Lost your VCR years ago? You're not alone.

Thousands of families still have VHS tapes packed with priceless memories—birthday parties, baby’s first steps, and holidays from the '90s—but no way to play them. The good news? You can still convert your VHS to digital without owning a VCR. Here's how.

🎥 Why You Don’t Need a VCR Anymore

VCRs are practically extinct. They’re no longer manufactured, and finding a working one that doesn’t chew up tapes is almost impossible. Even if you did have one, you'd still need the right cables, capture cards, and software to digitize your tapes properly.

The better option? Let someone else handle the hassle.

🔧 Option 1: Use a Professional Conversion Service

Companies like Heirloom specialize in converting VHS tapes to digital—even if the tapes are:

Moldy or broken
Stored in hot garages for decades
From obscure formats like VHS-C, MiniDV, or Hi8

You don’t need a VCR.
Just use your Heirloom box or label and drop off at any UPS Store. We will:

Clean, repair, and digitize every tape
Upload your videos to a secure private cloud
Give you free storage for a year with download access anytime

💡 Bonus: Blank tapes don’t get charged. You get store credit for every one.

🧩 Option 2: Buy a Refurbished VCR or Combo Player (If You Must)

If you insist on the DIY route, you can still hunt for:

A VCR or DVD/VCR combo on eBay or Craigslist
A VHS-to-digital converter (like Elgato or Vidbox)
A computer with video capture software

Caution: This method requires patience, technical setup, and lots of time. And if your tape is fragile or moldy, DIY transfer can permanently destroy the footage.

📼 What If I Don’t Even Know What’s On My Tapes?

That’s okay! Heirloom digitizes everything and puts it online in a private cloud you can explore anytime—on your phone, tablet, or TV. You can:

Preview videos instantly
Share specific clips with family
Download and back them up safely

No VCR needed. No DVDs. Just memories—rescued and ready to relive.

🔁 What About Other Formats?

This solution works even if your tapes aren’t labeled or you’re unsure what format you have. We handle:

VHS & VHS-C
MiniDV
Hi8 & 8mm video
Betamax (yes, really)
And more…

🛑 Don’t Wait Too Long

VHS tapes degrade. Mold spreads. And fires or floods don’t care if it’s the only copy of your wedding or your child’s first steps.

🎁 Order your Heirloom shipping box or label today
Convert tapes to digital—no VCR required—and make sure your family’s history doesn’t disappear.

John Rahaghi

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John, formerly at Facebook, is a founder and CTO of Heirloom. He's passionate about building technology to celebrate photos & videos in a private network.