VHS R.I.P

The VHS tape is officially dead according to UK audio-visual retailers. Although they will not be available from commercial outlets VHS will probably be around for a while because at present there is no more reliable or cheaper method of recording from TV. Technologies like DVD and sky plus are good but expensive. But does anyone watch television anyway. I know I don't. If there's anything which I hate with a passion at the moment, it is British TV.

Anyway I say goodbye to the VHS with a sense of nostalgia because it was undoubtedly a revolutionary format when introduced in the early 80s. During my early childhood I can remember using an early VHS player. Then during my teens, the archivist in me had begun to develop, and I started to record the best films off TV. I still have many VHS tapes to this day, each tape consisting of up to 3 films all in LP (long play) format. The under 18s out there probably don't even know what this is.

I was bought my first VHS player when I was about 13 one Christmas. That Christmas I remember scouring the Radio Times and planning which films I would record over the 2-3 week school break. I seem to remember having a very busy schedule! Now days you're lucky if there's 1 good film on TV at Christmas. I guess the different distribution methods have a part in this as well though, with more people having satellite TV.

So my VHS video collection is relegated to the back of the wardrobe where they will no doubt become collectors items in years to come. But for now we progress into the world of HD DVD formats.