A VHS tape rewinder is an electronic device used to rewind VHS tapes. Rewinding is necessary because VHS tapes are irreversible: they contain only one audio/video-track intended for playback in one direction.

History

Much like Beta tape rewinders, VHS tape rewinders devices were created shortly after the production of videotapes and were used for several reasons. One was because

VCRs A videocassette recorder (VCR) or video recorder is an electromechanical device that records analog audio and analog video from broadcast television or other source on a removable, magnetic tape videocassette, and can play back the recordin ...

were believed to make kinks in the tapes which could corrupt playback after several rewinds. Another was to facilitate rewinding of a just-watched tape while you watched another. Video rental stores like

Blockbuster Blockbuster or Block Buster may refer to: *Blockbuster (entertainment) a term coined for an extremely successful movie, from which most other uses are derived. Corporations * Blockbuster (retailer), a defunct video and game rental chain ** Blo ...

charged a fee for not rewinding VHS tapes when returning, and had slogans like 'Be kind, please rewind'. The rewinder would rewind tapes smoothly and additionally be several times faster. Using them would also prevent wear and tear on the heads of the VCR itself, and provide convenience to watch the next tape immediately after. In 1993 a video magazine editor surveyed electronics repair experts, asking them, "What is the worst thing you can do to your VCR?" The most common answer was regular rewinding rented videotapes. The experts advised using a tape rewinder to save VCR heads from "junk" on rental cassettes.

References

External links

*{{cite web, author=Needleman, Rafe, url=https://www.cnet.com/news/the-yogurt-makers-of-tech-gadgets-to-avoid/, title=The yogurt makers of tech: Gadgets to avoid, publisher=

CNET ''CNET'' (short for "Computer Network") is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. ''CNET'' originally produced content for radio and televi ...

, language=en-US, url-status=live, date=December 3, 2009, archivedate=August 25, 2014, archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140825191325/https://www.cnet.com/news/the-yogurt-makers-of-tech-gadgets-to-avoid/ VHS