I like VCRs and tapes! (is that so wrong?)

summer_ste · 12-09-2007, 15:11

Am I alone in feeling that manufacturers and businesses are forcing me out of using videos?

I know dvds and sky+ boxes etc are the way forward, and I have every intention of keeping up with that (I'm not one of these people that refuses to move with the times).

But to me, when there are two shows on that I want to watch, there is nothing handier than sticking a tape in and pressing record.

Then later, when one show is finished I can watch the other show. Or if I'm tired I can simply take the tape upstairs and watch it in my bedroom.

I'm not gonna be in the mood to disconnect a sky+ box and take it upstairs just to watch a recorded show from the comfort of my own bed. I COULD use dvds, but why should I be forced into buying umpteen dvd players and recorders and equipment when I have perfectly good VCRs in my home?

paulr2006 · 12-09-2007, 15:15

Why not simply run a Coax lead from RF2 on your box & use a majic eye to view your recording upstairs?

summer_ste · 12-09-2007, 15:18

Exactly the point I'm making.

You say "simply"... but it's more simple having two VCRs. They don't need any sort of connection between them. You just take the tape out of one and put it in the other.

Jarrak · 12-09-2007, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by summer_ste

Am I alone in feeling that manufacturers and businesses are forcing me out of using videos?

Economics and marketing forces do influence the consumer there is no doubt in that but as with all things you can either stand your ground or move on when the time is right for you. You can still buy a VCR and tapes and with all formats the supply and ongoing maintenance will be around for years after the official death of a format.

Quote:

But to me, when there are two shows on that I want to watch, there is nothing handier than sticking a tape in and pressing record.

That sounds overly complex when you you can just press "R" on any twin tuner DVR (DTT, Sat or Cable) and get a perfect copy of the broadcast.

Quote:

Then later, when one show is finished I can watch the other show. Or if I'm tired I can simply take the tape upstairs and watch it in my bedroom.

Yes portability is lacking with a DVR but then again with a fixed secondary output or wireless option then viewing in a second location is not that taxing.

Quote:

I'm not gonna be in the mood to disconnect a sky+ box and take it upstairs just to watch a recorded show from the comfort of my own bed. I COULD use dvds, but why should I be forced into buying umpteen dvd players and recorders and equipment when I have perfectly good VCRs in my home?

TVlink, control and viewing from a second room.

The question would be why were you forced to buy upteen VHS machines to do what you do know, it's no different in 2007 then it was in 1997 or 1987 in that respect although before VHS there was sod all for domestic TV viewing but then again the first VHS was around £800 and well allow for inflation all current DVR's and DVDr's are dirt cheap in comparison.

The bottom line is that the capitalist consumer driven society most of the modern world exists in means that when something becomes unprofitable they stop making it regardless of a few hold outs.
Domestic CRT's are not far behind VHS in becoming a relic.

dadioflex · 12-09-2007, 15:49

Who exactly is stopping you doing what you want with your VCR? I appreciate that there aren't too many people selling VCRs or tapes anymore but it's not like they're impossible to find.

You don't even need a DVR, a simple DVD Recorder will do. Bung in a disc, hit record and then take it upstairs to your DVD player in your bedroom.

Forcing this, forcing that. Nobody's forcing you to do anything.

How long did it take you to get over not being able to use your wax cylinder recorder anymore?

summer_ste · 12-09-2007, 16:11

Quote:

The question would be why were you forced to buy upteen VHS machines to do what you do now

Through choice, because they fulfill all my requirements more than any equipment out there at the moment does, without having to buy add-ons and extra connections or whatever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadioflex

Who exactly is stopping you doing what you want with your VCR?

When the terrerstrial channels are switched off and I can only receive TV through my freeview box, I will no longer have the luxury of taping one channel and recording another, or being able to watch a recorded show in any room I wish, unless I buy a set top box that allows this, or use a sky plus box, or something else and then as people mentioned, the wireless option, and then this, and then that, and then something else... basically having to go out and get a ton of new stuff simply to able to do things that I feel, I should be able to do by default. And CAN do at the moment.

Quote:

How long did it take you to get over not being able to use your wax cylinder recorder anymore?

Sorry, I don't know what that is, but I don't think the tone is called for...

As I pointed out in my initial thread, I move with the times (I am only 20, geez). But I'm an intelligent person, if a little cynical, and I want to be able to upgrade my home entertainment systems, but I want to have all the easy options I had with my VCRs, by DEFAULT. After all, advances in technology are supposed to make life easier, not more complicated.

Most of the replies so far have been useful but also confirmed my initial thoughts that it's never going to be as easy as it was with a VCR or two.

broadz · 12-09-2007, 16:32

A DVD recorder is about the same price as a VCR is at the moment, maybe a bit cheaper. A DVD player is much, much cheaper than any VCR. So, to have a DVDR downstairs and a DVD player upstairs would cost far less to buy from scratch than to buy two VCRs.

It is only because you already have two videos and don't have a DVDR plus a DVD player that you think you've got the best deal. Once one of your VCRs packs in you won't replace it with another video, even if you could. You'll replace it with a DVDR, which will cost about the same as a video recorder. Then your recordings will be to DVD instead of tape (DVD discs much cheaper, better quality and more readily available than blank tapes), and when you take the recording to the other machine to watch it, you won't have to mess about rewinding the recording to the beginning before you can start watching it .

Jarrak · 12-09-2007, 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by summer_ste

As I pointed out in my initial thread, I move with the times (I am only 20, geez). But I'm an intelligent person, if a little cynical, and I want to be able to upgrade my home entertainment systems, but I want to have all the easy options I had with my VCRs, by DEFAULT. After all, advances in technology are supposed to make life easier, not more complicated.

Most of the replies so far have been useful but also confirmed my initial thoughts that it's never going to be as easy as it was with a VCR or two.

I think that is where we differ.
The picture and audio recording improvements that a DVR provides over VHS even SVHS really make the portability of the VHS tape or even DVDr disk (DVDr being identical in practical terms to VHS in that regard) irrelevant.

I honestly don't understand why you think having two VCR's is easier for day to day recording than two DVDr's although I think I do undertand the portability of the VHS tape argument against a DVR although I don't think it's that important these days.

Of course being twice as old as you and living with a VHS (when my day could afford one at £300 for a second hand unit and only having one TV in the house as well) then I too worshipped the tape based recording and knew no better than 280 lines of picture info and at first mono audio

A decade later Laserdisc wiped the floor with pre-recorded VHS movies and the advent of the DVR (SKY+) doomed the VHS to the history museum.

The DVR is easier to use, more flexible (EPG and DTT/Dsat/Dcable tuners where applicable) plus audio and video quality blows all other domestic recorders away.
Portability is lacking of course but then swap the VHS machines with DVDr's then you have the exact same functionality with better audio and video quality not to mention optical media is just so more robust than tape.

However as we have said the VHS system will still be sold for years as will the media and you could still be using it for another decade just don't expect any manufacturer to spend billions developing it any further when the market has moved on

summer_ste · 12-09-2007, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadz

A DVD recorder is about the same price as a VCR is at the moment, maybe a bit cheaper. A DVD player is much, much cheaper than any VCR. So, to have a DVDR downstairs and a DVD player upstairs would cost far less to buy from scratch than to buy two VCRs.

It is only because you already have two videos and don't have a DVDR plus a DVD player that you think you've got the best deal. Once one of your VCRs packs in you won't replace it with another video, even if you could. You'll replace it with a DVDR, which will cost about the same as a video recorder. Then your recordings will be to DVD instead of tape (DVD discs much cheaper, better quality and more readily available than blank tapes), and when you take the recording to the other machine to watch it, you won't have to mess about rewinding the recording to the beginning before you can start watching it .

Very true

But don't get me wrong, I already have DVD players!!!

And I still won't be able to record one channel while watching another without going out and getting a new set top box... My arguement isn't just about dvd vs vhs (although it seems to have swung that way) its more about technology moving on in an non compatible* way, leaving the consumer to have to go out and spend to keep up.

*ie, it's not just about going out and replacing a VCR with a DVDR, it's about all the other things are gonna have to be changed/upgraded/replaced along with it to be able to continue to do what I'm used to.

One of my VCRs did pack in a couple of months ago and I got a new one quite cheaply (£30 - yes you can get very basic dvd players cheaper - I won't argue there). I have loads of tapes and don't intend to discard them to the scrap heap just because my VCR stops working!

Even though I have been using dvds regularly for the past 8 years, the rewinding tapes issue has never become a bother to me at all. I can do other things while it's rewinding and then when its ready I have the luxury of fast forwading through legal disclaimers and production company logos. (again, some dvd players may let you do this, but again you have to pay extra for the privelage of doing something that you can do by default with tapes).

chrisjr · 12-09-2007, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by summer_ste

And I still won't be able to record one channel while watching another without going out and getting a new set top box...

DVD Recorder with built in Freeview tuner should sort that problem out.

FB_Rogers · 12-09-2007, 18:19

I kind of understand where the OP is coming from I used to love using the VCR to record something from Sky downstairs and then being able to put that same recording in my VCR upstairs but ever since I started using my internet dowload connection more efficiently I found that recording a show would take a lot longer than acquiring it through other means.

When I upgrade my bedroom tv to include some form of Digital TV maybe freeview then I will stop using the Xbox I have to stream all of my recorded shows over from my PC to my TV.

If you already have DVD players then I really don't see the issue in buying a DVD recorder downstairs and watching on your TV upstairs while holding onto your tapes for old shows and even using the VCR and DVD recorder to start transferring onto a digital format.

PsychoTherapist · 12-09-2007, 20:11

Nothing wrong with still liking VCRs and tapes.

However, DVD blank discs are much cheaper than blank VHS tapes (when you buy in bulk), even the Re-Writable ones are cheaper, not to mention the quality of DVD can be much better.

Can't see what would be harder than sticking a blank DVD in & pressing record, rather than VHS?

jj_636 · 12-09-2007, 20:17

I agree that at first, recording to dvds was a bit hellish, but as the technology advances, it has become so much easier, more reliable and ultimately cheaper! plus the result is less grainy, better sound and u can pick up a dvd recorder alot cheaper now than ever before. but yeah, it is kinda sad 2 see a technology that has served so well die out, but its just the way it goes

GaryB · 12-09-2007, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by summer_ste

Am I alone in feeling that manufacturers and businesses are forcing me out of using videos?

It's actually the reverse. If there were still a market for them, manufacturers would still make VCRs. The fact is that they have had their day and the public no longer want to buy them. That's why manufacturers (I work for one BTW) don't make them any more.

Wiilm · 14-09-2007, 14:13

I need a decent vcr where can I get one?

As far as I can see the choice is basically a cheap funai
or an lg

I'm used to v good vcr decks which i doubt these are, I've been caught out by their sudden demise, it wasn't so long ago that svhs decks were still on the shelves - not any more.

ps yes I have dvd recorders /players etc

Nigel Goodwin · 14-09-2007, 14:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiilm

I need a decent vcr where can I get one?

You can't, there haven't been any decent ones for years!.

I wouldn't suggest buying an old one, as VCR's are highly mechanical devices, and wear out with use.

PsychoTherapist · 14-09-2007, 14:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiilm

I need a decent vcr where can I get one?

As far as I can see the choice is basically a cheap funai
or an lg

I'm used to v good vcr decks which i doubt these are, I've been caught out by their sudden demise, it wasn't so long ago that svhs decks were still on the shelves - not any more.

Agreed, most VCRs available now are all the cheap crap, it's hard to find a decent one anymore.

I bought a new one a few months back, for the purpose of archiving some VHS tapes to DVD. It was cheap, build quality reflected that and the picture quality is far from perfect, but it was the best new one I could find with 4 Head Stereo support.

The machine it replaced cost me £160 back when the prices for VCRs were rapidly falling. The replacement cost me just £30.

pawlo · 14-09-2007, 19:11

Quote:

As I pointed out in my initial thread, I move with the times (I am only 20, geez).

your only 20 and this sort of thing bothers you...jeeez

roddydogs · 15-09-2007, 07:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoTherapist

Agreed, most VCRs available now are all the cheap crap, it's hard to find a decent one anymore.

I bought a new one a few months back, for the purpose of archiving some VHS tapes to DVD. It was cheap, build quality reflected that and the picture quality is far from perfect, but it was the best new one I could find with 4 Head Stereo support.

The machine it replaced cost me £160 back when the prices for VCRs were rapidly falling. The replacement cost me just £30.

Look for the "aladdins Cave" type shops they often do "new" obsolete VHS Machines for about £30,

deadline · 15-09-2007, 11:41

I got a JVC S-VHS machine on ebay for £35, and theres tape available still at specialist hi fi shops (Svhs qual) and regular everyday stuff in the poundand - so the VHS isnt dead yet and has some advantages over DVD, like the cost of films in charity shops is rarely more than a £1!

I also have a Beta Hi Fi Sony model, from 1984 and a DVD/HDD recorder and i have to admit that if i want to record something i reach for a tape and use one of the video machines before turning on the DVD/HDD crosses my mind - its just so much simpler seeming and is quicker in a rush, the HDD takes time to start up each time, and you have to wait for the DVD drawer to open then to play something HDD'd back you have to go through the fiddly onscreen display and find it.

You cant beat tape in, press record.

Jimmy Riddle · 15-09-2007, 12:32

VHS is on its knees, do you still listen to cassette tapes or old 8 tracks or gramaphones?

No, because technology moves on, you can't get special features on a video, DVD and in particular HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is miles better in terms of quality and features and ease of storage.

DVD players even look better than chunky VHS recorders.

I'm afraid all those laggards will have to cave in eventually.

JBlink · 15-09-2007, 17:44

I must admit I recently upgraded my amp to one with a really good phono stage. As a result I have rediscovered vinyl and actually purchased the plastic for the first time in over twenty years. Okay it is less convenient and you do have to put up with the odd click or pop (and the kids really can't believe there isn't a skip track function on the LP12

)

However, in the context of this thread, I wouldn't dream of using tape to record TV these days. Equally I would never record direct to DVD. HDD is so much more convenient and is actually quicker to start recording particularly compared to the times when I wanted to record something and couldn't find a blank tape.

whatvideo · 15-09-2007, 21:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadline

I got a JVC S-VHS machine on ebay for £35, and theres tape available still at specialist hi fi shops (Svhs qual) and regular everyday stuff in the poundand - so the VHS isnt dead yet and has some advantages over DVD, like the cost of films in charity shops is rarely more than a £1!

I also have a Beta Hi Fi Sony model, from 1984 and a DVD/HDD recorder and i have to admit that if i want to record something i reach for a tape and use one of the video machines before turning on the DVD/HDD crosses my mind - its just so much simpler seeming and is quicker in a rush, the HDD takes time to start up each time, and you have to wait for the DVD drawer to open then to play something HDD'd back you have to go through the fiddly onscreen display and find it.

You cant beat tape in, press record.

1) Get a proper HDD recorder then you dont have to wait for anything.

2) VHS is fine if you are not bothered about quality.
VHS was ,is and will always be rubbish compared to HDD and DVD.

3) Yet to see any VHS recorders that will allow you to:

record 2 things at once
start watching a current recording before its finished
record in 5.1 sound
offer recordings identical to the live broadcast
record 80 hours of programmes without touching the machine

For most its a no brainer decision

Gilson · 15-09-2007, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatvideo

1)

For most its a no brainer decision

Sorry cant resist it:-

.........for those with no brain?

I am watching this thread with interest.

Same old sweeping statements.

I have some sympathy with the OP.

"Put in a blank DVD-r and press record" What about the preformat delay?

"Take it out and play it upstairs" Unfinalized???

However put in a blank tape hit record take it upstairs hit hyper rewind hit play.

JBlink · 15-09-2007, 22:26

Alternatively:

Put in VHS tape and press record. Suddenly realise it wasn't the blank tape you thought but was half way through your favourite prog

Try to eject tape with favourite and find the tape is screwed round the video head so spend precious minutes rescuing said favourite.

Press record only to realise you hadn't wound the tape back to the beginning last time

Put tape recorded on one machine into another and find auto-tracking doesn't quite

Put in fresh new VHS tape, press record. Stop at end of prog and rewind. Start playing and then notice the picture quality is not quite as good as the original!

Having said all that, I still have about 5 VHS recorders, 3 of which are mothballed and two which are connected but rarely used - never for recording. I still enjoy watching programmes off VHS, but not for the picture quality or speed of access.

12-09-2007, 15:11	#1
summer_ste Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,679	I like VCRs and tapes! (is that so wrong?) Am I alone in feeling that manufacturers and businesses are forcing me out of using videos? I know dvds and sky+ boxes etc are the way forward, and I have every intention of keeping up with that (I'm not one of these people that refuses to move with the times). But to me, when there are two shows on that I want to watch, there is nothing handier than sticking a tape in and pressing record. Then later, when one show is finished I can watch the other show. Or if I'm tired I can simply take the tape upstairs and watch it in my bedroom. I'm not gonna be in the mood to disconnect a sky+ box and take it upstairs just to watch a recorded show from the comfort of my own bed. I COULD use dvds, but why should I be forced into buying umpteen dvd players and recorders and equipment when I have perfectly good VCRs in my home?

15-09-2007, 17:44	#22
JBlink Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hampshire Posts: 2,926	I must admit I recently upgraded my amp to one with a really good phono stage. As a result I have rediscovered vinyl and actually purchased the plastic for the first time in over twenty years. Okay it is less convenient and you do have to put up with the odd click or pop (and the kids really can't believe there isn't a skip track function on the LP12) However, in the context of this thread, I wouldn't dream of using tape to record TV these days. Equally I would never record direct to DVD. HDD is so much more convenient and is actually quicker to start recording particularly compared to the times when I wanted to record something and couldn't find a blank tape.

12-09-2007, 15:15	#2
paulr2006 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 1,098	Why not simply run a Coax lead from RF2 on your box & use a majic eye to view your recording upstairs?

12-09-2007, 15:18	#3
summer_ste Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,679	Exactly the point I'm making. You say "simply"... but it's more simple having two VCRs. They don't need any sort of connection between them. You just take the tape out of one and put it in the other.

12-09-2007, 15:36	#4
Jarrak Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ilkeston Posts: 18,075	Quote: Originally Posted by summer_ste Am I alone in feeling that manufacturers and businesses are forcing me out of using videos? Economics and marketing forces do influence the consumer there is no doubt in that but as with all things you can either stand your ground or move on when the time is right for you. You can still buy a VCR and tapes and with all formats the supply and ongoing maintenance will be around for years after the official death of a format. Quote: But to me, when there are two shows on that I want to watch, there is nothing handier than sticking a tape in and pressing record. That sounds overly complex when you you can just press "R" on any twin tuner DVR (DTT, Sat or Cable) and get a perfect copy of the broadcast. Quote: Then later, when one show is finished I can watch the other show. Or if I'm tired I can simply take the tape upstairs and watch it in my bedroom. Yes portability is lacking with a DVR but then again with a fixed secondary output or wireless option then viewing in a second location is not that taxing. Quote: I'm not gonna be in the mood to disconnect a sky+ box and take it upstairs just to watch a recorded show from the comfort of my own bed. I COULD use dvds, but why should I be forced into buying umpteen dvd players and recorders and equipment when I have perfectly good VCRs in my home? TVlink, control and viewing from a second room. The question would be why were you forced to buy upteen VHS machines to do what you do know, it's no different in 2007 then it was in 1997 or 1987 in that respect although before VHS there was sod all for domestic TV viewing but then again the first VHS was around £800 and well allow for inflation all current DVR's and DVDr's are dirt cheap in comparison. The bottom line is that the capitalist consumer driven society most of the modern world exists in means that when something becomes unprofitable they stop making it regardless of a few hold outs. Domestic CRT's are not far behind VHS in becoming a relic.

12-09-2007, 15:49	#5
dadioflex Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,540	Who exactly is stopping you doing what you want with your VCR? I appreciate that there aren't too many people selling VCRs or tapes anymore but it's not like they're impossible to find. You don't even need a DVR, a simple DVD Recorder will do. Bung in a disc, hit record and then take it upstairs to your DVD player in your bedroom. Forcing this, forcing that. Nobody's forcing you to do anything. How long did it take you to get over not being able to use your wax cylinder recorder anymore?

12-09-2007, 16:11	#6
summer_ste Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,679	Quote: The question would be why were you forced to buy upteen VHS machines to do what you do now Through choice, because they fulfill all my requirements more than any equipment out there at the moment does, without having to buy add-ons and extra connections or whatever. Quote: Originally Posted by dadioflex Who exactly is stopping you doing what you want with your VCR? When the terrerstrial channels are switched off and I can only receive TV through my freeview box, I will no longer have the luxury of taping one channel and recording another, or being able to watch a recorded show in any room I wish, unless I buy a set top box that allows this, or use a sky plus box, or something else and then as people mentioned, the wireless option, and then this, and then that, and then something else... basically having to go out and get a ton of new stuff simply to able to do things that I feel, I should be able to do by default. And CAN do at the moment. Quote: How long did it take you to get over not being able to use your wax cylinder recorder anymore? Sorry, I don't know what that is, but I don't think the tone is called for... As I pointed out in my initial thread, I move with the times (I am only 20, geez). But I'm an intelligent person, if a little cynical, and I want to be able to upgrade my home entertainment systems, but I want to have all the easy options I had with my VCRs, by DEFAULT. After all, advances in technology are supposed to make life easier, not more complicated. Most of the replies so far have been useful but also confirmed my initial thoughts that it's never going to be as easy as it was with a VCR or two.

12-09-2007, 16:32	#7
broadz Banned User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,313	A DVD recorder is about the same price as a VCR is at the moment, maybe a bit cheaper. A DVD player is much, much cheaper than any VCR. So, to have a DVDR downstairs and a DVD player upstairs would cost far less to buy from scratch than to buy two VCRs. It is only because you already have two videos and don't have a DVDR plus a DVD player that you think you've got the best deal. Once one of your VCRs packs in you won't replace it with another video, even if you could. You'll replace it with a DVDR, which will cost about the same as a video recorder. Then your recordings will be to DVD instead of tape (DVD discs much cheaper, better quality and more readily available than blank tapes), and when you take the recording to the other machine to watch it, you won't have to mess about rewinding the recording to the beginning before you can start watching it .

12-09-2007, 16:39	#8
Jarrak Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ilkeston Posts: 18,075	Quote: Originally Posted by summer_ste As I pointed out in my initial thread, I move with the times (I am only 20, geez). But I'm an intelligent person, if a little cynical, and I want to be able to upgrade my home entertainment systems, but I want to have all the easy options I had with my VCRs, by DEFAULT. After all, advances in technology are supposed to make life easier, not more complicated. Most of the replies so far have been useful but also confirmed my initial thoughts that it's never going to be as easy as it was with a VCR or two. I think that is where we differ. The picture and audio recording improvements that a DVR provides over VHS even SVHS really make the portability of the VHS tape or even DVDr disk (DVDr being identical in practical terms to VHS in that regard) irrelevant. I honestly don't understand why you think having two VCR's is easier for day to day recording than two DVDr's although I think I do undertand the portability of the VHS tape argument against a DVR although I don't think it's that important these days. Of course being twice as old as you and living with a VHS (when my day could afford one at £300 for a second hand unit and only having one TV in the house as well) then I too worshipped the tape based recording and knew no better than 280 lines of picture info and at first mono audio A decade later Laserdisc wiped the floor with pre-recorded VHS movies and the advent of the DVR (SKY+) doomed the VHS to the history museum. The DVR is easier to use, more flexible (EPG and DTT/Dsat/Dcable tuners where applicable) plus audio and video quality blows all other domestic recorders away. Portability is lacking of course but then swap the VHS machines with DVDr's then you have the exact same functionality with better audio and video quality not to mention optical media is just so more robust than tape. However as we have said the VHS system will still be sold for years as will the media and you could still be using it for another decade just don't expect any manufacturer to spend billions developing it any further when the market has moved on

12-09-2007, 16:42	#9
summer_ste Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,679	Quote: Originally Posted by broadz A DVD recorder is about the same price as a VCR is at the moment, maybe a bit cheaper. A DVD player is much, much cheaper than any VCR. So, to have a DVDR downstairs and a DVD player upstairs would cost far less to buy from scratch than to buy two VCRs. It is only because you already have two videos and don't have a DVDR plus a DVD player that you think you've got the best deal. Once one of your VCRs packs in you won't replace it with another video, even if you could. You'll replace it with a DVDR, which will cost about the same as a video recorder. Then your recordings will be to DVD instead of tape (DVD discs much cheaper, better quality and more readily available than blank tapes), and when you take the recording to the other machine to watch it, you won't have to mess about rewinding the recording to the beginning before you can start watching it . Very true But don't get me wrong, I already have DVD players!!! And I still won't be able to record one channel while watching another without going out and getting a new set top box... My arguement isn't just about dvd vs vhs (although it seems to have swung that way) its more about technology moving on in an non compatible* way, leaving the consumer to have to go out and spend to keep up. *ie, it's not just about going out and replacing a VCR with a DVDR, it's about all the other things are gonna have to be changed/upgraded/replaced along with it to be able to continue to do what I'm used to. One of my VCRs did pack in a couple of months ago and I got a new one quite cheaply (£30 - yes you can get very basic dvd players cheaper - I won't argue there). I have loads of tapes and don't intend to discard them to the scrap heap just because my VCR stops working! Even though I have been using dvds regularly for the past 8 years, the rewinding tapes issue has never become a bother to me at all. I can do other things while it's rewinding and then when its ready I have the luxury of fast forwading through legal disclaimers and production company logos. (again, some dvd players may let you do this, but again you have to pay extra for the privelage of doing something that you can do by default with tapes).

12-09-2007, 17:00	#10
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	Quote: Originally Posted by summer_ste And I still won't be able to record one channel while watching another without going out and getting a new set top box... DVD Recorder with built in Freeview tuner should sort that problem out.

12-09-2007, 18:19	#11
FB_Rogers Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 648	I kind of understand where the OP is coming from I used to love using the VCR to record something from Sky downstairs and then being able to put that same recording in my VCR upstairs but ever since I started using my internet dowload connection more efficiently I found that recording a show would take a lot longer than acquiring it through other means. When I upgrade my bedroom tv to include some form of Digital TV maybe freeview then I will stop using the Xbox I have to stream all of my recorded shows over from my PC to my TV. If you already have DVD players then I really don't see the issue in buying a DVD recorder downstairs and watching on your TV upstairs while holding onto your tapes for old shows and even using the VCR and DVD recorder to start transferring onto a digital format.

12-09-2007, 20:11	#12
PsychoTherapist Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Liverpool, UK Posts: 2,194	Nothing wrong with still liking VCRs and tapes. However, DVD blank discs are much cheaper than blank VHS tapes (when you buy in bulk), even the Re-Writable ones are cheaper, not to mention the quality of DVD can be much better. Can't see what would be harder than sticking a blank DVD in & pressing record, rather than VHS?

12-09-2007, 20:17	#13
jj_636 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Glasgow Posts: 27	I agree that at first, recording to dvds was a bit hellish, but as the technology advances, it has become so much easier, more reliable and ultimately cheaper! plus the result is less grainy, better sound and u can pick up a dvd recorder alot cheaper now than ever before. but yeah, it is kinda sad 2 see a technology that has served so well die out, but its just the way it goes

12-09-2007, 21:06	#14
GaryB Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: St Albans Posts: 4,088	Quote: Originally Posted by summer_ste Am I alone in feeling that manufacturers and businesses are forcing me out of using videos? It's actually the reverse. If there were still a market for them, manufacturers would still make VCRs. The fact is that they have had their day and the public no longer want to buy them. That's why manufacturers (I work for one BTW) don't make them any more.

14-09-2007, 14:13	#15
Wiilm Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 25	I need a decent vcr where can I get one? As far as I can see the choice is basically a cheap funai or an lg I'm used to v good vcr decks which i doubt these are, I've been caught out by their sudden demise, it wasn't so long ago that svhs decks were still on the shelves - not any more. ps yes I have dvd recorders /players etc

14-09-2007, 14:41	#16
Nigel Goodwin Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Derbyshire Posts: 41,789	Quote: Originally Posted by Wiilm I need a decent vcr where can I get one? You can't, there haven't been any decent ones for years!. I wouldn't suggest buying an old one, as VCR's are highly mechanical devices, and wear out with use.

14-09-2007, 19:11	#18
pawlo Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Huddersfield, west yorkshire Posts: 168	Quote: As I pointed out in my initial thread, I move with the times (I am only 20, geez). your only 20 and this sort of thing bothers you...jeeez

15-09-2007, 07:02	#19
roddydogs Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6,351	Quote: Originally Posted by PsychoTherapist Agreed, most VCRs available now are all the cheap crap, it's hard to find a decent one anymore. I bought a new one a few months back, for the purpose of archiving some VHS tapes to DVD. It was cheap, build quality reflected that and the picture quality is far from perfect, but it was the best new one I could find with 4 Head Stereo support. The machine it replaced cost me £160 back when the prices for VCRs were rapidly falling. The replacement cost me just £30. Look for the "aladdins Cave" type shops they often do "new" obsolete VHS Machines for about £30,

15-09-2007, 11:41	#20
deadline Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 571	I got a JVC S-VHS machine on ebay for £35, and theres tape available still at specialist hi fi shops (Svhs qual) and regular everyday stuff in the poundand - so the VHS isnt dead yet and has some advantages over DVD, like the cost of films in charity shops is rarely more than a £1! I also have a Beta Hi Fi Sony model, from 1984 and a DVD/HDD recorder and i have to admit that if i want to record something i reach for a tape and use one of the video machines before turning on the DVD/HDD crosses my mind - its just so much simpler seeming and is quicker in a rush, the HDD takes time to start up each time, and you have to wait for the DVD drawer to open then to play something HDD'd back you have to go through the fiddly onscreen display and find it. You cant beat tape in, press record.

15-09-2007, 12:32	#21
Jimmy Riddle Banned User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,447	VHS is on its knees, do you still listen to cassette tapes or old 8 tracks or gramaphones? No, because technology moves on, you can't get special features on a video, DVD and in particular HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is miles better in terms of quality and features and ease of storage. DVD players even look better than chunky VHS recorders. I'm afraid all those laggards will have to cave in eventually.

15-09-2007, 21:36	#23
whatvideo Banned User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 157	Quote: Originally Posted by deadline I got a JVC S-VHS machine on ebay for £35, and theres tape available still at specialist hi fi shops (Svhs qual) and regular everyday stuff in the poundand - so the VHS isnt dead yet and has some advantages over DVD, like the cost of films in charity shops is rarely more than a £1! I also have a Beta Hi Fi Sony model, from 1984 and a DVD/HDD recorder and i have to admit that if i want to record something i reach for a tape and use one of the video machines before turning on the DVD/HDD crosses my mind - its just so much simpler seeming and is quicker in a rush, the HDD takes time to start up each time, and you have to wait for the DVD drawer to open then to play something HDD'd back you have to go through the fiddly onscreen display and find it. You cant beat tape in, press record. 1) Get a proper HDD recorder then you dont have to wait for anything. 2) VHS is fine if you are not bothered about quality. VHS was ,is and will always be rubbish compared to HDD and DVD. 3) Yet to see any VHS recorders that will allow you to: record 2 things at once start watching a current recording before its finished record in 5.1 sound offer recordings identical to the live broadcast record 80 hours of programmes without touching the machine For most its a no brainer decision

DS Forums

I like VCRs and tapes! (is that so wrong?)

15-09-2007, 22:09	#24
Gilson Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,145	Quote: Originally Posted by whatvideo 1) For most its a no brainer decision Sorry cant resist it:- .........for those with no brain? I am watching this thread with interest. Same old sweeping statements. I have some sympathy with the OP. "Put in a blank DVD-r and press record" What about the preformat delay? "Take it out and play it upstairs" Unfinalized??? However put in a blank tape hit record take it upstairs hit hyper rewind hit play.

15-09-2007, 22:26	#25
JBlink Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hampshire Posts: 2,926	Alternatively: Put in VHS tape and press record. Suddenly realise it wasn't the blank tape you thought but was half way through your favourite prog Try to eject tape with favourite and find the tape is screwed round the video head so spend precious minutes rescuing said favourite. Press record only to realise you hadn't wound the tape back to the beginning last time Put tape recorded on one machine into another and find auto-tracking doesn't quite Put in fresh new VHS tape, press record. Stop at end of prog and rewind. Start playing and then notice the picture quality is not quite as good as the original! Having said all that, I still have about 5 VHS recorders, 3 of which are mothballed and two which are connected but rarely used - never for recording. I still enjoy watching programmes off VHS, but not for the picture quality or speed of access.