Why I only own VHS tapes in 2024

In this video I talk about why I think physical media is important to have in some form if you value your media. Let me know what you think in the comments!

[@groomerkiller3947]

Just a reminder, just because you bought a movie on digital, does not mean you actually own it. Once that movie app shuts down, you will not get your money back. Buy physical copies now, and save them

[@spencers-adventures]

Exactly! “Ownership” through an app isn’t ownership at all. Thanks for commenting!

[@nothing2069]

That just happened with Playstation

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah I just watched a video about that and will probably work that into a video in the near future. Crazy that they can just do that but that’s what we need to be prepared for with digital “ownership”

[@lucifersapphire8412]

The same goes for physical media, yeah sure you own it.. for now. Physical media is subject to time, and time destroys everything. VHS detonation is at a rate of 25% per 10 years. DVD’s are a little Betty not by much. They can last 30 years, up to 100 if you never play them and keep them in a perfect environment where the temperature of the room and the humidity are carefully monitored. At the end of the day physical media is carbon based and which means it will be eventually eaten by time.

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed, I always say one day everything will melt into the earth lol. I take the Buddhist approach, accept everything is temporary and just enjoy it while it’s here in the present moment. Thanks for the comment!

[@pacario9625]

I'm more a DVD guy, but I appreciate everything you're saying about the value of physical media. In another generation, everything will be a download or subscription. Some boutique companies might crop up to help fill the void, but inevitably, numerous films of the second-tier variety will become scarce. Even disappear completely.

[@spencers-adventures]

You’re right on the money there. I feel like we’re moving to a subscription economy for so many more things than even now. DVDs are great too, I have a lot of nostalgia for some of the movie-specific menu screens on them!

[@linewalker]

Quite scary really.

[@SecretOfMonkeyIsland784]

Whats "Numerous films of the second-tier variety" mean?, not heard this expression before

[@TheRustylungs]

​@@SecretOfMonkeyIsland784 I would guess it means low budget films

[@trevorlambert4226]

@@SecretOfMonkeyIsland784 He means films that were modestly successful and are appreciated by a significant number of people but aren't big blockbusters or classics. These are films that represent, on the aggregate, a lot of individual favourites but not enough people to scream about the disappearance of any one specific film.

[@malicant123]

Another great thing about owning the physical media (be it paper books, CDs or VHS tapes) is that the content can't be changed if it becomes "problematic" for someone.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Yes, although VHS degrades over time in a way that digital copies don't. The CDs and DVDs can and do degrade over time, but it's a fairly long period of time and certainly longer than buying DRM infested digital copies.

[@Lysander-Spooner]

100%

[@AndrewHawnt]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade VHS does degrade, but I have tapes that are 40 years old which still play perfectly. I think I'll be dead by the time they degrade :D

[@DomesticAnimo]

​@@SmallSpoonBrigade it must take a long time because my vhs tapes are either 20yrs old or a bit younger but they still play really well! They last longer than my dvds lol

[@baneintherain]

Owning physical media is huge to me. This was a cool little video. 👍

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks buddy! Appreciate the comment and I agree with you - physical media is huge

[@grantgreyguda]

👍 👍

[@erikamccreary2614]

i love physical media too. Vhs Dvds Cds those are the only phyical media that i collect and use. And it is good to have because you watch and listen to them whenever you want. The same with books. Cause I don't like these audiobooks. And I do like these streamimg apps at least the ones i can afford and you need wifi and internet to watch them and also got to pay for them in order to watch. And some streaming apps don't even have all the movies or tv shows you are looking for and don't keep movies or shows on them that long.

[@TheObserver37]

The inserting the tape noise the VCR makes is the most satisfying thing to me. ❤

[@taotzu1339]

It can be nerve wrecking when you're trying to watch pron at 2 AM in the morning, and your parents are home.

[@p0ck3tp3ar]

"You will only nothing and be happy." And that pretty much sums up why I love physical media. We're being targeted as dream customers for digital stuff (aka nothing), that is worthless and can be taken away.

[@eviltanya0]

I started collecting my favorite dvd movies/ shows years ago when I noticed the dvd and blueray selection at stores were getting smaller every year and going digital. This includes my favorite games and consoles as well. I recommend everyone to start now before its too late.

[@spencers-adventures]

I feel this comment - definitely a good move to grab a few favourites as they become tougher to find. I still have my N64 from growing up and it’s such a treat to bust it out and play a little Kart or DK. Thanks for watching!

[@benironside1264]

NOOOO don’t tell everyone to do it. It’ll drive the prices up for me 😂

[@MrAndresm900]

That's what I'm doing for about 6 years now too no filler, just stuff that I won't ever get bored of playing over and over again whether it's a game or movie 😎

[@Healthy_Toki]

Right now is an incredible time to collect. I was in a thrift store this week that probably had 2000 dvds ($1 each) plus at least 200 blu rays at $3 (and vhs for50 cents). CDs are also plentiful and cheap. You could build a library of like 250 films for the price of one of your streaming services in 2024. It's great for discovery too since it's akin to browsing blockbuster.

[@ad_stayfly7]

Same here with me . 💿 are all I have now

[@MillerMeteor74]

I'm old (60) and have never subscribed to a streaming service. I have collections of records, cassette tapes, CDs and DVDs. But I totally understood the point of this video. Thanks.

[@spencers-adventures]

Love that you have never gotten into the streaming services. It's pretty powerful to actually curate your media selection to what's special rather than being buried in a lot of stuff that isn't great, which is often the thing with streaming. I'm just generally wary of subscription costs in general and I try to steer clear of them as much as possible - it can really take a lot out of your pocket and not give much in return. Take care and thanks for commenting - appreciate hearing your take!

[@johnurban7333]

There’s a lot of free apps out there like Tubi, Crackle, Freevee and Pluto that don’t charge a subscription and have a lot of great old shows and movies on them.

[@reginaldforthright805]

Wow, if you’re that old I’m guessing you have a bunch of phonographs and wax cylinders as well

[@interstat2222]

60 means he was 30 in 1993!​@@reginaldforthright805

[@bluestreak711]

I am so glad you made this video because this needs to be discussed on a large scale.

[@nickelbackisokay]

Huge supporter for owning media. We have internet outages where I live semi often, and that’s when we gotta bust out the DVDs/VHS, play my actually downloaded music, use the backyard lol. We had one the other day and I thought “we need MORE VHS!”

[@spencers-adventures]

Totally! It is so nice to have during internet and power outages also. I have a battery/solar setup for keeping electronics charged that can for sure run the TV/VHS setup. It’s definitely nice to have a plan to stay comfy and have some media on hand, especially if outages become more common in the future. Thanks for your comment buddy - and Nickelback is pretty sick too!

[@michaelhawkins7389]

@@spencers-adventures I like VHS but I perfer Blu ray for 1080p full HD but vhs was okay , but for me now dvds are just about watchable , some VHS look ok when upscaled if your machine does that but yeah they are very outdated but still a cool part of History . Blu ray is awesome ( I have blu ray and dvd) because I don't have 4k tv nor do I care to much for 4k , in fact some blu rays look nicers then 4k because of the colours

[@DerekDavis213]

VHS tapes are great. The soft fuzzy picture, and cute sounds of rewinding the tapes.

[@xn0gaming]

I have never heard that someone found rewinding noises of Tape Recorders "cute"....now I have read everything.

[@DerekDavis213]

@@xn0gaming I was being sarcastic. I cannot imagine why *anyone* wants fuzzy low res VHS tapes, in 2024.

[@KenzoDriving-bp6gc]

​@@DerekDavis213 It's probably difficult for some people to understand but that's all part of the experience. The fuzzy low quality video. The thunk as you slid the tape into the player. Sitting there and waiting for it to rewind every time you want to watch a movie. I have fond memories of going down to Blockbusters as a kid, excitedly picking out a film with my family and running home to watch it. It was a different time. It's the same reason a lot of people enjoy playing retro games and using older technology like CRTs. Sure you can just stream everything on your 4K TV and watch it in far superior quality, but it's not quite the same. For me all those quirks are just part of the charm.

[@CreativityNuggets]

the reduced aspect ratio is the single drawback that keeps me from fully recommending vhs, but it definitely has its merits. I don't get people who say they aren't worth it. They're fun and cheap to collect, especially obscure low budget stuff I otherwise wouldn't give the time of day.

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah they are totally worth it! Even just some of the covers alone are so sick compared to the DVD releases of the same films. My copy of First Blood and also Mad Max are such cool covers. And most of my copies have been 25-50 cents a pop, so who can argue with that. Even to rent a movie on a steaming platform costs at least 5-10x that amount for like 2 days. Agreed about the aspect ratio though - I remember being blown away as a kid when I saw a copy of Road Warrior on DVD and I got to choose aspect ratio on the actual disc lol

[@Palendrome]

@@spencers-adventures Pan-and-scan is a lost art form that doesnt get enough respect.

[@Palendrome]

@@DrRichardCranium it's a lost art

[@crazywarp36]

Just get a 4:3 tv

[@Tom-qo4mz]

sometimes movies produced in the late 80s-mid 90s would be shot with (the at the time 4:3 AR) TV viewing in mind and were shot for both widescreen and the taller TV, which meant that these 'open matte' VHS versions were expanded rather than reduced in AR

[@JimUK]

I grew up with VHS and to be honest, it's the one old format I don't miss. That said I do get the importance of physical media, mostly because it can't be censored for "modern sensibilities", I've got a huge Blu Ray collection as a result, they're dirt cheap too, I buy used ones and they usually cost £8 ($10) for four.

[@spencers-adventures]

Wow I didn’t realize blu-ray has become that cheap! I never got on board with them and stuck with DVDs for the longest time - good to know they’ve come down so much

[@JimUK]

@@spencers-adventures I think people are getting rid of their collections, I would advise anyone who's thinking of collecting to start now because collectors are going to be snapping all this stuff up. The 4K ones are still expensive so I'm only getting my absolute favourites on that, it's not a huge problem, 1080p Blu Rays still look great on a large screen.

[@notuptome]

​@@spencers-adventuresYeah, blue Rays have been cheap for quite a long time and have been the defacto standard media for a long time. Being that standard blu-ray is full 1080p HD format not 480p DVD and course 360p VHS and joe we have had since 2017 4k uhd HDR format blu-rays 4 times the resolution as standard blu-ray And so many great films have been remastered. In 4K from the original 35 mm. Print negative so much better experience than anything or any format that has come before.

[@patg108]

blu rays/4k blu ray $3 each here, vhs is as cheap as 25c to 50c to 1.99 (depending upon where you go), dvd 2 for $1 (salvation army). They're sometimes cheaper at other places like Community thrift (similar sort of store) Sometimes its as modern as finding last year's hit for cheap but its pretty random. Currently my salvation army has a ton of vhs tapes due to a collector donating a few literal boxes full.

[@devincurrie4145]

Bluray makes more sense to me. Just make sure to catch yourself not to have an addiction problem collecting stuffs that you won’t or unlikely to watch.

[@scottishlore]

The more advanced the media - bluray, 4k etc, the more it is possible to see how much green screen is used in the movies, hence it reduces the enjoyment of the movie. Great video!

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s so true! I work in film and TV actually, and with the higher resolutions nowadays, filmmakers are actually finding it too sharp and almost fake/clinical, so they’re actually putting a “mist” type filter over the lens oftentimes to soften the image to that of the lower res days. Crazy times!

[@NotEvenSmoozed]

uh huh.. 4k is worse than vhs because you can detect the green screen in some shots.

[@mikal]

The most important thing about owning physical media is that it can't be taken away from you with the click of a button. If you rely on streaming to watch your favorite movies, they can literally delete (or change it) with the click of a button. And it will be gone forever. This is already being done by major streaming services. Don't let streaming giants decide which history gets to exist and which gets deleted.

[@jayk806]

Love it. I’ve been doing the same with CDs and cassettes lately. 👍

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s great to hear. Physical media rocks!

[@masseysmoviemadness1411]

Look how happy this dude is. That's sincere, and all you need to know

[@radgraham]

Agree 100%. I have several hundred VHS and growing. Starting collecting Laserdisc lately because I got a player at Goodwill for $15!! Will do a video on it myself soon.

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s amazing that you got a laserdisc player at goodwill! I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the flesh

[@Schwabguitar]

I have about 700 tapes in my collection. Getting back into collecting dvds just because people are basically throwing them away. I think physical media will make a comeback soon when more people realize that the digital streaming can be rug-pulled from under you at any given time.

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed, so it’s good to get ‘em cheap or free while the gettin’s good!

[@JamieSnowdenYT]

I'm right there with ya! Still love to use my VCR running not only childhood VHS tapes, but even newfound VHS tapes that I'll get off eBay, such as tapes that were used to record content off TV. Great video man!

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks so much buddy! I am right there with ya. I picked up a few of our childhood tapes from my parents place, and then have been adding to the collection through thrift stores, yard sales, and even sometimes people throw a box of tapes out too. Thanks for the comment, glad you liked the video!

[@stlrsfan27]

Great video my friend. I remember when VHS came out and we would go with my dad to the video store to rent a VCR for the weekend .Good times. I have about 70 VHS movies myself. They are great to watch and it's cool to look at the cover art as they sit on the shelf. Keep up the good work .🤠

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks for the comment! The cover art can be so cool on some VHS tapes - I love my copy of First Blood

[@bluestreak711]

It is not very hard to digitize VHS tapes and put them on a Plex server. It is just a bit time consuming, but then you can buy two hard drives to keep them on. One of the hard drives can be a backup and both hard drives take up the space as one deck of cards. I collect DVD's for my Plex server. They can be ripped and loaded up in 15min in most cases. I have a Disc Zip Case that holds 500 discs and takes up little space. I keep the physical discs inside and I store the DVD boxes in the shed.

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s a great idea too! I used to have a hundred DVDs or so back in the day, and I ripped them and put them on a memory stick. They weren’t the highest quality rips because of whatever software I used so at least 30-40 films fit easily on an old 64gb stick. You sound like you have a much more dialled in version of that which I can for sure appreciate

[@bluestreak711]

Grrrrr. This is the second time I typed a very long comment in my notification feed just for it to disappear in the air. Do you have a public email address somewhere? It is for that reason I would install a keylogger on my own computer if I could find one I could trust.

[@spencers-adventures]

@@bluestreak711 I just added one to my about page!

[@bluestreak711]

@@spencers-adventuresI don't see it.

[@spencers-adventures]

Hmm that's odd, I just set it up so maybe it's not right. If you click on my about page on my channel it says "show email." Does that work? @@bluestreak711

[@TorontoJon]

Plenty of VHS tapes back in the day had cool cover art often depicting the painted or airbrushed theatrical posters of those movies which were so visually appealing while that kind of artwork started waning in the 90's with boring headshots of the principal actors in the movie. Many DVD's still had great or similar artwork to their VHS counterparts, but when Blu-rays became available and now a lot of 4K's too (and definitely artwork for streamed movies), the artwork declined significantly to merely Photoshop artwork or headshots, etc. That's why I'll always get a kick out of collecting VHS tapes or specific DVD's or Blu-rays from niche or boutique companies that still have a love for the original poster art or they commission new artwork inspired by previous artwork.

[@GameInterest]

Hell yeah! I've got about about 300 VHS tapes. 3 of my VCRs are high end later models with HDMI which is a bit weird to see on a VCR.

[@sandyjust]

I totally understand your point. I am a Blu-ray and CD man. I absolutely own all my medias.

[@stevemuzak8526]

I don't collect VHS tapes. I switched to 4K discs only but that nostalgic feeling of VHS is unmatched. I totally understand your passion about it. PS: I 100% against rental and subscription based economy. Especially after The French Connection stream censorship. Keep supporting physical media.

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed me must keep supporting physical media. I have plans to make a dedicated video about the growing subscription economy. Perhaps multiple honestly.

[@jeredscamera]

This is cool. Another thing about owning VHS specifically is they tend to be more true to the original look of the film. I've been noticing that many blu-rays and 4Ks are actually very inaccurate when it comes to the original colors and overall tone. Things are changed, color corrected and exposure is off. In the day and age of perfect looking digital I feel a lot of labels are trying their hardest to "clean up" the film grain and scratches and older film tone that they are completely changing the movie itself. Cinematographers choose specific lighting and color choices for a reason and for that to be completely ignored and changed is not cool. I've compared 4Ks to their VHS counterparts and the VHS looks more like the original movie it's crazy.

[@spencers-adventures]

Wow, I honestly never even considered that. It makes sense for sure given that everything is just becoming polished and bland, it seems like to many new shows don’t have that unique feel to them like the old stuff did. I’d love to see some of the types of comparisons you’ve mentioned, I’ll hunt around online for an example. Thanks for the comment and sharing your info!

[@jeredscamera]

@@spencers-adventures you probably won’t see many people talking about it it’s something I starting noticing myself. Topline was the movie I most recently noticed this VHS transfer conspiracy. The DVD, which is a VHS rip, looks way more true than the new bluray that just came out for it. But I think there are some deeper reasons for some of these kind of changes, at least in certain movies, but that’s another topic completely. If you look at raw 35mm scans of movies you’ll see how much closer they are to older transfers than these newer 4K transfers. It’s a whole thing.

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s crazy, I’ll definitely look closer at some of my copies now!

[@VideoInvasion]

I've bought a few newer 4ks of older movies that were released with a sort of "digital film grain" effect added to make them seem more authentic to the original and less artificial looking. @@spencers-adventures

[@chriswhite8717]

😂 Truer?!? 99 percent are panned and scanned to fit the wide aspect ratio into an almost square frame! But hey, at least you have close to 250 lines of resolution 😂

[@lordprotector3367]

I've still got loads of VHS tapes from the 1980s, when I bought them. I was going to toss them out, but it seems obscene to do that, so I shall keep them. I also have 4000 0r so vinyl albums, and definitely will be keeping them!

[@spencers-adventures]

Definitely hold onto them! That vinyl collection sounds so sick - I can’t even picture what 4000 records look like!

[@b4rs629]

4k vinyls? How do you go about finding an album to listen to.

[@lordprotector3367]

@@b4rs629 I have them in several large cupboards, which I have to place carefully around the room to avoid them placing too much strain on the floorboards. They are arranged alphabetically, and I have a list of which letters are in which cupboard.

[@b4rs629]

@@lordprotector3367 That's cool. I think my biggest collection was like 300 dvd's that I had in plastic bins. Was a pain trying to figure out what I wanted to watch or trying to find a specific title. I had them organized by title & franchise, but it was still a pain.

[@lordprotector3367]

@@b4rs629 Yeah, I understand. Mind you, I've been collecting records since I was 17 (58 now)!

[@tbc9096]

I myself am getting back into the VHS game. It’s niche, fun, and there’s surprisingly still a good bit out there at thrift stores. I usually spend 50 cents on average for a tape. Now I have a huge collection again and am running out of space. Lol. But I love it. It takes me away from these chaotic times by popping in a tape and hearing the sound of the VCR and watching the old previews.

[@spencers-adventures]

Couldn't agree more. The nostalgia element of it all definitely adds a layer of comfort during stressful times, and that is much appreciated for sure. I am trying to stick to a rule that I only keep what I can fit inside the drawer that I showed in this video. It's really making me curate what I'm keeping and only keeping my absolute favs. At 25 to 50 cents a pop, it's still much cheaper than renting to buy, watch, and donate afterwards. Thanks for the comment!

[@patrickmurphy9470]

I’ll never forget getting the TMNT movie on VHS when it released. That movie was my childhood.

[@spencers-adventures]

Such a good movie!

[@gameofyou1]

I’ve still got my old school 27” TV, for both retro videogames, and DVDs! Streaming has its place, but will never replace my physical collections.

[@BryanTrustyChannel]

This was such a great watch I had to sub. I love your collection and you never know when those this will come in handy. Great video, keep creating!

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks very much buddy, I really appreciate the comment and you following along!

[@thenerdsanctum]

Im right there with you. I have some VHS tapes, but mainly DVD's. I cancelled all my streaming services due to the price and poor content on them and how they can remove something any time they want or it gets put on another service which costs money if I dont have it, etc. I think now is the best time to get all physical media while its cheap because I feel its going to BOOM again in say 10-20 years. Love the collection by the way!

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks for the comment buddy! Glad to hear you’re in agreement - except for Spotify I’m out of the streaming game too, and hopefully Spotify will be cut for 2024 once I get my backup in place. Take care!

[@b4rs629]

I like to treat streaming as a digital blockbuster. Stream as much content as possible then switch services. I've saved a lot of money from not having to blind buy new films. I watched Dune on Netflix today... was a decent movie, but I'm glad I didn't buy the 4k release. If I like a movie I see on streaming I debate if it's worth adding to my collection.

[@DavidLeeTurner1]

It baffles me when people say the moment they got Netflix, they got rid of their physical media collection because they can watch them on Netflix now. They probably spent a lot of money building up that collection and Netflix isn't guaranteed to have all the movies they got rid of or want to watch. Also your continuously paying Netflix each month to be able to watch those movies.

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah I unfortunately went that way when I was younger in the earlier days of the streaming platforms, but then I saw how much they we’re screwing us around and how much money they were taking from my pocket quietly each month and I said no more. Definitely going to talk more on this topic, thanks for the comment buddy!

[@BigPoppa895]

Yes and then the streaming services continuously increase the prices for the streaming services whilst also preventing you from sharing accounts with friends/ family or remove films. Physical media is much better due to this and also due to better visual and audio quality. 😊 ❤️ 🤩

[@sayachan6069]

I'm a 90s/2000s kid, I remember taping all my favourite cartoons on VHS, long play was great because I could record countless episodes. Most media after it never let you tape stuff on the TV, like we lost a lot of ownership going forward. Only thing makes me sad with VHS is the degradation over time, wish there was a way to counter it because its a great format.

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed the degradation is tough. I remember recording old DBZ episodes and wrestling too. So many good memories around the format!

[@ChrisBCards]

​@@spencers-adventuresthe old dbz vhs movies are worth alot now specially the uncensored ones and earlier sagas. Apparently a couple of them never got turned into dvds when they switched to DVD for some reason.. I remember taping Simpsons episodes and having Billy Madison vhs tapes on road trips in our prime time Van with TV and vhs it was amazng.. only thin with vhs is that they say they have a life span.. but if taken care of and preserved last longer

[@b4rs629]

I remember having a bunch of rare scooby doo episodes off of cable. Unfortunately some of the tape got chewed up and it stops playing, but after fast forwarding past the chewed up part the rest of it worked fine.

[@darlenegoodwin]

Physical media will never really die, as long as you and I use them to enjoy and love!!!

[@spencers-adventures]

I’m right there with you! Thanks for the comment :)

[@darlenegoodwin]

@@spencers-adventures you're welcome 😁

[@channelI748]

Always seemed crazy to me to throw out physical media to pay again to rent it/stream. I Mainly have DVDs but a few VHS. But wish i had kept some more VHS.

[@JustMe88419]

I completely agree with this sentiment and I practice the same concept of owning as much physical media as possible. The only aspect I really differ in is the idea of analog over digital physical media. I vastly prefer DVD or even Blu-Ray over VHS. This is almost completely because of the degradation properties of VHS. I have a ton of nostalgia for VHS since I grew up with that form of media being the primary option for home video but sadly VHS cassettes can and will degrade over time, even to a point in which they are completely unusable. This was one of the bigger factors as to why this tech phased out. Storing them a specific way can prolong their lifespan and slow down the degradation over time but eventually it will happen. Granted DVDs, CDs, and even Blu-Rays have a lifespan as well but the lifespan of a DVD, CD, or Blu-Ray is substantially greater and these forms of media are much much easier to digitally back up to a device such as an external drive of some sort that can easily be plugged into most digital televisions, dvd or blu-ray players, or computers to watch your favorite backed up videos. After I lost the vast majority of my childhood home videos because of the degradation properties of VHS cassettes, I completely gave up on the format personally.

[@spencers-adventures]

I understand that for the preservation aspect for sure. I’m considering a small collection of DVDs or Blu-Rays, for the reason you’ve mentioned. I am just enjoying my films while I can and if I need to replace them then I’ll hunt for a newer format then. Thanks for the comment!

[@JustMe88419]

@@spencers-adventures No prob. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it. Can't wait to watch your future content!

[@b4rs629]

I remember the spaghetti tape from the vhs was a nightmare when the vcr chewed it up. Also rewinding the tape made me hate it that format when dvds came out. Ever since I adopted 4k... it's hard for me to sit n watch 15 ads on a dvd or a blu-ray that won't allow you to skip them.

[@viejillocentas]

Great idea! I still have my HVS and still works, and the idea of the old fashon way to wath movies sound amazing

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah it’s a blast from the past for sure! Definitely worth looking at thrift stores for some old movies and making a night out of it

[@AnimatedLoopHD]

Your passion is super chill and wholesome.

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks very much!

[@TheRealSpeedWolf]

We exchange convenience at the expense of our liberties in owning the media we consume whenever we please. We also sacrifice our privacy to use such a platform at any time and under any conditions, and that includes, but is not limited to, changing the original media to suit the modern audience.

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed! That’s kind of the focus of my channel going forward. I just made a video on using a physical dictionary over my phone to reduce distraction while reading. Ditching these ways of doing things for the convenience option puts it more at the whims of companies looking to control our behaviours. I plan on several more videos on this in the future. Thanks for your comment, appreciate you giving your insights!

[@bluestreak711]

It is important to note that having media in digital format. The problem l lies in DRM protected media. The DRM is what stops you from burning media to disc and/or just storing it forever, in essence, it is what keeps you from truly owning your digital content. Back in the 90's the record companies tried to say it was illegal to backup your own personal music CD's to your computer, but people fought back and they lost in court. People did not make a big enough fuss during the time it became popular to buy digital movies and that is why you cannot buy and download movies to your computer DRM free. I made this comment to educate everyone in hopes we can fight to maintain the ability to purchase digital mp3's DRM free and to fight for the right to buy DRM free movies.

[@spencers-adventures]

Thank you for this comment! I will look more into this because I’m definitely not that educated on the subject - I’d love to know more and may put it in a future video. Appreciate the input on this, very interesting!

[@lazarusblackwell6988]

Im going to hold onto my tapes and maybe sell some one day for a good price. I have a good feeling about them. VHS ages like wine.

[@Naztalgic]

Fantastic my man!!!! wow!

[@BOOGIESTARSEVEN]

Fievel Goes West was one of my favorites as a kid. It's a Classic!

[@spencers-adventures]

It is such a classic! Whenever I think of that film I think of his name being called out, "Fiiiiievellllllllllll!"

[@justanobody0]

@@spencers-adventures "Whenever I think of that film" all I think about is the true fact, that there are indeed, no cats in america

[@ThexthSurvivor]

There is one other benefit of what you're doing. Sometimes streaming services remove movies or TV shows due to licensing issues, making it impossible to purchase until the issue is resolved. In certain cases, it doesn't get resolved. I back up people's VHS tapes to either DVD or even VCD depending on what they want. I can add menus, button navigation, and chapters. Best part is that no rewinding is needed.

[@spencers-adventures]

Wow, that seems like a pretty in depth service to offer, very cool. Thanks for commenting!

[@RandomBattlePresents...]

There's something really special about not only collecting, but still using old tech. My woman and I collect all kinds of stuff from the 80's/90's. I'm particular with the Tupperware and afghan blankets and throws. We're also in VHS movies from time to time. It certainly humbles you in a really awesome way, and generates a type of gratitude being absolutely fine with older things. Anyway, I've subbed. Good stuff.

[@spencers-adventures]

I agree with you buddy! Thanks for the comment and for sharing your experience

[@MrSimplesimon1987]

I must say I fully have to agree with everything you just said. The digital world is trying to make physical copies of media pointless, but look, I still collect physical copies of DVD's, Blu-Rays and yes I still collect VHS Tapes. I enjoy the nostalgia of putting a tape in the VCR and watching all the old memories of going down to a Video Shop and hiring out a film. Man I miss those days. Kids will never get to experience such a pleasure. Good Job. I commend you. :)

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks for the kind words. There is still a point to physical media, and I’m glad so many people are preserving it!

[@b4rs629]

We'll it's safe to say some of Gen Z does see the value in owning physical media.

[@interstat2222]

Seems like everyone misses the video shop experience. Don't forget to take it back by 6pm!

[@popcorngoregothicgrindhous5820]

Totally Awesome Video Nostalgia Bro I Still Have My VCR And a Collection of Tapes as Well Happy New Year Bro 📼📼📼📼

[@spencers-adventures]

Happy New Year! Love to hear you still have a collection going!

[@HaloTropical]

I really love this kind of mindset. I'm glad to see others see the value of physical media and old physical media at that. While I personally don't own a lot of VHS tapes or DVDs I have (in my opinion) a rather significantly sized collection of retro video games, but i'd definitely be open to getting into DVDs or VHS tapes, I just need more storage.

[@spencers-adventures]

Storage is a concern for sure - that’s why I limit myself to that one drawer!

[@user-qg1cz5ie9j]

Nice collection!

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks! It’s morphing a little every few weeks if I find a title I’ve been looking for, as I try to limit my max to what can fit in that drawer. Appreciate the comment!

[@davecaya]

DOPE!!! This year I’ve been making my own VHS’s recently! I actually go through the trouble of editing a cropped pan and scan version to get the authentic 4:3 feeling. It feels so cool watching modern movies like Pacific Rim that way

[@LobsterFusion]

This is great. I love this. I do purchase digital sometimes if it’s on sale but I have physical for the movies that really matter to me. I have multiple copies of Lord of the Rings for example. Something less important to me I’m okay with the digital purchase. Also, if you’re a VHS collector you’re more likely to find non special edition Star Wars which 8 know a lot covet. My friend found Empire at Value Village for super cheap.

[@tG-js7pf]

Great video!!

[@DesertPunks]

This was a sweet video, the algorithm is suggesting your stuff haha

[@spencers-adventures]

Great to hear and thanks for commenting! Happy you enjoyed the video!

[@TimelordUK]

I love this!!!❤

[@Sitslikeinu]

The hell I don't anymore... I have all of my CD's, DVD's, VHS... Screw the establishment. I'm going to keep what I had and I'll be damned if they are going to take that from me.

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah I had an issue before where I felt I had way to much physical media and it was becoming a space issue, which was where streaming was appealing. But I came back to the idea of curating a smaller collection of absolute favourites and that’s been a happy place for me. Owning the physical copy is the only way you can assure you have near full control

[@mariobrito427]

Thank you! Very happy to find a like minded individual on the internet. I also use my VHS player fairly often, and have quite a collection of VHS tapes that I hold on to. I have some VideoCDs and DVDs, but somehow it's the VHS I tend to go back to. Won't touch streaming services with a passion. Cheers from Portugal!

[@TheoM-bx3lx]

Great video and it is important to keep your physical media because down the track you’ll be paying every month and that’s if they store the movie. Thanks for sharing.

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed! I have a video coming out soon on the subscription economy we’re being forced into. Hopefully it’ll be out soon, I have a bit of a queue starting haha

[@jimmem5235]

Good to see our numbers growing💪😄

[@bradye21playsIndieHorror]

I found the only other person in the world that watches VHS sometimes! Subscribed

[@spencers-adventures]

It’s such a good time! I’ve been so happy to see how many people agree with this idea. Thanks for subscribing!

[@59thSurvivor-of-VHS]

2nd generation hunter, never stopped collecting and have massed 4000 tapes, 400 sealed, 30 functional vcrs several dvd combo. In the format wars I am ready for the end. John and Sarah Conner an inspiration. Keep on Huntin'

[@spencers-adventures]

I love your account name. I’ll keep fighting the good fight as long as I know people like you are out there!

[@59thSurvivor-of-VHS]

@@spencers-adventures Some people click that my name is a hat tilt at the "4th Survivor" bonus scenario from the original Resident Evil 2 on PS2, my image is a picture of the 4th Survivor aka Hunk. There is an entire underground network of VHS collectors, investors, hobbyists, and anti streamers. I fall into many category but only buy old things, 2004 is my cut off for reality lol. Hi-Fi itself can be seen a a pro rather than a con, just as LP records have that warm natural sound Hi-Fi has loud highs and lo lows, with a graphic equalizer it takes on another of sound vs any digital means. THX tapes seem to be the highest quality for VHS. Hope to start a channel soon, I want to help drive a craze for these just like what happened for retro video games. Disaster Capitalist lol

[@spencers-adventures]

I love the disaster capitalist comment lol! Very interesting about the HI-FI and THX stuff, I haven’t gotten that deep yet but maybe one day! Glad to know there’s a resistance to the subscription only economy we’re fast moving toward. Hope to see you’re posting videos in the future buddy!

[@59thSurvivor-of-VHS]

@@spencers-adventures I Subbed up and will be around Broski! Keep up the RETROTECH! Inspiring as well! You are more hard core than me in a way with only VHS! I have maybe 110 DVD, and only 8 Blu Ray, most of those are Criterion Collection for David Lynch and my favorite films. I will never buy into 4k, but they are angling that for us already. Criterion collections that are new, now contain both Blu Ray and 4k ultra, to get the Blu Ray you are forced into both and it costs more. Companies want to control $ and recur monthly subs. I always laughed at the lyrics here, video killed the radio store, then digital killed The video store. Might turn into a weird AL music video. LOL

[@ChrisRobba]

My favorite thing about vhs is recording. I’ve got marathon tapes, ones with favorites shows, ones with favorite movies and ones with sports. I used to cut out commercials and think it was better but over the years going back and seeing old commercials are kind of a treat now. 😂

[@xn0gaming]

This is the way to go. I still have my large DVD/VHS/BluRay Collection, as many movies (often obscure) are nowhere to be found on streaming services. Old SciFi, Westerns,TV Series etc.

[@A.I.Friends]

You guys sold it all, I bought it all. I will never give up my Dark Shadow's Coffin of 131 DVDs with 1250 episodes.

[@shanenolan085]

I STILL have my purchased DVDs and VHS tapes and NOT riding my collection, EVER 💯💯💯 I LOVE these videos of others who are doing the same 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 📼📀📼📀📼📀📼

[@TheDanimatorsChannel]

That showing of Fievel goes west got you my sub! Haha

[@spencers-adventures]

Lol I love that. You know what’s up! Thanks for the sub!

[@lesterrr12312]

very cool! I recently plugged my old CRT to PC via some HDMI adapters and the picture quality on that TV just makes everything looks so "real" compared to flat LCD\LED monitors that it made me want to watch more things that way, and it's also became sort of like a ritual.. it kinda locks you in on what you're watching when there's less impulse to Alt-Tab..

[@majortree]

"These people love corporations..." An excellent point, Spencer...

[@n8rm]

Yep dude I'm totally with ya! r/vhs is my home away from home.

[@lydiawoolfy8952]

As someone who has a 4k collection with blurays and a few dvds, I really admire your vhs collection! I remember using them as a kid! Sadly a lot of my vhs tapes would break when I'd play them as a kid (probably from a faulty player) so I gravitated towards discs.

[@lydiawoolfy8952]

And you seem like a happy man! Good on you :)

[@RPKGameVids]

I've never had any interest in streaming or digital so I've always used physical media. I'll still sometimes watch VHS as there are some things which only came out on VHS and not DVD or Blu Ray, plus it's nostalgic too, I've always liked old technology.

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah I agree it’s most fun to find something that never was released beyond VHS! I have this children’s Sasquatch movie which I suspect may be the same time of deal

[@joeypolisena]

That goosebumps! Still have 200 plus vhs at my parents place. Many were in that drawer. Good stuff

[@spencers-adventures]

The Goosebumps theme song gets me every time lol. Good to hear I've got some of your classics in my drawer! Thanks for the comment!

[@anthonyperrone6008]

I FUGGEN LOVE THIS AWESOME CHANNELL!!! PLEASE KEEP MAKING VIDEOS AND MAYBE EVEN DO SOME LIVESTREAMS DOWN THE ROAD. #SPENCERROCKS

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks buddy, I really appreciate the kind words! I am going to get a capture card so I can hook my camera up to my computer for live stream, I think it would be fun to do occasionally!

[@RetroEdUK]

Really well considered vid and your collection looks very nice indeed. I’m feeling the same about music at the moment and am starting to buy back cd’s or vinyl that I regret buying. I can see myself buying back films albeit I may take the dvd route. Found you via a KZbin recommendation 👊 Have a goodun 👍🕹️😊

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks for the comment and the kind words! Glad to hear you’re feeling the same and building a physical music collection - I’ve dug out my old CDs and I’m happy I still have some at all. Take care buddy!

[@andygreen5609]

Being 54 years old, I definitely have a lot of nostalgic feelings for the early days of home video. Still have some old horror titles on vhs (even a few beta as well) as well as half a dozen vcrs stashed away. Have no desire to go back to CRT televisions however. If you've ever attempted moving house with a 36" tube tv you'll probably understand why.

[@Beltzer0072]

Sir, I've owned physical media my entire life and I have no plans on stopping and I'm glad to see others are thinking the same way. I've told my wife many times that while streaming might be more "convenient" there's two major drawbacks that will have physical media win every time. The first like you said is because of the expense of streaming. How much is it to pay for four to five streaming services at $15 each every month? Between $60-$75 depending on what they feel like charging that month. About $900 every year is what you're looking at. For that amount of money, you could have a massive physical media collection and you now own the movie or tv show and only had to pay for it the one time. The other major drawback is if the internet goes out. What do you do? Well if you rely solely on streaming, you're screwed and will have to wait for them to fix it which could take hours and even then could still not be all the way at 100%. With physical media, there is no worries if your internet goes out, simply carry on and enjoy it.

[@adamwragg4606]

Great video, just found you in my KZbin suggested list I think it was! Completely agree, I'm doing the same! I just have at least 50 vhs now after buying them over the past year. Streaming is not the wonder is cracked up to be for sure lol! I do need a crt TV now though although I can watch vhs on a more modern tv that I've got too.

[@spencers-adventures]

You’re 100% right that streaming is not all what it’s cracked up to be! My setup is definitely partially nostalgia factor - I had a little TV like this in my room when I was like 10 that we got at a garage sale. The CRT setup for sure does complete the vibe though, so keep yours eyes peeled for one and you can still find them cheap. Mine was $5 last year! Thanks for commenting - glad you found the video!

[@adamwragg4606]

@@spencers-adventures oh yeah always a noctalgia factor! Yeah I keep having a look out, although I'll probably be having to pay more like £50 from someone down the road who does them up and sells them unfortunately 😅 I don't seem to see them they cheap anymore here in the UK where I am unfortunately. Better times weren't they 😅 oh no worries at all! I've subscribed too!

[@spencers-adventures]

@@adamwragg4606 Appreciate you coming along for the ride! Hope you find a cool little TV soon buddy 🤞

[@adamwragg4606]

@@spencers-adventures oh no worries at all 😊 vhs and old tvs like that are right up my street and you have a good vibe to your and your channel as well 😊

[@permafrost2064]

I still have all of my DVDs and a decent amount of Blu-ray stashed away. I was buying up a lot of used DVDs from rental stores 10-12 years ago for dirt cheap and have a sizable collection. I've considered selling them all several times but I feel the same way you do about the digital era, keeping physical media is actually really important imo. Cool video ❤

[@spencers-adventures]

Glad to hear you’ve held onto them! Thanks for the comment!

[@daisyblonde87]

I am glad that you are happy with VHS. I was really disappointed with the quality of some of my Disney VHS tapes when I played them in my early 2000s VCR. Interestingly, the older ones were better than the newer ones Disney brought out when they were moving to DVD. So, it is possible to just use videos but it is dependent on the quality of the tape that has been used.

[@CRAZYCANUCKTV]

I own 100s of Blue Rays, Dvds and Vhs and never will get rid of them

[@matrixcmitech]

Up voted. Right with you bro. Physical media rules.

[@spencers-adventures]

It does!

[@afriend9428]

*I have 2 VCRs and still watch the 50 tapes I have time-to-time* 💡

[@Miss_Monroe59]

I have a huge dvd collection. I have over 200 VHS tapes. I’ve always loved having physical media.

[@kazookast]

I am an all around physical media guy. VHS/ DVDs /BlueRay/ 4kUltraHD, it’s all great! For VHS I specifically like my old SOV horror films from the 80s. Many of them I have a dvd/blueray copy of as well, but the biggest thing is censorship. So many of these movies are not available on newer formats, or if they are, minutes are cut from them. VHS offers me a way to watch them how they were intended to be viewed.

[@Harjawaldar]

Hell yeah, brother

[@massgrave8x]

Digital is okay if you're sailing the high seas. If purchasing doesn't equate to ownership, then piracy doesn't equate to theft.

[@pinballshawn]

The greatest thing about VHS was it was revolutionary. Before that we could not choose what we wanted to watch. It was super popular, therefore companies could not produce enough tapes. Everything was on VHS... Everything. By the time DVD came around the novelty wore off. So many titles were only on VHS and that's what collectors like myself are always on the hunt for.

[@growingup15]

I'm glad I am not alone. I have hundreds of VHS and DVDs. I watch it on my Widescreen CRT TV in my room with my VCR DVD Combo and my Home Theater is hooked up to a VCR, DVD Player Chromecast for more digital stuff and KZbin. and recently I bought a Blu-ray player to hook up to it because honestly this is just better. I like owning my media. the same with music. I download a lot of my music still also have them on CD Tape Vinyl and Minidisc. It's a sad world today that people choose convenience over freedom. they don't care about owning the media until suddenly the media they loved just vanished online. Now they are up in arms but it's too late at that point

[@spencers-adventures]

Agreed with every bit you’ve said. Sounds like you have a great setup too! I’m going to make a video eventually on that topic - convenience VS freedom, and why convenience isn’t always the best thing for us. Thanks for the comment!

[@moveoutproductions1835]

Nice man. I'm Gen Z and I've been collecting VHS tapes and dvds since 2016. You can find some pretty good deals at goodwill and local thrift stores. Now I have hundreds of tapes and discs

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s amazing, good for you! Yeah I lot of mine have come from similar sources, but even from people throwing them out occasionally too. Thanks for the comment!

[@brianlawton8172]

I agree with the theory of all of the corporate trolls eventually rising prices on the streaming game that everyone seems to be comfortable with for now. I myself still have a small vhs collection of some rare titles but quite frankly im spoiled by the hd picture of the disc. Love where you're coming from though and yes i have movie night EVERY night. .keep up the fight and "don't let anyone push baby in the corner!"

[@spencers-adventures]

I love this comment! Yeah I agree the quality of disc is definitely better. I have some copies of fav films on disc too for playback on my computer but VHS scratches the itch for almost all my movie needs nowadays. Thanks for commenting!

[@GBWA304]

Good and important video. I switched back to physical only media again a few months ago after realising how much money i had wasted on digital media because its in your face constantly, sales everyday etc etc. plus i realised how much i wasnt actually using anything i was buying. Switched back to physical media entirely and i feel so much more content. It's nice just having a browse through collection, getting the disc out and popping it in to watch. Only reason i dont have VHS set up is due to current space issues. Digital media is a problem on many levels and it's designed to get people addicted to buying im convinced of that. Keep doing you mate 👍

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks for the comment buddy, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It’s so nice going through your physical media and intentionally picking one out, over scrolling a steaming service looking for “something.” The space issues is why I limit my collection what can fit in my drawer I show in the video. It’s tough but it forces me to really pick and keep only my favs!

[@GBWA304]

Very welcome. Yeh i only buy things that i love or have some nostalgia for im not one for just buying any old item to collect it space is to small and it just doesnt do it for me lol. Some crackers coming out soon also. @@spencers-adventures

[@geggy310]

For me it’s because of a few reasons: the fuzziness looks cool, it doesn’t skip scenes (my old dvds do), and of course nostalgia.

[@spencers-adventures]

I haven’t watched a DVD in so long I forgot that they skipped and had weird digital errors! Yeah VHS definitely takes the nostalgia factor up a notch for sure, and the fuzziness is very cool!

[@geggy310]

@@spencers-adventures (incredibles spoilers) my old Pixar DVDs often skip. My incredibles one just skipped the scene where elastigirl finds out mr incredible was doing hero work behind her back. I ordered the vhs so I could just watch the movie in peace.

[@spencers-adventures]

Lol I love that!

[@RyanCoomer]

love it and YUP!!!

[@transitengineer]

Now in my early 60's, I truly understand where you are coming from! Back in the 2000's, my goal was to connect a VHS/DVD recorder to my 42-inch 1080p plasma TV and, just pack away my old VHS recorder. However, as it turned out that, every two years or so it work break down and, the cost to have my unit repaired is about $300. So over a decade ago, I unpacked my VHS recorder and now watch my VHS physical media on this old player/recorder and my DVD Blue Ray and standard DVD's on a Sony Blue Ray player. If, I already own a movie or TV show in VHS will pass on picking up a copy on DVD but if, I buying a used copy prefer for it to be only on DVD or DVD Blue Ray. Also, I still record over the air programing on VHS tapes for things like the evening news and sports while, I away from home (smile...smile).

[@spencers-adventures]

I love that you still use VHS to record programming! That’s something I have fond memories of doing also, and if somethings working why change it right? Sounds like you’ve found a good balance with your VHS setup with newer titles on disc also. Thanks for the comment!

[@transitengineer]

@@spencers-adventures In the early days of trying to use my DVD recorder to make copy of movies and TC shows aired on pay cable channels (HBO, Showtime, STARZ, etc.) they send out a special code to block this. However, you are always free to record anything on VHS tape format (smile...smile).

[@9852323]

I agree completely. Nobody owns anything in this download and subscription based society. I still use CD’s, Cassettes, VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray. Been having trouble finding DVD’s at the store and many stores don’t even sell DVD’s anymore so I’ve recently downloaded frostwire and have been burning movies to DVD. Their loss

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah it’s getting harder to find most physical media I think. Not good! I’m definitely going to be talking more on this topic because you’re right. The subscription economy is not a good place and we’re heading there fast!

[@Retro_One]

I totally get it, brother ❤❤❤

[@spencers-adventures]

Appreciate the comment buddy!

[@The90sBro]

I still have my VHS player in 2024 and I still watch them. I don't have an old CRT right now because mine blew, but I plan on replacing it. But have over 100 tapes and I still fire up the VCR every once and a while to watch them.

[@bartonlynch]

You are 100% correct and I'm exactly like you with my movies. Though I chose Blu-ray because VHS has too many shortcomings: like -for me- the picture quality is too poor, with the added effect of wear that'll make the tape unwatchable at some point. BDs are more convenient to access without rewinding, plus the footprint is smaller for shelf storage. The worst part of VHS is that you're stuck to old material as no new movies are released on tape, while BDs are still in production. Tapes are dirt cheap because they are used and worn, not a problem with used BDs (which are harder to scratch compared to DVDs). So I keep my streaming subs for new TV shows, but not for movies.

[@brianesparza4447]

Love it. Be kind and rewind