Like I wrote in the post there are tutorials to make a similar effect but from what I can tell those tutorials are for other proprietary software programs. I couldn't find a tutorial to make the effect on an open source video editor. Professionals would record the type of information such as licensed software used in the video log metadata.
I am sure the footage you got was bright and clear but how often did you play it through the VCR? Oh, and remember every time you bought a blank VHS tape a small part of the retail price you paid went to the MPAA because it was assumed the VHS tape would be used to record a movie broadcast. It didn't matter if you were recording a family picnic or a trip to the beach on the blank VHS tape. It was just assumed you were going to record copyrighted material.