Found a VHS tape of a 1998 parade that shows a storefront that's completely different now

I was digitizing a tape labeled 'July 4th' and it's just a family recording of a parade in my hometown. The clear shot of the old hardware store on Main Street got me, because that building is a coffee shop now. Has anyone else found footage that shows how a place you know has totally changed?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel5191mo ago

Wait, you said you were digitizing a VHS tape? That's not quite right. You can't just digitize a tape by itself, you need a capture device to connect the VCR to your computer. Did you mean you were watching it on an old VCR and then filmed it with your phone? That's a common mix-up.

the_derek27d ago

Exactly! I went through this whole thing with my dad's old tape of a family reunion from 1998. Spent an afternoon convinced I could just plug the VCR into my laptop with a random cable I found in a drawer. Nope. Had to order one of those USB capture things and then fight with software for another two hours. By the time I finally got a clip to play on my computer, the quality was so bad you could barely tell who was who. Felt like I'd accomplished nothing, but at least that parking lot you mentioned is now saved in blurry 480p forever.

uma3061mo ago

It's wild how much a town can change without you really noticing... I had a similar moment last year watching my parents' wedding video. The whole block where their reception was is just a parking lot now. Makes you want to dig out all those old tapes before they turn to dust.