Going to try and finish my VHS Collection after twenty years

[Torgo]

So I did a thing.

After MST Store had that sale, I found myself pretty content with my Shout Factory collection. I have every episode they've released, and while there are some odd discs like the Shout Select singles that were re-released in Rhino volume re-releases and the Lost and Found Collection, which is just discs I already have in a different package. I also own every disc Rhino made, with the exception of Shorts Volume 3, which I just missed out on.

I was pondering if I was done collecting the series, but then thought back to the days of VHS and what episodes I may or may not have collected there. Then I recalled during the Kickstarter they offered that collectible VHS of Reptilicus, which I initially wasn't interested in until I saw that the box art mimicked the Rhino cassettes. Then I was suddenly "But...but...I want that!" Out of curiosity I looked that tape up and stumbled upon BlackBox selling off Kickstarter overstock, and it turns out they were selling it for 15 bucks. Well you can guess what happened next.

season12.mst3k.com/season11/lastcall

So, after that I started thinking about my VHS collection and what episodes I did and didn't have. I think I collected all of them except Hellcats, Gunslinger, Red Zone Cuba, and Angels' Revenge. And also Amazing Colossal Man, but that goes without saying, because that was recalled before I even knew what MST was. Colossal Man was a sore spot with me, because it was the only officially released episode I never collected. For kicks I went to see what it was going for on eBay. I planned on window shopping, but I saw a seller posting one for sale for 45 bucks. I couldn't click "Buy Now" fast enough.

Long story short, I just spent $60 on a pair of video tapes. I regret nothing.

I actually do have plans for Colossal Man. I'm thinking of digitizing the transfer for my private collection, because it's probably the best the episode is going to look (until Susan Hart is visited by the Ghost of Riffsmas Future and has her heart grow three sizes). I thought why stop there, I could digitize all the tapes for nostalgic purposes. I'm going to invest in a blu-ray burner soon and get all my fan copies into a more compact package, and this might be a fun little side project.

I need to find my old tapes. Hopefully my dad didn't throw them out, because he hates the show, and then find the ones I don't have. Shouldn't be too much of a hassle, but it seems like it will be worthwhile.

[Diet Kolos]

Good on ya. Thankfully people are starting to come around to the value of old VHS tapes.

Just as an FYI, if you DO end up finding your old tapes, transferring them over to dual-layer DVD or blue ray can be expensive and time consuming. Mostly because finding a high-end VCR that has the correct stuff in it to make and output a good-looking signal anymore are nearly impossible to find (or super expensive). After all, the transfer only looks as good as the VCR can play. It's even more time-consuming if you want to burn the discs into MP4s to clean up the audio or other things like that. But it's worth it.

What years did you tape the show, and did you keep the commercials?

Keep up updated if you locate the old tapes.

[Torgo]

I taped the series mostly 1999 and after. The only episode I taped first run was Diabolik, though I accidentally cut the stinger off at "Is that stud co..." I wasn't a very competent recorder. I even cut off the opening skit of Final Justice.

Some of my episodes have commercials, but a few of them I paused during breaks to save tape space.

[jocksinclair]

Torgo, do you still need "Gunslinger" VHS?  I also have "Atomic Brain".  I used to have more, but as I replaced them with DVDs, I tended to get rid of them one way or another, so I off-hand I don't see any other official VHSes.  

[Torgo]

I used to have Atomic Brain, whether or not I still have it depends on what my dad did with my old VHS tapes. I never had Gunslinger though.

If you send me a PM maybe we can work something out.

[jedicrippler]

I think I've got a few VHS tapes around as well. Not sure when they were last watched, or which ones specifically. I did have all of them on VHS, before the switch to DVD.

[jocksinclair]

Torgo, hope you can jump on this:

www.reddit.com/r/MST3K/comments/heyknu/who_wants_poopie_andor_iamp_on_vhs/

[christmas]

I sold off all my VHS tapes when I upgraded to DVD and wound up mildly regretting it. I now own a couple nice copies of Pod People and Mitchell, which I have actual fond memories of watching over and over on tape.