[Chad Hauris]

I've got Beta, 3/4" U-Matic, and VHS machines and tapes but I have got real frustrated with the head clogging from tape oxide shedding...if you have video tapes that play I would get a DVD dubbing system and dub NOW because the tapes will disintegrate.

The funny thing is that old reel to reel tapes from the 50's don't do this...the tape may be more brittle but the oxide does not disintegrate.

I have found DVD's and TIVO so superior to VCR's that the only time I have used the VCR in the last two or three years was to watch the few movies I have that don't seem to be available on satellite or DVD.
I probably should set up some of my Beta VCR's again though...one year at Texas Recycles day I got about 7 early 80's Sony Beta VCR's that all have mechanical problems but should be fixable. I can use them with some relatively new Betacam tapes I have