A VHS tape rewinder is an electronic device used to rewind VHS tapes.
These devices, created shortly after the production of video tapes, were very popular in households with children. There were also Beta tape rewinders.[1] They were also used because VCRs were believed to make kinks in the tapes which could corrupt playback after several rewinds. The rewinder would rewind tapes smoothly and additionally be several times faster. In addition, it would take the wear and tear away from the VCR,[2] and protect the heads of the VCR.[3]
A survey in 1993 of electronics repair people by a video magazine editor, yielded the answer to "What is the worst thing you can do to your VCR?" as being regularly rewinding rented videotapes through it with the solution to use a tape rewinder to save VCR heads from "junk" on rental cassettes.[4]
A tape would be inserted into the rewinder and pushed down so the rewinding mechanism would start;. There would also be a button on the front or side of the rewinder so a tape could be popped out in case a wheel inside a tape got caught and started sticking which could cause the tape to be ripped out from the inside of the cassette or severely damaged. Radio Shack is one of the few companies to still make a VHS videotape rewinder, as of May 2011.[5]
A "DVD Rewinder" is an on-line hoax, joke[6][7][8][9][10], and real-life novelty item and gag gift[11][12]. When a disc is inserted, the device simply spins it for a short while.