyone would want to hear them! I've posted a couple within my Top Ten Memoir but that's it so far.

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Woz Flint's avatar

Mary's letter to her parents. WOW. So well articulated.

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Retroist's avatar

I wish I was half as articulate when I was a teen.

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BuddhaRandom's avatar

I collect photos and home movies. I like to peer into the lives of people I never knew. It’s quite interesting, the human experience. Got me thinking of all the stuff I recorded on cassette back in the day. I know there’s a recording of me singing a Pink Floyd song quite horribly. I was sitting outside under the trees just singing away. Makes me laugh to think someone out there might have that cassette.

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Retroist's avatar

I did a bunch of recording with my friends that I am guessing were either destroyed or are floating around.

I used to collect slides that I would find at garage sales, but I couldn't keep up with the number I had picked up. They might be discarded, but they seem like they should be more important than that.

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