Why The Tape?

@kodiac ☝ This is correct. The same technique is used on VHS and BETA tapes. Break out the tab to protect from recording over. Use tape to cover the notch hole to rerecord.

@Gibbon Oh god maybe i am old lol I'd seen people do it with old vhs lol

@kodiac Nah your not old. VHS to DVD recorders are still around along with VHS to digital converters. They are now making CD/DVD to digital converters.