This section provides some information about videotape damage and deterioration, and how they can be reduced. It would be worthwhile to read this in conjunction with the section on storage.

Common Videotape Problems

Binder Decay
The binder, the substance that glues the important magnetic particles to the videotape, is one of the particularly weak-point in a video. This binder is susceptible to moisture, which when absorbed changes the binder's physical make-up. As it changes, it deteriorates, producing a powder or gummy residue. When you play a tape affected by this problem, the resulting picture will poor and the player may even jam as the tape-heads clogs with the deteriorated material. This is called 'sticky shed syndrome'.

Once you've played a tape that seems to be suffering from this type of decay, to prevent the spread of dirt, its important that you clean both the tape and the player it's been in.

Unfortunately, cleaning the tape only addresses the symptoms of the decay and not the cause. To arrest sticky shed syndrome you need to store videotapes in a cool and dry environment.

Cleaning
You can clean your video-player with a cleaning tape. More encrusted dirt should be cleaned with a swab and in accordance with the instructions in the videoplayer's manual. This should be only really be performed by a trained professional. Tapes can be cleaned either with a specialist cleaner/evalulator machine or by wiping the tape surface with a long fibre, lint free non-abrasive tissue. In most cases, you should probably contact either a commercial video-house or the regional film archive in your area. Both places should have the necessary cleaning materials and equipment. There is some information and contact details for the regional film archives in the larger resources section, and the same for video-houses in the video resources section. If you decide to clean material yourself, you need to take very great care you don’t cause any damage.

Other problems and solutions
The videotape signal, that produces the picture on screen, can be affected by various elements in the interface between tape and player. It is noted in the format section how problems can arise when playing tapes made by one manufacturer in the machine of another. The examples used there were Sony and Panasonic digital tape but burned DVDs can also be notorious loyal to very particular players.

Broader interface problems may even begin when the signal is first recorded. If the recorder is damaged or its parts poorly aligned, the signal that it records can only be poor too. Players can also impact on tapes in the playing and rewinding process. Damaged edges, warping and stretching are all possible results of uneven tension when rewinding.

These effects and damages all emphasis the need to maintain your equipment. This simply means watching how your player affects your tapes and then, if necessary, getting the player fixed or replaced. If you're working with older formats this may mean going to a specialist. In as far as you can, you should check that an older video-player is in good working order before you insert any important tapes.

Returning to the tape, if a video signal is unstable and the images rolls, depending on its importance, you may want to think about restoration.

Any tapes of yours that don't get viewed very often should still be given a little exercise. If you can remember to do it, simply rewinding a tape once a year or so gives it some air and gets the hubs moving; both very good things. When you do this you can also inspect for any damage or deterioration to the tape and cassette cartridge.

To keep track of material and pre-empt any deterioration, video specialists suggest that material be migrated onto a new tape roughly every seven years. (Though the Tate estimates doing so after five.) As has been suggested elsewhere, it may be that technological developments may lead you to copy work before you even get to this stage.