VCR's in general

[Richard1978]

Re: VCR's in general

My family didn't get a video until just before Xmas 1987, due to uncertaintly over the VHS/Beta format war & high prices.

We got an Amstrad 4600 with the novelty of extended play so an E180 tape could hold 6 hours, at a loss of picture quality. It lasted until 2004, when my parents got a video / DVD combo with a very user unfriendly timer record that even I couldn't manage to programme correctly every time.

I've now got a DVD recorder with built in Freeview tuner so I can just select what needs recording from the programme guide, as long as I remember to put a blank disk in.

[Techno]

Re: VCR's in general

We didn't get our first one until about 1986. We were always late getting anything in our family. Colour TV, microwave.

By that time they were VHS and front loaders, and I remember it had auto-tracking where you just pressed a button, whereas early models you had to turn a knob until the picture improved. I'm sure it was rented and it didn't have a remote control at all. It was Philips I think although I saw the same model badged as a Grundig. Philips owned Grundig at the time apparently.

The crazy thing is we've come full circle now. I have a hard-disk recorder now and it can only record the channel that the satellite box is actually tuned to. Also, VideoPlus doesn't work so it has to be programmed manually. Nowadays I don't have much cause to record anything.

[memoman]

Re: VCR's in general

The first vcr we had was the Fergusion videostar 3v29 top loader.

[darren]

Re: VCR's in general

first one we had was one of those top loaders.
wish i could remember the make.
it was so bulky like much of the early video player,beta machines etc.

must have been late eghties before they did slimmer models.

[Megawitch]

Re: VCR's in general

The first I saw or heard of video recorders was when one was being offered as a prize on a TV game show. I just couldn't believe it was possible to record a programme whilst watching another channel. Ah! technology is a wonderful thing!

[vanhelsing]

Re: VCR's in general

The first video I had...
Ah yes. We borrowed it from my aunties (Then) boyfrined , 1979, I think but I defienteyl remember The Ultimate Warrior (this was a post apocaylptic society film)! The first pirrate video I saw was Mad Max 2.

[vanhelsing]

Re: VCR's in general

I remember being about ten, mum let me buy a betamax from a car boot sale, it only cost a few pounds and came with a few tapes, we got it home set it all up, pressed play, and to mum and dads horror on came a porno, i remember me and my brother being told to get out while he and mum "sorted it" took a while.

Ah, yes. The proverbial video for a kids' party which turns out to be a porno/horror film.

[vanhelsing]

Re: VCR's in general

I think the two last films I bought on VHS were The New Barbarians (now come on, if an early '80s video library didn't have at least three Italian Mad Max rip offs/post apocalytpic society titles on the shelves than they weren't complete but thats another thread..) and Made In Britain.

[vanhelsing]

Re: VCR's in general

I remember when a folk-rock band called Home Service wanted to reissue one of their LPs on CD back in the 90s, they found that there was a fault on the audio master. One of the guys remembered that back in the day they'd made a Betamax copy of the audio track. They managed to find the Beta tape and used it to source a damn good audio recording for the CD.

Hope they made back ups.

[vanhelsing]

Re: VCR's in general

Here's a book for those interested in the video culture, See No Evil.

[Fatboy]

Re: VCR's in general

In the early 80s when the video recorder became popular, my family didnt have one/couldnt afford one. We got our first video recorder in 1987.

But my friend's parents had a Ferguson Video Star. I can remember the first time I went in their house to watch Police Academy. I was amazed that we were all watching a film that we had only seen a short time before in the Cinema, because it used to take ages for the films to get put on the TV channels.

I agree, it was a big event renting a video and then sitting down to watch it. We have lost all that now I feel.

[kazboot]

Re: VCR's in general

We also opted for a Sony Betamax machine as our first video recorder because it was widely regarded as superior to VHS and it was.
Sadly though we had to buy VHS in the end when they won the battle.
Shame, I loved that old Sony. :cry:

[Kiop]

Re: VCR's in general

My parents bought a Sony C5 betamax - our first video machine. We stuck to betamax after that and had several other machines even though VHS was a more popular system. I always thought Betamax was the better system as it used a 'M' loading system which didn't pull as much tape out of the cassette as the VHS system did. Also the Beta tapes were smaller and more compact. I always thought VHS tapes looked bulky and tacky.

Of course, we had to join the VHS brigade eventually when Betamax was phased out and I still own a JVC VHS system which I now only use to transfer old VHS tapes onto my DVD recorder.

I'm not really picky about the quality either, as long as I can see the picture then I'm happy. All of this new 'blu-ray' thing seems a lot of fuss over nothing to me.

I suppose everything will all be HDD eventually anyway.

[Richard1978]

Re: VCR's in general

I've still got loads of stuff on video that won't ever be repeated or released on DVD. Even the still that has been reissued is fairly expensive so I've only replaced stuff when there's a good reason to.

Certainly I've noticed a difference in quality when compairing even pre-recorded videos with DVDs. Last Xmas I got a recordable DVD player which records at a decent quality though the timer can still be a bit hit & miss.

[the red max]

Re: VCR's in general

It is interesting to note that professional broadcasters continued to use Betamax for many years and I firmly believe it was a far better format.

Ian D

I remember when a folk-rock band called Home Service wanted to reissue one of their LPs on CD back in the 90s, they found that there was a fault on the audio master. One of the guys remembered that back in the day they'd made a Betamax copy of the audio track. They managed to find the Beta tape and used it to source a damn good audio recording for the CD.

I know that the British Library has a lot of BBC radio recordings kept on Beta because it was practical- the best way at the time to snag several hours' worth of output.