EVEN THOUGH YOU can have all the music and video you could ever want at your fingertips now we still miss tapes.

Both video tapes and cassette tapes were significant for whole generations and sometimes we can’t help but think a pre-DVD/CD/download age was simpler time for all involved.

1. Tapes generally had amazing sleeves

As we move everything online we don’t allow ourselves to have this kind of amazing cassette sleeve take up a small but perfectly formed shape on our shelves:

DailyEdge.ie/Louise McSharry

And let’s not act like  videos didn’t look amazing in those chunky boxes:

via eBay

2. Making mixtapes

JinxiBoo / Flickr

Something about slaving away over how to sequence the songs and get those recording stops just right made them super special

Was there anything more romantic than giving someone a tape of songs you’d chosen just for them that they’d have forever?

No, there was not.

3.  Rewinding tapes

via WTFMarketing

Sure you could argue it was tedious but in a way it taught you patience and that’s something those whipper snappers today don’t have.

And also taught you that people who rented a video and didn’t rewind it were the absolute worse.

4. The crackle and hiss of tapes

Nothing better than the weird hiss of cassette tapes or the odd sound on videos to make you realise how they may be slightly ropey but full of character.

You won’t get that with your pristine digital audio and picture these days.

5. Wonky picture quality

We found this kind of thing with videos common and oddly charming:

via Imgur

And what was the video obsession with tracking?

Mind you, made you a bit more tech savvy then today were everything is fixed at the touch of a button;

Cinebeasts / Tumblr

6.  Taping off the radio

Look don't act like we weren't made for taping off the radio or even copying albums off our mates.

The slogan "home taping is killing music" was thrown around a lot even if some bands had no time for it:

liquidslave / Flickr

Tell you what, getting taping of the radio right was very tricky especially if you had to hit stop before the radio DJs voice came back in.

Stressful.

7. The art of recording all your favourite shows off the telly AND writing video labels

diebmx / Flickr

The way you could record with video was great but then there'd be the fear that your mum would tap over Fresh Prince with an episode of Nationwide  so you'd have to put a sticker with DO NOT TAPE OVER OR ELSE on the front of it.

8. Relooping your tapes and videos

The skill of getting a pin and making the tape roll back into the right place when this happened:

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That was a skill that was useful and people nowadays have no understanding of.

A real shame.

9. Owning a walkman

Edwc / Flickr

Having tapes meant you could play them on a Walkman.

Before iPods, MiniDisc Players and being able to blare tunes on your phone there was the humble walkman.

And they were amazing, look at them:

Edwc / Flickr

Amazing.

10. Tapes looked great stored in shoeboxes:

DailyEdge.ie/Louise McSharry

Even video tapes and your precious copy of Lord of the Dance

DailyEdge.ie/Louise McSharry

11. They would come in colours

Tapes and videos would often have a cool colour on them which we reckon doesn't happen with your new fangled downloads and whatnot

cassettes / Flickr

And there was nothing better than seeing your favourite video in an interesting colour upon opening the box:

jm3 / Flickr

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