WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

[Scaaty]

My dad was a Radio repairman, then TV showed up, and fixed those in the 50's on..closed the shop and retired in the 70's. So ya know where I'm coming from here. Been the block, got the T-Shirt.
Anyway,VHS players/recorders are not made anymore. Anyone know WHY?.
Yeah, there are the DVD/VCR Combo's, but they have ZIP of straight in, cable plugs...ones with Dig tuners or not..like the Coax from my cable...no boxes ..expanded basic, 55 channels of junk..(ab rockers, Billy Mays..ugghh)
New players (combo) have ZERO "old style screw in/push in inputs".
I just want to record the NHRA races ESPN2, rest..whatever.
Anyway, I have 100'eds of tapes, month long motorcycle cross country rides made, air shows (Oshkosh), etc.
This is silly, and has zip to do with the 2009/Feb TV to Dig.
I'm down to my last 2 VCR's, retired and living cheap. (required to stay that way)..
All sold now are Refurbed junk on Overstock, or junk from ebay...same crap.
Guess the best I can say, is the endless spam/virus junk/daily updates sucking puter time.. on the puter, the endless zero junk of 55 channels. the cost to upgrade to "Dig"..(4 tv's in diff rooms..plus 2 in the shop..lease the box'es and remote..$100 a month..?
Sorry here, but ready to give up, and go float the boats..M/C rides in the mountains...probably miss zip.
The new "Ipod, internet phone, with camera, the DVD players in cars, soon next its internet access at 70 mph, idiots text messaging tail gating in the rain.
Not me.. and not fun anymore.
Think I need to get some new digs, farther out in the mountains..away from the "masses"..and just "ignore reality".
Seems I get pissed off everyday, internet, simple freaking TV, et al.
Progress, my collective rear..just sane simple old school that always worked, made SOOO "difficult"
Nuff the rant..whip up something on the grill, go chase a deer with the mutt..enjoy the silence here..very rural, but electrically connected..
Only 58, retired 14 years..sick of the "new"..not working my end..(getting "grumpy"?..probably..)
Thoughts welcome...
PS..thinking Tivo, but a grand a year.(cable/Tivo).. to watch the tube my time?..thats boat gas bucks better spent..maybe time to "drop out totally..saw the beginning of TV..might just see the end)

 

[captlee]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Retired here too, I get pissed off too at alot of the "progress" being made that ends up not being much better than its predecessor. Usually I just go fishin and try to forget things . Friend of mine put his TV at the curb 10 yrs ago never missed it. One of these days maybe I can do the same.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

So, you have hundreds of tapes but you can still buy DVD/VHS players, and can still watch them. What's the problem?

Dude, yeah I know sometimes all this stuff that people keep inventing inhales but a lot of it is pretty cool. I say, figure out ways to still enjoy the old and embrace the new because some of it is pretty dang spiffy!

Heck, I might even give up one or two of my old Johnsons for an ETEC!

 

[JB]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Seems that the older we get the less we like and adapt to change. Analog is becoming history.

I have a collection of Betamax tapes of some of my seminars, so I empathize to some extent.

But there is relief available. One of my up-to-date grandsons snitched my collection of 16mm films I made in the 50s in the Pacific. When he brought them back there was a DVD in the box that contained all of them.

He took them to a Wolf Camera shop, who transferred them. I plan to do the same with my seminar tapes and the analog videos I have made on fishing trips, etc over the past 10 or so years.

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

I'm retired as well and probably in the same predicament
I bought a VHS/DVD recorder and I'm in the process of changing all my tapes to DVD's
Time marches on....
Now I need to find something to do with all my 8 track tapes

 

[Phantom_II]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Now I need to find something to do with all my 8 track tapes

I used mine as skeet for shotgun targets. Very cool effect when you hit them.

Makes a big mess though.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Now I need to find something to do with all my 8 track tapes

Send them to me. I still have an 8 track player in my 1960 MGA, and an 8 track recorder down in the basement.

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

I remember when a typewriter repairman and a TV antenna installer was a profitable trade to be in

 

[ezmobee]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

I used mine as skeet for shotgun targets. Very cool effect when you hit them.

Makes a big mess though.

Ok, now I REALLY want to shoot 8-tracks with a shotgun I can just see the streamer coming down......

 

[gonefishie]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Anyway,VHS players/recorders are not made anymore. Anyone know WHY?.

I don't think it's outlawed, it's not profitable. Not too many peoples buy them anymore and most component suppliers have switched gears, retooled to make dvd player component.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

I don't think it's outlawed, it's not profitable. Not too many peoples buy them anymore and most component suppliers have switched gears, retooled to make dvd player component.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Supply and demand.

If manufacturers can make a VHS VCR for $15 and sell it for $200 and the demand is in the 1000s, they'll do it. However the cost hasn't changed, the availability of components such as read/write heads is limited, and the resale is now $20-$30.

DVD players are now starting on that decline with the introduction high definition. They tried to hold on with upscaling or progressive scanning options but you can now buy a DVD player for $20 as the demand declines.

Manufacturers aren't into mass production for low quantity in low margins. They will for higher margins (such as what we see today with BluRay players. They're making a small quantity initially but for the higher margin)

Damn economics, gets us every time.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

What do we do to program, programs in to record while we are gone though?
That is what I use my VCR for.
I bought a new dvd/vcr combo, but you can not program the vcr to record anything but the channel you are watching at that time or the tv is on. That sux. So it went back.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

OK here are some options..

Cable TV is not impacted by the digital conversion so you should be able to keep your basic TV with basic cable. If you want to opt for more, thats your choice.

One thing you can do about the VCR thing is to use your PC as a VCR. There are tuner cqrds out there that you can use to turn your PC into a VCR and also to use to transfer from VCR to a DVD format. You can then burn as many of them as you like.

With software like BeyondTV (www.snapstream.com), you can have a fully fledged computer based DVR without paying TIVO. You can hve multiple tuners that would allow you to record multiple streams at any given time.

Once you record you can automatically pump it to DVD or you can connect your PC to the TV and use it as a TRUE tivo replacement.

Granted this is not as easy as using a VCR, but you do get some added functionality in return.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

BeyondTV is the greatest. I've been using it for a couple years. Now. I have a Dell Optiplex desktop PC sitting under my TV just as a VCR would. My wife and I hardly watch anything "live" anymore. Plus I can schedule something to record from any internet enabled computer anywhere. Oh, and it's one button click to skip the commercials.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Beyond TV has added some great stuff, such as an automatic conversion to Ipod format so you can setup a podcast from your DVR.

 

[JB]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

EEEEEEK!!:redface:

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

I love my DVD player/dvd recorder. I can record allot more shows or movies just on one disc. I also have a DVD burner on my laptop but it hardly gets used. If I wanted to I can convert my old VHS tapes to DVD so I can make them last longer (as long as the disc doesn't get scratched).

My older brother has the Direct TV version of Tivo and he loves it but I don't think it is for me I'll stick with my DVD recorder.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Thing is, I think there are many still using VCR's. And the many in cities with "rabbit ears" will need to get a converter box now just to do the tube come Feb. Now they will need to spend more money on new TV's and boxes and whatever, if they want to record anything.
Lots of older people out there, and many have never even used a computer, so they will have problems down the line..(I'm getting visions of many TV's sitting out by the curb soon)
On the transfer to DVD's..yeah, I know its easy (just bring money), and my brother is all set up down in NorCal to do it himself..just sent me a DVD of the old man's movies he took 1935 on.
Many here rural just have basic/expanded (few can get a good signal with an antenna), and that comes into the tube a cable. I LOOKED yesterday at ALL bunches of DVD/VCR combos..none have the "Ant In" "F" plugs that I can see, and my working fine TV's now, can't connect anyway I can see. But I do need to study up on this more, as just getting involved on coming up with a workable answer..its a winter thing.
Another thing is DVD's and players. DVD's like CD's don't last long. And seems any CD player I have, or had, last awhile, then stops working/skips/Laser's go bad. Puter Burner lasted a year..(I just use Flash Drives now..burning CDs for storing anything are in the garbage)
And how long before DVD's are obsolete? Electronics moving ahead at lightning speed, and seems anything I finally get set up with, a day later, they don't make them anymore!
Anyway, might have to look into BeyondTV, but just might shove all the old junk in a box, toss it in the shop loft, and say the heck with it. Seldom watch the tube anyway, just want to record a few races to watch on my time, without spending the proverbial arm and leg to do it..things change...(got many books here I need to read anyway, and plenty to twirl a wrench on in the shop)

 

[Scaaty]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

an automatic conversion to Ipod format so you can setup a podcast from your DVR.

Yep...thats my point...seems thats just more or less what a VCR did for $30

 

[bomar76]

Re: WHY are VHS Recorders/Players..OUTLAWED??

Bet you were really pizzed when they stopped selling new Edison Gold Molded wax cylinders....