In last week’s Friday Face-Off! we talked about Movie Monsters. This week, we’ll discuss a new topic that I’m sure many of us dabble in, whether intentionally or not.
Vinyl records, 8-tracks, VHS tapes, 8mm films, video game cartridges… How do you feel about collecting “Dead Media?”
Do you have a library of obsolete media? Where do you draw the line? Add your comments below.
How “dead” is “dead”? Vinyl seems to be doing fine. True, it’s not as prevalent as it used to be but it is still around. Perhaps we can say it is on life support? I digress…
Not to much into dead media. While I’ve been known to visit the local Zia Records or Record City, I don’t go out of my way for them. I was a mobile DJ for years, back before the rise of MP3, so I was always looking for vinyl for parties, remixes, and such. I have a few hundred records, but I could probably stand to get rid a few. But there is something, for me anyway, about the pops and hiss when I play a record that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I don’t look for collectible vinyl, I look for something I would want to listen to.
I don’t think I could ever collect other types of dead media unless I had a way to play them.
How great must it be for a DJ today to carry around a smartphone and not a dozen milk crates of vinyl!
I use a digital vinyl system to control all of the mp3 files I have in my computer. It lets me DJ using records so it feels and looks great. I have several records too but I mostly use Serato now.
Oh a good one.
I am so guilty of collecting dead media. Recently I have dived head first into VHS collecting to add to my vinyl collecting and vintage gaming collecting habits.
My rule of thumb is to keep things under control by only cherry picking things I really enjoy and limit the space for the collections. My VHS collection is a few dozen tapes that consists of vintage animation and 80’s movies in their vintage slip cases.
Honestly the big draw with all of this stuff is the physical cases and artwork/designs on the cases. We miss out on a lot of this in modern media and having a big cardboard case with stunning artwork is such a thrill. The other thing is this stuff is cheap! You can load up on a bunch of VHS and vinyl for a few bucks, same cannot be said for vintage gaming though.
While I collect dead media I completely have removed all modern media from my life. A few years ago my entire DVD/Blu-Ray/CD collections were donated, not a single regret there. What I really wanted t0 keep were digitized.
It’s been interesting to see how popular VHS collecting has become, and I’m sure that price has something to do with it. Go to any garage sale, and you’ll find a damp cardboard box filled with old tapes that the owner will usually ask you to take it. (Which I will gladly do!)
Exactly.
Not as big an issue for those who collect for aesthetics but tape mold can be a concern, always check your tapes! I am currently cleaning and converting old family VHS home videos to digital and it is a chore with the mold issues.
I am a huge fan of obsolete technology, but it’s not because I enjoy it for its intended purpose. I love the package it came in, but don’t care for having to maintain ancient technological artifacts to enjoy it. I own VHS tapes, LPs, LaserDiscs, N64 cartridges, etc. but have no means of playing any of them. Their cardboard cases look great on the shelf though!
In the past, I have bought 8mm film projectors and video game systems just to try out some items, but in the end, it’s just a novelty for me. Maybe if I was good at fixing up old machines it would be more fun, but for me, the frustration factor isn’t worth it. Those old VHS movies are fun for a bit of nostalgia, but enjoying all that fuzziness and static wears off pretty quickly.
That being said, I ALWAYS browse through the selection of movies and games at any flea market or show.
You’ve got a point there. I’d love to have some VHS artwork in a size I could frame, without having to own the actual VHS.
The wife and I have a small collection of vinyl records, and a handful of SNES cartridges, but we also have the means to enjoy them. I’ve been tempted by VHS tapes numerous times, but since we no longer have a VCR, there’s really no point in owning them. The same goes for pretty much every other format. If I can’t watch or play them, then they’re just clutter.
Keeping up with the technology is a huge downside for me. It just gets more and more difficult to hook up a VCR or old game system. Where are the RCA ports anyway! 😉
I was actually looking at Atari systems in a retro game store a few days ago, and for a moment actually considered picking on up. Then I realized, I don’t think our TV even has the kind of attachments needed to hook it up. I’m sure there are adapters out there, but I’m lazy. I don’t feel like going through all that.
I collect VHS ,Beta ,CED ,laserdisc, 8 tracks and books on cassette . I also collect books that depending on how you look at it are a dying media. I used to be really big into old video games but once I discovered that I can play nearly anything ever created as an emulation I cashed out of the video games.
Oh man, I have a HUGE book collection and have been slowly trying to sell it off, but no one is interested in them.
While I don’t collect them now, I bought a Laserdisc player in 93 and had quite a collection of Laserdisc movies. The sound was incredible. I kept all of it for a long time until I finally realized it was just taking up a lot of space. I finally threw it all in the trash. Years later, Laserdisc collecting is in. The holy grail of my Laserdisc collection was the Director’s Cut of Aliens. It included a disc with behind scenes the footage and art.
What do I miss most about old media? The artwork. I agree with most of you there. I remember going through items at the record store and buying cassettes of bands I never heard about just because their album coverart looked amazing.
I bought a collection of over 300 laserdiscs a couple of years ago. Think i paid around $25 because the guy was going to trash them anyway. Those suckers are HEAVY! I was able to unload most of them but kept the good ones with the great jackets.
I don’t think it’s fair to say vinyl is a dead media. Records are still readily produced today, and considered a media for the connoisseur of music (or audiophile).
Me personally, I collect all versions of Star Wars on home video, so I have them all; Super 8, CED, laserdisc, VHS, Beta, V2000, and so on…And yes, I have a way to play all of them.
I collect vinyl. and CDs. They are so cool graphically and to read all the liner notes and information. I love music in all forms. I’d even collect 8 tracks if I found a player; as it reminds me of my Dad playing Jim Croce 8 tracks in our Rec Room!!!
I mainly collect VHS tapes that are out of print and have never been released on DVD or are pricey on DVD. My main focus are the Muppets. They really pumped out A TON of VHS direct-to-video products during the 80’s & 90’s! I shy away from Sesame Street tapes except a few jewels from my childhood. I have happened upon some cool gimmicks though. Golden Books made video books that panned & scanned pages of books (I had 2 of those as a kid). The other nifty find included 2 tapes to be used with View-Master Interactive Vision device that hooked up to a VCR. You can watch the tapes without the device, but cannot see some of the animations or make selections without the device.
What has helped my collecting is a device I plug into my computer and VHS player which converts the video to digital allowing me to burn a DVD. There are some drawbacks, but I am overall satisfied with it.
“Dead Media” may be what ultimately keeps some things alive. Look at the recent knee-jerk reaction by HBO to pull Gone With The Wind from their roster (they later changed their mind), in light of the BLM protests.
Want to see Song of the South? Looney Tunes, unedited? Problematic Disney shorts? You can’t unless you have a “Dead Media” copy lying around.
I just ordered a copy of Blazing Saddles on BluRay, for this very reason. Dead Media may be the only savior of Cancelled Media.