Question VHS and cassette to computer

[low2020]

Hi all,

I have some VHS and VIDEO 8 cassette tapes which contain some documents (i believe Word and PDF).
I'd like to copy the content to a computer. How can do that?
I have no player for them only VHS and cassette, what should i buy in order to copy files to a computer?

Thanks

 

[rgd1101]

how old are these?
word and pdf? how did it get there?

 

[low2020]

how old are these?
word and pdf? how did it get there?

I'm not sure about word and pdf.
VHS and cassette are from 1995

 

[USAFRet]

I'm not sure about word and pdf.
VHS and cassette are from 1995

The question is...how did computer files get copied to a VHS tape?
That is, while not impossible, a VERY strange concept.
And requires special software to extract.

 

[punkncat]

As for the VHS tape is this such as a video taken of the documents or the actual file data was written to those mediums?

Tape format gets very sticky over time. It could be possible that they are already gone...however it is not uncommon for some public library to have an old VHS machine around. Might call and ask.
On the other format, yeah you may need to seek a specialist.

Just as an aside, there is a pretty prevalent VHS enthusiast site on Facebook that might be able to offer suggestions but again would consider that from the video format.

 

[low2020]

The question is...how did computer files get copied to a VHS tape?
That is, while not impossible, a VERY strange concept.
And requires special software to extract.

What i'm sure about is that VHS and Cassettes contains document file but not sure about the type.
I can only see some threads talking about audio/video extraction from these devices to computer but not for document files.

 

[USAFRet]

What i'm sure about is that VHS and Cassettes contains document file but not sure about the type.
I can only see some threads talking about audio/video extraction from these devices to computer but not for document files.

Long ago, there was a procedure to save computer data to VHS tape.

Before that, systems like a Commodore 64 used cassette tape for data and program storage.
I still have one of these.

But aside from the Commodore and similar era low end systems, copying computer data to magnetic tape was very much a non-consumer thing.

You really need to discover what and how this was saved to the mag tape.
And magnetic tape that is 30+ years old? Good luck.

 

[rgd1101]

I remember dad having cassette tape on old apple

Cassettes Are Cool

When I first got my hands on an Apple II Plus back in 1980, the floppy disk that Woz had made available for his prized invention was old hat (heck, this computer was up to DOS 3.3!) Because of this…

www.apple2history.org

https://www.applefritter.com/node/8545

 

[punkncat]

I had a Tandy Color Computer 2 that used cassette tape medium. That was probably 1984-ish?

Was not aware that any use of a VHS tape or the like. I am also semi familiar with the old reel to reel medium as my mother's work used those extensively.

 

[USAFRet]

I had a Tandy Color Computer 2 that used cassette tape medium. That was probably 1984-ish?

Was not aware that any use of a VHS tape or the like. I am also semi familiar with the old reel to reel medium as my mother's work used those extensively.

https://forum.level1techs.com/t/vhs-tapes-as-computer-storage/191238/2

https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-to-save-files-from-a-pc-to-a-vhs-tape/

 

[rgd1101]

View: https://youtu.be/KCbGsZHdjds?t=791