This VHS Tape Plays Itself, Thanks to an Embedded Screen

Photo credit: CommonKingFisher
A VHS tape sits on your shelf, full of rewind buttons and Blockbuster runs, its black plastic shell a portal to a bygone era. But Reddit user CommonKingfisher has pulled off a magic trick, embedding a tiny video player inside a VHS cassette, turning a retro relic into a self contained work of art.

CommonKingfisher started with a $20 promotional video greeting card from AliExpress, the kind that plays a tune in a birthday card. These cards are packed with tech: a small LCD screen, a simple MP4 player and a magnetic switch that activates when opened. The idea was bold but clear – strip the card down to its essentials and fit them inside a VHS tape’s spacious shell. Using an ultrasonic cutter CommonKingfisher carved a window into the cassette’s housing to frame the screen. Hot glue held all the components, from battery to circuit board, in a space once filled with magnetic tape.

The card’s tech fits perfectly where the tape used to spin. A magnetic switch, triggered by a magnet on the VHS cover, powers the player when opened, just like a card’s satisfying snap. Control buttons, cleverly placed where the tape would normally be exposed, let you pause, play or skip. It’s a self contained wonder, a portable piece of nostalgia that feels like something out of an 80s sci-fi movie – but it’s real and mostly works.

There are compromises, of course. The tape won’t play in a traditional VCR as the internal components block the tape path and the cut out window weakens the cassette’s structure. CommonKingfisher says the hack is reversible but undoing it would be a painful process, like reassembling a scattered puzzle. The magnetic switch will also give VHS enthusiasts the heebie jeebies as magnets can corrupt magnetic tape data. Though this tape no longer holds data the reflex to cringe at “magnet” persists for those who once cherished their VHS collections.

This VHS player is more than a quirky hack, it’s a spark for imagination. It makes you wonder what other retro tech can be repurposed – could a floppy disk hold a tiny gaming console or a cassette tape become a Bluetooth speaker? CommonKingfisher’s creation makes you see old tech as a playground for innovation. It’s a fun project, 1985 meets 2025 and when the cover opens and the screen lights up it pulls you into the wonder of what’s possible.
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