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In a message dated 2/3/2006 3:43:47 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: There have been lots of reports about SSS from videotape in 3/4" sizes. I wouldn't be surprised if you had it. After all, it's Ampex! (sigh). On the AMIA list, Jim Lindner has cautioned us against baking anything, but especially videotapes. He has good reasons for it, including the possibility of the tape deforming and/or snapping back to an earlier geometry prior to tensilization. I hope I'm quoting him well in this brief summary. Jim got his start restoring 1/2" EIAJ videotapes, including Andy Warhol's as I understand it. I have a lot of respect for him. Jim Wheeler, a videotape engineer from Ampex is also on the AMIA List. I think joining and asking your question on AMIA-L would be a good source of information. *************** I haven't had SSS on some of the first Sony Umatic or TDK VHS cassettes ever sold, though wear or loss of lubricant may be a problem. However some recent VHS tapes have shown SSS-like problems in high humidity. I have a number of back-coated 1/2" reel-to-reel videotapes that definitely show SSS. It is disappointing to learn that baking might not work on them. I've tried on a couple of occasions to join the AMIA-L list, both via email and from the web page, without success. I'm looking for a practical (cheap & quick) way to transfer various video formats to DVD for very small quantity distribution (1 or 2 at a time), with minimal video editing. Any sources for practical experience with this would be welcome. Mike Csontos