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The Project Zomboid VHS tapes that give XP are the skill series: Woodcraft (Carpentry), The Cook Show (Cooking), Carzone (Mechanics) and Exposure Survival (Fishing, Agriculture, Carpentry, Foraging and Trapping). To use one, put the tape in a TV that plays VHS, turn it on and watch. Each episode gives its XP once per character. In Build 42, tape and TV XP stops at the Maximum Media XP Level sandbox setting, level 3 on the standard presets.

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How to use VHS tapes in Project Zomboid

1

Find the tapes

Look in video stores and homes. Retail skill tapes can turn up more than once.
2

Find a TV that plays VHS

ValuTech and Premium Technologies televisions accept VHS tapes. The antique television only shows broadcasts. The TV needs power.
3

Insert the tape and play

Right-click the TV, open its device options, put the tape in and turn it on.
4

Watch to the end

Your character gains XP as the episode plays. Let it run to the end.

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How to get the most XP from VHS tapes

  • Read the skill book first. A skill book’s XP multiplier also applies to XP from tapes and TV shows, so read the matching volume before you watch.
  • Watch each episode once. The game remembers which episodes each character has watched. A second watch, or a second copy of the same tape, gives no more XP.
  • Mind the cap. In Build 42, tapes and TV stop giving XP once the skill reaches the Maximum Media XP Level (level 3 on the standard presets). Beyond that, train the skill by doing it.

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What about the Life and Living TV channel?

For roughly the first nine in-game days, the Life and Living channel shows the same kinds of skill programmes live, at 06:00, 12:00 and 18:00. A player who misses them can catch up with the tapes. The same rules apply: once per character, book multipliers count, and the Build 42 media XP cap applies.

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Server settings that affect VHS XP

On a FREAKHOSTING server, the Experience multiplier under World rules (sandbox) in Game settings scales the XP your players earn. The media XP cap isn’t on the Game settings page; it is a sandbox option in .cache/Server/<Server Name>_SandboxVars.lua. Open the file with SandboxVars.lua: open the raw file on the Game settings page, stop the server before editing, and save before you start it again. See sandbox settings.

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Frequently asked questions

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Which VHS tape gives mechanics XP?

Carzone, episodes 1 to 3. Read a Mechanics skill book first to multiply the XP.

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Why am I not getting XP from a VHS tape?

Either your character already watched that episode, or the skill is at or above the Maximum Media XP Level (level 3 by default in Build 42). Tapes that don’t teach a skill give no XP.

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Can I play VHS tapes on any TV?

No. The antique television doesn’t accept VHS tapes. Use a ValuTech or Premium Technologies TV with power.

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Do other players watching the TV also get XP?

XP is tracked per player. Each player who watches an episode for the first time can earn its XP, up to their own cap.

Project Zomboid guide

Every Project Zomboid page in one place.

Reading speed

Make skill books faster.

Sandbox settings

Experience multiplier and world rules.

Car settings

Mechanics, hotwiring and vehicles.
Checked by the FREAKHOSTING team on 30 October 2026 against current Build 42 game guides and our Game Panel (Project Zomboid Build 42). Tape lists and XP rules may change in later game updates.

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Need Extra Help?

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Last Updated: October 2026