Does anyone actually use a VCR anymore?

[Stephen]

Wow big thread bump!

Analogue is good for when it's audio, ie vinyl but DVD and more so Blu Ray are way better for movies and concert audio with Dolby digital and more so DTS. I have an eagle's concert DVD and the sounds is breath taking with a good amp and speakers. Feels like you are there.

Watching a degraded VHS picture on an old crt looks dreadful compared to a nice new BR restoration of old films.

Although I do still have a laserdisc player and a large library of classics.

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by mart44

We have both a VHS and a DVD recorder and use both. Strictly speaking, VCR was early Philips system only wasn't it? A patented term and that's why the name VHS had to be used?

Nope, VHS, Phillips and Betamax were different standards used for VCR's. Phillips was just the first to produce and retail VCR's.

[Dude111]

Im curious why VHS and BETA arent compatible??

I mean why cant you play a BETA tape on a VHS player? (Even if you put the BETA tape into a VHS cartridge I dont think it will play -- WHATS THE DIFFERENCE??)

[Stephen]

The tapes are totally different sizes so the spindles in the tape deck are differently spaced.

I think the tapes were different widths too and played at different speeds.

Betamax was technically superior but I think VHS won as the rental market got behind VHS. Just like the Blu Ray and HDDVD war.

[Dude111]

I hear ya Stevie.........

What ya said about your Eagles concert is the same as my Phil Collins Concert..... Sounds like im right there..... They didnt digitally compromise the linear track audio so what you hear on the tape IS THE SAME ANALOGUE WARMTH all those people heard at the concert itself!! -- Its goregous...

What year was your concert??? (The eagles one)

[Stephen]

I can't remember the year but it was their first reunion concert.

[Taf]

I gave a neighbour a VCR, an analogue TV and loads of prerecorded tapes that her kids love to watch over and over and over again.

[admars]

my elderly neighbour has an old Virgin box in his living room, scart lead connects that to vcr for him to record cable tv, he's dreading the day the box dies

in his back room he has a freeview vcr/dvd recorder, he uses the VCR bit on that to record tv programmes.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, or in this case, if he's not willing to move with the times But it suits him at the moment, and he has hundreds of TV shows, films, old football matches he doesn't want to lose!

Originally Posted by Dude111

I hear ya Stevie.........

What ya said about your Eagles concert is the same as my Phil Collins Concert..... Sounds like im right there..... They didnt digitally compromise the linear track audio so what you hear on the tape IS THE SAME ANALOGUE WARMTH all those people heard at the concert itself!! -- Its goregous...

What year was your concert??? (The eagles one)

But if it's linear mono, sure that means it's low fidelity mono, whilst at the concert it would be in high fidelity stereo?

[heero_yuy]

Quote from pip08456


Nope, VHS, Phillips and Betamax were different standards used for VCR's. Phillips was just the first to produce and retail VCR's.

The VCR format was also available as a camera and separate shoulder recorder. I have a number of tapes and machines for the later LP-VCR derivative which doubled the 60m play/record times. I've kept them as I mean to digitise the rarer recordings: Mostly Horizon and World About Us documentaries from the late seveties and eighties. Then they all go for recycling.

Technically the format had the best picture as even on the LP derivative the video tracks were twice the width (lower noise) and twice the linear velocity (8m / second) due to a much bigger head drum, of the other competing standards. The linear tape speed was also double so the sound was much better. Later developments in tape technology extended times to 3 hours

Unfortunately the concentric spool cassette design was incompatible with high speed duplication so it lost out when the video rental market took off.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Dude111

Its good to see you here Gareth!!

I love my VCR,I do not like DVD at all (digital) -- I love and prefer analogue and always have...... To me its a much nicer experience........ (More natural) My VCR is Linear Mono and I love her so much

I have a concert from PHIL COLLINS recorded in 1990 (SERIOUSLY LIVE) and its composite analogue video...... And on the linear track,ITS THE ORIGINAL ANALOGUE CONCERT AUDIO and is goregous!!!!!! (You cant hear most of his solo 80s stuff IN PURE ANALOGUE because it was all digitally compromised on records and casettes -- The concert was digitally recorded also and that is on the HIFI track and to me sounds aweful (thin,etc)))


Im sorry Paul for replying to this thread but I just had to mate........ I love VCRs and I wanted to reply to an existing thread and not make a mess by starting a new one...... (Especially on the same base (doesnt look good having duplicates))

Your VCR is female!?

My first VCR was in the Video 2000 format (Philips IIRC); bought in the mid to late seventies.

[alanbjames]

I still have a VCR its about 12 years old. Its outlasted 2 dvd players ive had to replace.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by Hugh

But if it's linear mono, sure that means it's low fidelity mono, whilst at the concert it would be in high fidelity stereo?

Yup thats the only difference. But I have always preferred mono anyway,its a better sound I think....

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Your VCR is female!?

My first VCR was in the Video 2000 format (Philips IIRC); bought in the mid to late seventies.

Our first was the Phillips N1502, in 1976.

We upgraded to a 1700 later (1978 or 1979, not sure now)

[peanut]

Originally Posted by Dude111

Yup thats the only difference. But I have always preferred mono anyway,its a better sound I think....

Well that makes no sense what so ever.