How long will DVDs last vs. VHS tapes?
DVDs have an approximate “shelf life” of at least 100 years, and will not deteriorate over time and use the way VHS does. In a matter of a few years, analog tapes (VHS, VHS-C, Hi8 etc…) will show a noticeable loss in quality. The more you watch them, the worse it gets, and the faster it happens. The only way to truly preserve your analog videos is to transfer them to some sort of digital medium (DVD, miniDV, Digital 8), and the sooner the better.