What are VHS Cassettes?
Video Home System (VHS) cassettes are the most common form of the home video tape systems.
History of VHS Cassettes
Developed by JVC in the 1970s, VHS was released to the public during the latter half of the decade. VHS and Betamax (Beta) had a "war" between the two standards, due to longer playing times, faster rewind/fast-forward, and a less complex tape transportation mechanism. In addition, the open standard for the technology allowed for mass production without licensing costs.
Common causes of damage
All types of video cassettes are vunerable to the same types of damage. Heat, mold, and mildew from improper storage can damage the tape material. Machine malfunction can "eat" the tape and cause physical damage. Also, over time the magnetic material on the tape will break down and can cause distortion to full loss of the contents.