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[Saint of Killers]

I wonder what some of the newer technological VCR advances were...

 

[BocoDragon]

I wonder what some of the newer technological VCR advances were...

How to make make them so cheaply that when you sell them for $80 to grandpa it's pure profit. Sorry to disappoint.

 

[Nerdkiller]

Betamax is used by a lot of TV stations.

Don't quote me on this but I think the recordings were superior,in fact I think they were better in general but they lost the format wars when VHS got porn. Kind of laserdisc, never found mainstream success but enthusiasts and tech people preferred them.

Not necessarily. The format you're thinking of is Betacam, which is a professional tape format wholly different from Betamax.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betacam

 

[MrCunningham]

I wonder what some of the newer technological VCR advances were...

One of the last real advancements was D-VHS which could output at 1080i.

Here is a video of New York that was originally filmed in 1993 and then re-purposed to showcase D-VHS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT4lDU-QLUY

 

[samwyse]

Aren't VHS often the only way to watch the original version of a movie...

The theatrical version of The Phantom Menace has only been released on VHS (and Japanese LaserDisc). It's slightly less bullshit than the versions that followed.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Wow I had zero idea that this market still existed in Japan.

 

[LoveCake]

I still have a VCR, I just use it occasionally to make sure it all works.

 

[Pandy]

The real news is that Betamax lasted until last year.

This surprised me too.

I still own a VCR, and occasionally use it to salvage VHS stuff that never made the transfer to DVD. I guess I'll make an extra effort to look after it from now on.

 

[Fushin]

At my part time job there are still people coming in looking for VCRs. I'm sure you can assume their age.

 

[The Illiterati]

How else am I going to watch all my Popcorn Classics?

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

What's some of the stuff that did not transfer to DVD guys?

 

[Velcro Fly]

i have a porno vhs tape that i can no longer watch because my VCR is broken

 

[The Beard]

I hate VCR's with a passion. I grew up with them and there is zero nostalgia there. If I never see another VCR for the rest of my life, I would be very happy.

 

[BodiesWithoutOrgans]

Can dvd now die also so blu Ray can officially take over the mount of tv shows that only come out on dvd and not blu ray is annoying

 

[UraMallas]

I hate VCR's with a passion. I grew up with them and there is zero nostalgia there. If I never see another VCR for the rest of my life, I would be very happy.

I'm with you. I hated them then and I hate them now.

Fuck you, Blockbuster, rewind your own godam tapes.

 

[ElRenoRaven]

Naaa. They'll probably go one step further and build 30 line mechanical televisions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DVPKxb2xpA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3CFkK5OORw

It's true...it's true.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/B001VZ1W5U-1.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

A bit OT I know but I just want to thank you. I'd never heard of 30 line mechanical tvs. Got to reading Wikipedia entry about them and watching both of those videos. That's fascinating as hell. You learn something new every day.

 

[NastyBook]

How does this compare to the Wii U?

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

They sold 750000 vcr last years, to who?

Probably the US public school system

 

[SURGEdude]

Funny enough I just bought one of these to replace a nice Sony I had. Fucker lasted 19 years. Not sure about the build quality on this thing though. Got some weird color banding, the rewind is slow, and the tracking knob is way too touchy.

It took me years to actually switch to VHS after Beta flopped too. I suppose I'm a Beta male at heart.

 

[Manmademan]

What are some examples of quality content that only exists on vhs?

Highlander 2

 

[SURGEdude]

Probably the US public school system

Funny you say that.

At least in the US from every (anecdotal) source I know, along with my personal experience, LaserDisc players for educational content pretty much drove the market here. The enthusiast level Pioneers and others were just gravy.

The availability of consumer to heavy duty players sold online suggests I'm not entirely wrong. Hell my LD player is one of those iron beasts.

 

[Agent_ShortBus]

They sold 750000 vcr last years, to who?

I bought one so I could watch my copy of Akira and Ghost in the shell on VHS. I just need them to bring back laserdisc players for a year.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

Fuuuck fuck fuck. I have a DVD Record with a VHS deck built-in. I really need to transfer all of our home movies to DVD before the thing dies and I'm unable to replace it.

 

[SURGEdude]

I bought one so I could watch my copy of Akira and Ghost in the shell on VHS. I just need them to bring back laserdisc players for a year.

If you need an LD player Craigslist will give you a plethora of options. Only the enthusiast stuff isn't bargain basement priced.

 

[GabeTheGrouch76]

My parents arguably have way more VHS tapes than we have DVDs and Blu-Rays (the total number of films we have in the latter format can be counted on one hand), and we virtually never rent/buy digital copies of films or use streaming services; so it kinda goes without saying that for me, this is kinda disappointing. On the other hand, we have at least 3-4 VCRs, and I'm pretty sure most of them still work, so I guess for now we don't have to worry too much.

Oddly enough, I also discovered a whole box of Betamax tapes recently too, which really shocked me because I never recalled seeing one Betamax player in our stuff before.

Aren't VHS often the only way to watch the original version of a movie...

In a lot of cases, it certainly is. The various cuts Lucas has made to his Star Wars films are but one notable example. Short of obtaining original theatrical prints themselves, LaserDiscs and VHS tapes (albeit with the film presented in pan and scan, instead of the original widescreen) are also the only way to see the original versions of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

 

[Ekdrm2d1]

Fuuuck fuck fuck. I have a DVD Record with a VHS deck built-in. I really need to transfer all of our home movies to DVD before the thing dies and I'm unable to replace it.

EBay?

 

[kingwingin]

I often buy vhs movies from thrift stores.

Being broke sucks but gotta entertain yourself somehow

 

[Izuna]

Dave Chapelle doesn't have to worry anymore

 

[SURGEdude]

My parents arguably have way more VHS tapes than we have DVDs and Blu-Rays (the total number of films we have in the latter format can be counted on one hand), and we virtually never rent/buy digital copies of films or use streaming services; so it kinda goes without saying that for me, this is kinda disappointing. On the other hand, we have at least 3-4 VCRs, and I'm pretty sure most of them still work, so I guess for now we don't have to worry too much.

Oddly enough, I also discovered a whole box of Betamax tapes recently too, which really shocked me because I never recalled seeing one Betamax player in our stuff before.



In a lot of cases, it certainly is. The various cuts Lucas has made to his Star Wars films are but one notable example. Short of obtaining original theatrical prints themselves, LaserDiscs and VHS tapes (albeit with the film presented in pan and scan, instead of the original widescreen) are also the only way to see the original versions of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

Beta was still big in TV production until the US DTV over-air switch. Even today some very small town TV markets rely on it.

The trickle down of that 2009 switch means that lots of fairly nice Beta based pro equipment has become widely available. The death of the tapes in 2015 is unfortunate though. As a result, a lot of local cable/air channels are worried about the availability of the medium which they use. Community access and local public broadcasting are especially in peril due to the high cost of upgrade.

 

[BlackBanditSho]

One of the last real advancements was D-VHS which could output at 1080i.

Here is a video of New York that was originally filmed in 1993 and then re-purposed to showcase D-VHS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT4lDU-QLUY

Am i the only one blown away by this? That's AMAZING! Wow, I'd love to see more sub 480p videos output at 1080i.

 

[Seraphis Cain]

Funny you say that.

At least in the US from every (anecdotal) source I know, along with my personal experience, LaserDisc players for educational content pretty much drove the market here. The enthusiast level Pioneers and others were just gravy.

The availability of consumer to heavy duty players sold online suggests I'm not entirely wrong. Hell my LD player is one of those iron beasts.

Yep, I remember those gigantic behemoths from back when I was in middle school. They were huge.

 

[TheFurizzlyBear]

Am i the only one blown away by this? That's AMAZING! Wow, I'd love to see more sub 480p videos output at 1080i.

Am I the only one blown away that dude bumped an old thread then proceeded to respond to an old post? Lol

 

[SURGEdude]

Am i the only one blown away by this? That's AMAZING! Wow, I'd love to see more sub 480p videos output at 1080i.

I think, if I remember right, that was actually filmed on film or an early digitalformat and then transferred to Digital-VHS.

The reason it looks so good isn't some upscaling trick. It's great medium choice by the original filmmaker.

Being forward looking can present surprisingly vivid results. A similar, and perhaps more impressive result can be seen in this photo of the trans-siberian railroad in 1912.

 

[Muppet of a Man]

Now hipsters can create a market for "warm, organic, compact analog image quality"

Lol. So true.

 

[Metalgus]

Are you telling me this photo was taken in 1912? If so, please further explain or provide link to further information.

 

[BlackBanditSho]

Am I the only one blown away that dude bumped an old thread then proceeded to respond to an old post? Lol

LOL! I didn't know! I was just excited by the old footage!

 

[Zeus Molecules]

Was it Cowboy Beebop where they had to go to some abandoned sky scraper to find a VCR? That's what this reminds me of.

I was going to post this.....

 

[BlazinSkatinAxel]

They sold 750000 vcr last years, to who?

The Ring sequels.

 

[sixteen-bit]

They sold 750000 vcr last years, to who?

maybe they were combo devices that also played optical media

 

[PdotMichael]

Are you telling me this photo was taken in 1912? If so, please further explain or provide link to further information.

Google Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky and his three color photography technique.

 

[Brandon F]

But laserdisc remain right???

 

[CountAntonius]

Long Live Beta Max.

 

[Seiryoden]

Oddly enough I finally, finally, took my Sony Combo to the tip 2 weeks ago

The Trinitron gets dumped when I do.

 

[Ban Puncher]

Now how am I going to watch my skateboard tapes and play Nightmare?

 

[Social]

Don't worry in like ten or twenty years there will be a retro resurgence of VCR's by future hipsters. They'll be talking about how the sub HD picture is pure and how they have mastered using the tracking knob.

So much this. Hashtag teamvcr

 

[True Savior]

I use mine as a clock.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Naaa. They'll probably go one step further and build 30 line mechanical televisions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DVPKxb2xpA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3CFkK5OORw

It's true...it's true.

How the fuck can theVHS fit into that slot? It's the same size as the BD tray.

 

[sfedai0]

Kept my Sony VCR just for my Neon Genesis Evangelion tapes.

 

[Metalgus]

Google Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky and his three color photography technique.

This is incredible. Thanks

 

[Amon37]

For a while orgasmo wasn't coming to DVD, I still have my VHS copy even though it did come out. Also Original Iron Chef Japan.