life of VHS - serious question

[cantthinkofanything]

I have a bunch of VHS family videos starting in 2000. I realize I need to convert these to digital at some point. What's the real life on a VHS tape?

[leemajors]

depends on humidity where they are stored for the most part. 15-30 years

[Sportcamper]

There have been numerous studies about tape longevity and stability but there is no accurate way of estimating the life expectancy of a video tape….It varies depending on the brand and the way the tape is handled and stored... Magnetic tapes ,"Betamax, VHS, 8mm and mini-DV" have a shelf life between 8 to 12 years…After that they tend to get grainy, shaky & dull...