Having been copying, transfering and recording on video for a few years now I have a few thoughts on this but I would be interested in your input.
Modern tapes (made this year) 'SONY CD' 'TDK TV' 'KODAK' and 'MAXELL BLACK' are just very poor. Flimsy, drop-outs and tape is left with ripples after being loaded (poor backing).
The best ones:
VHS
JVC PRO (1990's) they came in library cases and the picture has no lines and almost no grain. Just excellent.
Fuji Beridox (1980's) are also very good. Heavy grade tape with solid and sharp recordings.
All Panasonic tapes 1990's to early 2000's - the HD and HD MASTER are very smooth running with decent sharpness.
TDK HS. The older ones were good, after 2000 went cheap and lines arrived after a few uses.
Maxell and Boots (before 1990) are good tapes. A little bit grainy but no drop-outs and seem to last.
BASF Chromdioxid (1980's) an excellent tape with saturated colour but BASF after late 1990's was flimsy and wear prone.
AGFA HIGH COLOR (1980's) bit grainy and prone to creasing when used on some machines but good case and runs smoothly.
Mid 80's Kodak - a fine tape but some miss the linear sountrack (silence).
Late JVC and Maxell S-VHS tapes (post 2000) are horrible and I don't believe they are true S-VHS tapes. Older ones from Panasonic are excellent. TDK S-VHS ones seem to clog the heads constantly on post-1995 Panasonic S-VHS VCR's.
BETA
Fuji Beridox (1980's) - absolutely superb with no problems
Konica (early 1990's) - OK, a little grainy
Sony Dynamicron (early 1980's with orange and yellow case) - horrible tape with constant drop out lines on first use.
Sony Dynamicron (late 1980's with black case) very good with no drop-outs.
I don't know about Scotch I'm afraid.
Modern tapes (made this year) 'SONY CD' 'TDK TV' 'KODAK' and 'MAXELL BLACK' are just very poor. Flimsy, drop-outs and tape is left with ripples after being loaded (poor backing).
The best ones:
VHS
JVC PRO (1990's) they came in library cases and the picture has no lines and almost no grain. Just excellent.
Fuji Beridox (1980's) are also very good. Heavy grade tape with solid and sharp recordings.
All Panasonic tapes 1990's to early 2000's - the HD and HD MASTER are very smooth running with decent sharpness.
TDK HS. The older ones were good, after 2000 went cheap and lines arrived after a few uses.
Maxell and Boots (before 1990) are good tapes. A little bit grainy but no drop-outs and seem to last.
BASF Chromdioxid (1980's) an excellent tape with saturated colour but BASF after late 1990's was flimsy and wear prone.
AGFA HIGH COLOR (1980's) bit grainy and prone to creasing when used on some machines but good case and runs smoothly.
Mid 80's Kodak - a fine tape but some miss the linear sountrack (silence).
Late JVC and Maxell S-VHS tapes (post 2000) are horrible and I don't believe they are true S-VHS tapes. Older ones from Panasonic are excellent. TDK S-VHS ones seem to clog the heads constantly on post-1995 Panasonic S-VHS VCR's.
BETA
Fuji Beridox (1980's) - absolutely superb with no problems
Konica (early 1990's) - OK, a little grainy
Sony Dynamicron (early 1980's with orange and yellow case) - horrible tape with constant drop out lines on first use.
Sony Dynamicron (late 1980's with black case) very good with no drop-outs.
I don't know about Scotch I'm afraid.





(And, indeed, they still are!)
My god, they're driving its good name into the ground! 