The demise of VHS

[Michaelson]

That is correct, Mike. Flat means just that, uh, flat ...as in how they're fed into a VHS machine 'flat'. They can be stored on their short and long sides, as long as the reels are vertical, or sideways. Did that make any more sense, or just muddy the water more? Regards. Michaelson

 

[The_Edge]

Very good. I knew that to be the case but I'm having one of those days and just needed it spelled out for me. Thanks.

 

[John in Covina]

I know that I had 2 tvs go on the fritz this year and the little tv a 20 inch model only has the screw on coaxial cables for hook up so I can't hook my dvd player to it with any easy and direct way.

I grabbed my VHS VCR and hooked it up allowing me to go thru some of the tapes i have. Some titles have yet to be released on DVD and some I have not gotten the DVD version yet. So I watched a number of films i had not seen in ages.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Jeez, John. I think you win the prize for resurrecting the OLDEST thread. What shall we give you??

 

[scottyrocks]

How about a kinescope?

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I'm watching TV on a Console, with a 2/4 Channel 8 track player sitting on top of it. Use my record player daily, got some Conway Twitty sitting on there right now. I have a top-loader VCR from the 1980s on the console TV in the other room. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Doesn't phase me in the least, Render old buddy. I still have a working 1917 Columbia Graphanola, an 8 track quad tape player, and 3 speed record player quad system from the early 70's that I play at least twice or more a week. Having and owning a working VHS machine and movies will probably still be done at my house when parts are long gone, more than likely. Heck, think about it, I drive a 53 year old car to work, and carry 100+ year old watches! Big deal! (grins) Regards. Michaelson

 

[martinsantos]

In this the old VHS tapes are similar with the audio tapes in open reels. In these in more necessary than video records because the splices we have to do now and then. Rewinding give "air" to the whole tape, and it will last longer.

The trick on keeping old tapes 'alive' is to exercise them at least once a year. That means either playing them, or placing them in a unit and completely fast forwarding, then rewinding them ,as it will repack the tape in it's case and make the tension throughout the reel even again. Remember, videotape is a magnetic medium. If allowed to sit 'static' (no pun intended), the image will slowly begin to transfer throughout the entire reel of tape, causing that 'crappy' looking image you saw. Heat can accelerate this break down as well. If exercised as recommended above, and stored in a cool dry place, your tapes will last twice as long. I have videos that I made over 21+ years ago that are as clean and clear image wise as the day I recorded them by performing this practice. Yes, I'm a professional videographer of over 30 years, and STILL do this at home. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

I love VHS. I don't have to watch the stupid copyright warnings every single time I turn on a movie, I can just forward through them.

 

[scottyrocks]

I dont know. I think that the vastly superior quality of DVDs is more than worth the 30 seconds of warnings.

 

[John in Covina]

I can't find it but some one has listed in a post that there is a way for many DVD watchers to skip the Previews and possibly the warnings too. I think it has to do with hitting stop at the right time, going to the menu and maybe selecting from the chapter list to start the film but I am not sure.

It's funny how short the warnings actually are but how irritating they are even if it's pretty brief. A comic had a bit about how jaded we are where someone can't wait for the toaster to toast the pop-tart and is annoyed by the length of time it takes to microwave them now.

Chapter search on DVD's is usually a great advantage over fast forward on the VCR.

 

[Widebrim]

How about a kinescope?

Oh, yeah!

 

[Widebrim]

As John in Covina mentioned, there are still movies, available on VHS, that are not found on DVD. It "bothers" me when people say, "I only watch DVDs now..." Really, what are you throwing away next, those old, antiquated things called books? (Man, this is an old thread...)

 

[martinsantos]

Well, there are lot of people who never trew away their movies projectors (and those who BUY these, as myself). And everybody told in 80s that the VHS would kill super-8. It became not so popular, with is still running, ever with fresh film (prefer 16mm for quality or standard-8 for personality. But 16 is expensive, and R-8 is had to find who can cut the film strip).

 

[CharlieB]

I dont know. I think that the vastly superior quality of DVDs is more than worth the 30 seconds of warnings.

I load my disk with my TV still on the dish tuner. Wait a little, then switch over. It's usually right at the menu, or previews, which you can skip through.

 

[CharlieB]

As John in Covina mentioned, there are still movies, available on VHS, that are not found on DVD. It "bothers" me when people say, "I only watch DVDs now..." Really, what are you throwing away next, those old, antiquated things called books? (Man, this is an old thread...)

If you keep with that mind set, what will you have to buy when you throw away the DVD? When does it end?

 

[Doctor Strange]

I'm still running two VHS machines (one a DVD/VHS combo) and have another barely-used one stockpiled. Of course, I also run 16mm and Super 8 projectors, audiocassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, LPs... There's no such thing as an obsolete medium at my place!

 

[John in Covina]

If you keep with that mind set, what will you have to buy when you throw away the DVD? When does it end?

That is the concept of consumerism, by industry releasing constant change, consumers concerned with having the latest and the best buy things when there really is no real need only desire and emotion. I feel that the never ending parade of high tech high end cell phones being released presents a similar trap for many people.

 

[I Adore Film Noir]

The trick on keeping old tapes 'alive' is to exercise them at least once a year. That means either playing them, or placing them in a unit and completely fast forwarding, then rewinding them ,as it will repack the tape in it's case and make the tension throughout the reel even again. Remember, videotape is a magnetic medium. If allowed to sit 'static' (no pun intended), the image will slowly begin to transfer throughout the entire reel of tape, causing that 'crappy' looking image you saw. Heat can accelerate this break down as well. If exercised as recommended above, and stored in a cool dry place, your tapes will last twice as long. I have videos that I made over 21+ years ago that are as clean and clear image wise as the day I recorded them by performing this practice. Yes, I'm a professional videographer of over 30 years, and STILL do this at home. Regards. Michaelson

Thank you so much. Now that we're snowed in, it's a fine time to review all my films noir. Heaven forbid I should find them deteriorated.

 

[JimWagner]

If you keep with that mind set, what will you have to buy when you throw away the DVD? When does it end?

It ends when we're all fed up with this type of planned obsolescence and just don't buy into the next format.

For me, there are Netflix streaming devices now where I can call up a movie when I want it, watch it on my tv, and then move on without having to take up the shelf space for something I was probably only going to watch once anyway. It costs me less a month for that service than buying a single DVD. That's not so much an endorsement for Netflix itself as it's the realization that this type of streaming service fits better with both my pocketbook and viewing habits.

 

[CharlieB]

That is the concept of consumerism, by industry releasing constant change, consumers concerned with having the latest and the best buy things when there really is no real need only desire and emotion. I feel that the never ending parade of high tech high end cell phones being released presents a similar trap for many people.

The question was rhetorical. The real question is, with everything being digital, where do you find an original or anything? Photographs can exist as only data on a device. Long term storage, on something that will be compatible in the future is going to be a concern someday.