A Georgia-based YouTuber, Brady Brandwood, has documented an unusual experiment: retrieving and restoring decades-old VHS tapes and CDs from abandoned buildings. Against expectations, most of the media still functioned after years of exposure to the elements, raising questions about the durability of physical formats. This seemingly casual project touches on broader efforts to preserve decaying technology before its contents are lost forever.
The Discovery in Abandoned Homes
Brandwood’s channel, known for unconventional content, featured a foray into dilapidated homes in rural Georgia. He collected discarded VHS tapes and CDs, some visibly worn, others surprisingly intact. One CD had a picture of Elvis on the front, while another simply said “The Blind Side” in black marker. This discovery highlights a common fate for media: neglect and eventual abandonment as technology evolves.
The Restoration Process
Brandwood’s initial challenge was finding working playback devices. He scoured thrift stores for a VHS player and dusted off an old Apple Power Mac G5 to read the CDs. Both formats required cleaning; the tapes were caked in dirt, mold, and even served as temporary homes for spiders. Despite this, most VHS tapes played after cleaning, revealing recordings ranging from Cartoon Network to a Jerry Lee Lewis concert. The CDs fared worse; many were too damaged to read. This outcome suggests VHS tapes were more resilient than once believed.
The Race to Preserve Physical Media
Brandwood’s experiment is more than just a curiosity. Archivists worldwide are actively working to preserve decaying physical media, including floppy disks and CDs. Cambridge University Library is collaborating with enthusiasts to develop cleaning and imaging solutions for floppy drives, while the Library of Congress is conducting accelerated degradation tests on CDs to understand how to slow the decay process.
“The best way to prolong [the life of] CDs and VHS tapes alike is to keep them in a climate-controlled environment.”
The surprising durability of VHS tapes, as demonstrated by Brandwood’s project, challenges the assumption that newer formats are inherently superior. The reality is that proper storage and maintenance are critical for preserving any physical medium, regardless of its original design.
Ultimately, this story is a reminder that our digital history is fragile. Whether it’s old VHS tapes or deteriorating CDs, physical media degrades over time, and preserving it requires deliberate effort.
