Tape trading old TV shows--has anyone done it?

[Rain Man]

I was just curious if anyone here besides me trades copies of episodes of old TV shows. I have done 5 tape trades of old game shows, and I know with the advent of the Internet, tape trading of old TV shows is commonplace. Now many people really don't trade tapes per se, but rather, they dub a copy of the shows and send them to friends.

Now some might say that with many shows going on DVD, that tape trading might go obsolete. I disagree with that because:

Not all TV shows will go to DVD due to:

Person/company who owns the rights to the show does not want it rereleased or wants a high price for the distributor to release it.

Certain actors on the show may not have cleared their appearances; the show cannot be rereleased without their permission.

The show was severely short lived and not well remembered; to release those shows would result is few sales and large losses.

Other factors that make tape trading fun:

Old commercials you loved and forgot about you can see again:

Uncut and unedited (Case in point: In Living Color DVD--the 2nd season DVD does not feature the hilarious Vanilla Ice White White Baby sketch, and several Men of Film sketches have been subtly muted or a key punchline cut).

"Bonus" material - promos for contests, promotional consideration plugs, ticket plugs, contestant plugs, network or station ID tags.

But I digress. Anyway, who has old rare TV shows taped? If so, what were they and how long ago were they taped?

[AKA2D '91]

shuuuuucksss, I don't even know where my "tapes" are! LMAO

Those were the days...taping Video Soul/Vibrations
Martin, Diff'rent World, etc etc

Award shows ( I wasn't allowed to watch TV during the week)

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
shuuuuucksss, I don't even know where my "tapes" are! LMAO

Those were the days...taping Video Soul/Vibrations
Martin, Diff'rent World, etc etc

Award shows ( I wasn't allowed to watch TV during the week)

OMG! Video Soul/Vibrations--2D, you took me back with that. What about Rap City where Chris Thomas was the mayor and the "funkyfreshdope" Rap City logo? Somebody could want to see those old eps. Or you can show your kids/nieces/nephews what Rap City was originally like. High nostalgia value.

I had the very first episode of Yo! MTV Raps (taped 8/6/88).

But had you ever thought that those old shows might be of some value to someone else purely for intangible nostalgic elements (commercials, promos, etc.)?

[vanda]

RM, you're gonna make me bust out my old Beta tapes. I rushed home every day to catch Rap City and the Mayors signature shoulder shaking dance. We taped everything in the 80s and 90s. I have swapped tapes with family and friends but never on the net. I will give it some thought. On the nostalgia: It kills me when I hear younger kids say they never heard of the Old school videos from Rap City Like Public Enemy's "Attack of the living Baseheads" or Stetsasonics " All that Jazz". And I also have the first Yo! MTV Raps on tape.

[AKA2D '91]

Where in the world is Chris Thomas (doing that go-go bounce with my shoulder and arm extended)!

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by vanda
RM, you're gonna make me bust out my old Beta tapes. I rushed home every day to catch Rap City and the Mayors signature shoulder shaking dance. We taped everything in the 80s and 90s. I have swapped tapes with family and friends but never on the net. I will give it some thought.

Set up a website with a list of stuff you have, and what you are looking for, and the folk will come (tip: do not sell your tapes, as it is illegal to do so, b/c it implies that you own the copyright to the shows and you are making a profit off someone else's work).

On the nostalgia: It kills me when I hear younger kids say they never heard of the Old school videos from Rap City Like Public Enemy's "Attack of the living Baseheads" or Stetsasonics " All that Jazz". And I also have the first Yo! MTV Raps on tape.

Most of the old school rap videos can be seen on the VH1 Soul Channel, which is 24 hours of R&B and rap videos, past and present, w/o commerical interruption. However, the old school videos are commingled with the current videos, which means you have to catch them on a strictly "hit or miss" basis, however from experience I can tell you that they tend to air more frequently in the mid to late evening hours.

BTW, I have the Stetasonic "All That Jazz" video from Yo! MTV Raps that aired back in November 1988.

[AKA2D '91]

VH-1 Soul...yesssssssss! Only when I go home.

tidbit: If you watch the videos earllier in the day, you can catch those SAME videos at night.

I posted at the Blvd. the old videos I saw:
Yo-Yo, Kwame,Tegra and Bunny etc etc...

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
shuuuuucksss, I don't even know where my "tapes" are! LMAO

Those were the days...taping Video Soul/Vibrations
Martin, Diff'rent World, etc etc

Award shows ( I wasn't allowed to watch TV during the week)

Too bad, 2D; I was gonna try and holla atcha' for a possible tape trade to relive my teen years watching Video Soul/Vibrations.

Believe it or not, I cannot find ONE old school (c. 1990) BET fansite (sites on Rap City, Video Soul/Vibrations, Teen Summit, etc.) on the Internet.

I have been taping and archiving TV shows since 1988 (when my family bought our 1st VCR--actually before that I used a regular tape recorder to audio tape TV shows) because you never know when you're gonna come up with something cool to save for the younger generation.

ETA: I am really looking for folk that taped short-lived 80s shows that I really liked, such as:

Manimal (the theme song reminded me of the old R&B song "Let The Music Play")
Trauma Center (a weekly disaster-type drama series)
Lottery$ (a weekly anthology show that illustrates the age-old adage, "If I had a million dollars...")

Note that all these shows aired during the 1983-84 season

And one short-lived Saturday morning cartoon:

The Kid Superpower Hour with Shazam (1981-82)

Anyone knows if someone taped these shows, gimme a holla!

[Rain Man]

Does anyone remember the HBO "game show" SNAPS?

Basically it was The Dozens with 2 teams of 3 stand-up comedians. First round was a free snap round. Subsequent rounds, a bad snap elimanted you via a barking dog sound (growls were warnings, but kept you in the game).

Two pilot episodes were aired on Fridays at midnight January 20 and 27, 1995. Monteria Ivey was host.

First week contestants were Talent, Michael Blackson, Tracy Morgan, Mo'Nique, Ricky Smiley, and ???

Second week contestants were Arnie Fuqua, Joe Clair, Sommore, A.C. White, Uncle Jimmy Mack, and Willie ???

For reasons unknown, this was never picked up as a series. To my knowledge, these two eps were never reran on HBO again.

[AKA2D '91]

Guess What?

While I was at home earlier this weekend, I FOUND some of my old tapes. I don't know what's on them, but when I get a chance, I'll pop them in the VCR.

One tape was dated 1/1988.

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
Guess What?

While I was at home earlier this weekend, I FOUND some of my old tapes. I don't know what's on them, but when I get a chance, I'll pop them in the VCR.

One tape was dated 1/1988.

2D, you my girl!

Lemme know when you find out what's on 'em.

Until then...

HOLLA! *echoes*

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by vanda
RM, you're gonna make me bust out my old Beta tapes. And I also have the first Yo! MTV Raps on tape.

Vanda, holla @ me about how I can get another copy of the first Yo! MTV Raps episode: One of my brother's friends has it and I have no way of getting in contact with him.

As always, I can't sang without a strang, nephew!

[vanda]

Let me call my uncle. Since I moved out he has all the tapes. Hopefully I'll find it in no time.

[Rain Man]

What's the word on the lost tapes (Vanda & 2D)?

Oh, anyone else got old rare eps of tv shows?

If so, HOLLA!!

[AKA2D '91]

I still haven't viewed the tapes.

When I view them, I'll post!

I DO have a LIFE!