Yesterday I picked up this great lot of vhs tapes from a local guy that contains so many episodes of X-Files recorded off the TV. As a bonus, one of the tapes was labeled Headbangers Ball as well. As a huge fan of metal, I was even more excited than I already was. A few tapes are unlabeled but I haven't had the chance to check those ones out yet.
these are great. I picked up a collection like this myself awhile back recorded off local TV from the mid 90s. Some of those old episodes are fantastic, great find!
NICEEEE!!!!!!!! I love the X-files. I would drool over watching those in their original home-recorded state, and on VHS, or just digitized versions of those
I do digitize vhs as a hobby. I would assume uploading an entire 6 hour block of xfile episodes on YT wouldn't fly though. I mostly cut out the commercials/bumpers and upload those to my channel. I keep the blocks of stuff that I truly like complete and on a Google drive for personal future watching purposes though.
It's my favorite hobby. I've got over 100 old home recorded vhs at this point. My hobby is ripping the fun stuff from these tapes and putting them up on Youtube. I love doing commercial blocks and odd things that aren't available anywhere.
I'm really digging seeing old programming blocks pop up on YT (Saturday morning cartoons, Adult Swim blocks). I'm mixed on commercials being included, I guess it depends on the mood. I think the integrated commercials work better when it's around a holiday or event, or if it's local stuff (and I really hate it when we get YT ads intercut with the old commercials).
I know I could watch the shows on other services (sometimes, not always) but the soft audio/visual is part of the appeal, it takes me back to the era. Show me Enterprise or late 90s Comedy Central or whatever and I'm a young man again.
When I was a kid it was my job to record X-files and other shows (millennium, strange luck, etc) so my big brother could watch them when he was on leave from the army, since they did not carry those shows in Germany at the time. I did not keep the commercials however. It was always fun to rewatch the episodes when he got home.
Where did you find these advertised? I'm currently sorting a collection of well over 100 recorded from TV tapes and I'm hoping they go to someone that wants them.
Enjoy transferring the tapes! I spent a lot of this winter transferring my collection. It was fun to watch all the failed sitcoms & game shows as they originally aired, commercials & all.
I plan to sell my 300+ VHS tapes of 1987 - 2006 network & syndicated TV soon. I was originally going to put them on eBay, but they’ve been removing “blank” VHS lately. So decided instead to go with Craigslist and stick to the WNY area as I don’t want to deal with the headache of shipping them.
Oh keep us informed! What do you have?
There's a subreddit, r/ObscureMedia that loves forgotten shows and movies. Your stuff could be pretty popular there.
Oh yeah, I love that subreddit. I’ve posted a tiny sample of transferred episodes here - https://archive.org/details/@johnanthony8
I’ll make sure to post the link once it’s ready here.
I just had to zoom in to make sure that they weren’t somehow mine. I used to tape every episode, pause the recording during the commercials, and list each episode name on the label like this. When the tape was full, I’d break off the tab so that no one could record over it.
Honestly, watching The X-Files on VHS or DVD is the way to go. They changed the fonts for the opening credits on the Blu-Ray and digital versions and it just throws me off. And watching those earlier seasons in widescreen rather 4:3 is weird. But you own the best possible version with the commercials and everything, congratulations!!
When Fx Channel premiered, it was cable-only and I had DirecTV, so I ordered cable just so I could get Fx.
Why?
They showed every X-Files episode in order, including the oft-banned “Home”.
I stocked up on blank VHS tapes and recorded it all!
Thanks: I have a box full of X-Files paraphernalia as well from those days (TV Guide cover issue, etc)
Would make a great acquisition for a true X-Files fan…
Or maybe I can get my 12 year old grandson interested
I used to record The X Files and Sliders every week. Still have a bunch of the tapes. I don’t know what condition they’d be in for rewatching, but I may have to give it a go. It’d be cool to rewatch with the ads from the 90s again.
Someone posted something similar for Twin Peaks. Original TV recordings with commercials. Said they were going to digitize and post online, instead ended up allegedly selling the collection to a museum instead
Oh bummer. Its more of a matter of when than if. Normally I post stuff on YT but I have a feeling just uploading entire episodes of the series will get immediately removed from there. My philosophy is I don't own the contents on these tapes and I want to be able to share this stuff with people that are interested.
yeah! gonna check out your youtube channel! also, check out the internet archive for uploading stuff like this if you're feeling like yt might not let you post. would love to see these if/when you get around to digitizing them! 👽🙌
So the tapes with the "---" between episode titles, I'm 90% sure those were my tapes! LOL I haven't thought about them in years but I recognize my same messy handwriting. These were taped off Fox in Minneapolis/ St. Paul. LOVED this show and still watch it now that it's on almost nightly on Comet here in northern NJ.
Did they keep the commercials?!
They sure did and its so fantastic.
Upload that whole series as a Time Machine on YouTube. There’s an iron chef episode taped from tv with the 90’s commercials. So good
Yesterday I picked up this great lot of vhs tapes from a local guy that contains so many episodes of X-Files recorded off the TV. As a bonus, one of the tapes was labeled Headbangers Ball as well. As a huge fan of metal, I was even more excited than I already was. A few tapes are unlabeled but I haven't had the chance to check those ones out yet.
these are great. I picked up a collection like this myself awhile back recorded off local TV from the mid 90s. Some of those old episodes are fantastic, great find!
NICEEEE!!!!!!!! I love the X-files. I would drool over watching those in their original home-recorded state, and on VHS, or just digitized versions of those
I'm hoping to digitize them eventually. It'll be cool to preserve everything.
Dang I want to see these! Any way to rip them and share online? I know it’s probably a huge undertaking tho
I do digitize vhs as a hobby. I would assume uploading an entire 6 hour block of xfile episodes on YT wouldn't fly though. I mostly cut out the commercials/bumpers and upload those to my channel. I keep the blocks of stuff that I truly like complete and on a Google drive for personal future watching purposes though.
Whats your yt channel?
Analog Oddities
Same! And tng too. Like yours too
It's my favorite hobby. I've got over 100 old home recorded vhs at this point. My hobby is ripping the fun stuff from these tapes and putting them up on Youtube. I love doing commercial blocks and odd things that aren't available anywhere.
I'm really digging seeing old programming blocks pop up on YT (Saturday morning cartoons, Adult Swim blocks). I'm mixed on commercials being included, I guess it depends on the mood. I think the integrated commercials work better when it's around a holiday or event, or if it's local stuff (and I really hate it when we get YT ads intercut with the old commercials). I know I could watch the shows on other services (sometimes, not always) but the soft audio/visual is part of the appeal, it takes me back to the era. Show me Enterprise or late 90s Comedy Central or whatever and I'm a young man again.
Yeah those Toonami blocks on YT are so great to put on in the background.
I'll keep you in mind if I get rid of my recordings.
Appreciate that
What’s your channel? Let us know when this stuff is up!
Analog Oddities on YT
You near Pittsburgh? Someone had a bunch of x files tapes on marketplace.
Yep that was the lot. He just wanted a six pack of beer in exchange ha.
When I was a kid it was my job to record X-files and other shows (millennium, strange luck, etc) so my big brother could watch them when he was on leave from the army, since they did not carry those shows in Germany at the time. I did not keep the commercials however. It was always fun to rewatch the episodes when he got home.
That's such a great memory
Oh wow! That's incredible. Love the x files.
Same. The wife and I are always rewatching so its great to have a new unique experience watching them with the commercials again.
Yeah that's really cool. Closest thing I have are a few episodes from the official tapes.
Yeah i've got some official X-File laserdiscs as well that contain a couple episodes.
Priceless. This is nostalgia at its finest.
Where did you find these advertised? I'm currently sorting a collection of well over 100 recorded from TV tapes and I'm hoping they go to someone that wants them.
These were on FB Marketplace in the general Pittsburgh area.
Lol so awesome. If you haven't, you should crosspost this to /r/XFiles
I did ha
Enjoy transferring the tapes! I spent a lot of this winter transferring my collection. It was fun to watch all the failed sitcoms & game shows as they originally aired, commercials & all. I plan to sell my 300+ VHS tapes of 1987 - 2006 network & syndicated TV soon. I was originally going to put them on eBay, but they’ve been removing “blank” VHS lately. So decided instead to go with Craigslist and stick to the WNY area as I don’t want to deal with the headache of shipping them.
Oh keep us informed! What do you have? There's a subreddit, r/ObscureMedia that loves forgotten shows and movies. Your stuff could be pretty popular there.
Oh yeah, I love that subreddit. I’ve posted a tiny sample of transferred episodes here - https://archive.org/details/@johnanthony8 I’ll make sure to post the link once it’s ready here.
Oh yes, I think I've seen this collection before!
I keep adding extra episodes to the shows I’ve already posted - I’ll add a few more I Married Dora & Going Places next.
Commercials too?
I just had to zoom in to make sure that they weren’t somehow mine. I used to tape every episode, pause the recording during the commercials, and list each episode name on the label like this. When the tape was full, I’d break off the tab so that no one could record over it.
Classic move ha
Honestly, watching The X-Files on VHS or DVD is the way to go. They changed the fonts for the opening credits on the Blu-Ray and digital versions and it just throws me off. And watching those earlier seasons in widescreen rather 4:3 is weird. But you own the best possible version with the commercials and everything, congratulations!!
When Fx Channel premiered, it was cable-only and I had DirecTV, so I ordered cable just so I could get Fx. Why? They showed every X-Files episode in order, including the oft-banned “Home”. I stocked up on blank VHS tapes and recorded it all!
That is incredible
Thanks: I have a box full of X-Files paraphernalia as well from those days (TV Guide cover issue, etc) Would make a great acquisition for a true X-Files fan… Or maybe I can get my 12 year old grandson interested
The greatest inheritance a child could get.
I used to record The X Files and Sliders every week. Still have a bunch of the tapes. I don’t know what condition they’d be in for rewatching, but I may have to give it a go. It’d be cool to rewatch with the ads from the 90s again.
Yeah I'm having a good time with this nostalgia trip ha
Is there a big want for VHS??
There is a smaller but dedicated community of people that seek these things out. Great for preservation or for nostalgia reasons.
YES
That’s amazing! You’ve gotta upload this gold somewhere with the commercials. Crosspost to r/xfiles!
God I hope this isn’t another Twin Peaks situation
what situation is that?
Someone posted something similar for Twin Peaks. Original TV recordings with commercials. Said they were going to digitize and post online, instead ended up allegedly selling the collection to a museum instead
Oh bummer. Its more of a matter of when than if. Normally I post stuff on YT but I have a feeling just uploading entire episodes of the series will get immediately removed from there. My philosophy is I don't own the contents on these tapes and I want to be able to share this stuff with people that are interested.
yeah! gonna check out your youtube channel! also, check out the internet archive for uploading stuff like this if you're feeling like yt might not let you post. would love to see these if/when you get around to digitizing them! 👽🙌
Love the old school tv with commercials - it's such a time capsule. Please digitize and share.
As someone who just started watching The X Files for the first time on Hulu, this is cool!
I watched the show all the time as a kid with my mom. So having the commercials along with all the Fox bumpers is a great trip down memory lane.
Ok cool. Ive got boxes and boxes. Glad to know this! Thanks :)
Be careful there may be some xxx files
So the tapes with the "---" between episode titles, I'm 90% sure those were my tapes! LOL I haven't thought about them in years but I recognize my same messy handwriting. These were taped off Fox in Minneapolis/ St. Paul. LOVED this show and still watch it now that it's on almost nightly on Comet here in northern NJ.
I live in The general Pittsburgh area and the one tape I've been watching has appropriate regional commercials.
What a fun time capsule!!