General


 

Why bother? Physical media is obsolete.

Home video not only played a tremendous role in how our culture consumed media, but also in the kind of media that was made. It also made motion picture content more accessible to the public, much how the printing press did for the typed word. For these reasons, we believe it’s important to document the early history of home video. Visit here for more information.

 

I’m an author/filmmaker. Can I use the images?

Feel free to use any images from the database for your own projects. We only kindly ask that VHSCollector.com and its users get credit for taking the time to make the images available. Thousands of hours and dollars have been spent to keep this project alive and growing. Even a little recognition could go a long way in achieving the support this project desperately needs.

If you would like to use any of the images for publication, whether for magazines or books, please contact us for unwatermarked images. Please note: I as the webmaster only have access to unwatermarked high-resolution images for users SlasherIndex112 Video, and Pine Hollow Video. If you would like images from another user, you could try contacting the user through their profile (you must be signed into your account). Otherwise, all images are immediately watermarked upon upload.

 

How can I support the VHSC project?

There are many ways you could help! You can donate directly or use our affiliate links when making purchases on eBay and Amazon. You can even disable your adblocker. But of course, the greatest way to support is to contribute content to the database.

 

Where can I find this movie?

If you are looking for a particular movie and need help finding it, our answer is unfortunately the obvious one: search online. eBay and Amazon are currently the best places to find the exact title you’re looking for. You may also search Google, however, this may result in the sales of unauthorized copies on various sites.

 

Is this video cassette rare? What is its value?

Rarity and value aren’t always connected. There are many rare video cassettes that collectors just aren’t interested in. We cannot address every message here concerning values or rarity, but if you do a “sold” listings search on eBay, that may help. We also suggest asking the community in the appropriate forum thread.

 

I have a big collection of “Black Diamond” Disney cassettes. Am I rich?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but no.  The myth that these video cassettes had any significant value began with an eBay hoax. Learn more about it here.

 

Buying & Selling


 

Can you send me a catalog?

You may have us confused with a retail business. Our database entries are not product listings. However, we do link users to external websites that may carry the title.

 

Why are you bootlegging my movie?

As mentioned above, our database entries are not product listings. If you see your film in our database, we’re not selling unauthorized copies of it, but rather just documenting it. At this time, we only link to external online stores that may carry the title.

 

I have a large collection of VHS I’d like to unload. What can I do?

Video cassettes are much like books or music records. The vast majority of them don’t have any significant value. The pool of valuable or collectible video cassettes is very narrow. As a rule of thumb, genre titles (horror, exploitation, etc) released before sell-through became common (around 1985) are the most collectible. In addition, independent genre titles released by independent distributors are often collectible as well due to low manufacture numbers. If you’ve determined you have a collection with very little value, you can donate or recycle them.

 

Do you buy VHS or other formats?

If you’re interested in selling your collection, it’s important that you know what you have. As mentioned above, most video cassettes have no collectible value. So before you contact us, evaluate your collection and takes photographs. We would be glad to look and possibly make an offer on the collection.

 

Database & Account


 

Do you accept adult titles?

Yes, however, they will not appear live on the database. In the future, we plan to create a sister site dedicated to the early years of adult content on home video.

 

I see an error or double entry in the database, you should correct it.

Mention the error on the necessary forum thread and content moderators will make the correction.

 

How can I make quality images or scans of covers?

We always recommend using a flatbed scanner. Even the cheapest of flatbed scanners create a suitable image for our database. It’s not impossible to use a camera, but issues of angles, glares and clarity often prevent a submission from being approved. These issues are greatly reduced by using a flatbed scanner.

 

I didn’t receive my confirmation e-mail.

Wait 24 hours. If you still have not received it, contact us and we’ll do our best to assist you.

 

How can I become a Content Moderator?

Content moderators have not only been affiliated with the website for a number of years, but have also added an abundance of content. To be considered as a content moderator, contribute regularly. These aren’t hard rules, but if you exhibit a passion and dedication to the project over an extended period of time, we’d love to have you on board!

 

Collecting


 

How should I store my video cassettes?

Here are some general rules to protect your video cassettes:

1) Store upright to prevent unspooling.

2) Keep out of direct sunlight to protect the colors of your sleeve.

3) Keep in a dry and dust-free environment at temperatures between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Is this video a bootleg?

Express your concerns in the appropriate forum thread. The community would be glad to help.

 

Where can I find protective boxes for video cassettes?

At this time, protection for your collection is hard to come by as they’re no longer being manufactured. Stay tuned, we’ll announce once they become available again.

 

Where can I find replacement clamshells?

We cannot really recommend a reliable source for clamshells. We suggest doing a search online. There are still a handful of packaging companies that carry them from time to time.