Time has not been kind to VHS videocasettes

How many VHS videos were recorded by individuals over time! Maybe 100s of millions or more of hours?

"Before streaming, before Blu-ray, and before DVDs, the VHS videocassette was the king of video. First launched in Japan in 1976, the format, short for Video Home System, was easy to use, compatible with any television, and affordable. 

After winning the battle for dominance with the Betamax cassette, the VHS ushered in an era of amateur filmmaking, home movie collections, and video store rentals. Recognizing the value of the new format, Harvard curators quickly began amassing materials on VHS. Though no single tally of Harvard’s VHS holdings exists, a 2018 count of audiovisual material says the figure is likely in the tens of thousands. ..."

Time has not been kind to VHS — Harvard Gazette "As tech turns 50, preservationists race to save material stored on vanishing format. Methods include … baking?"