VHS is dead - long live DVD

[ChrisX]

I just viewed a webpage saying VHS is dead and long live DVD. Do you agree with this statement?

Check out: http://silicon.com/news/500007/1/1034020.html

To me VHS is dead and all of my movie collection will shortly be all DVD and a handful of video CDs.

Long live DVD and way into the future. Who knows what will happen with DVD: 200 movies in one disk or HD DVD.

Check out: http://silicon.com/news/500010/1/4246.html

[Tommyknocker]

I think the rumors of VHS's demise have been greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase Mr. Clemens. Although the movie side of this format may not be what it was in the pre DVD era, the death of the VHS player is still a long way off.

As long as it is easier to make home movies on VHS than DVD fror the average person, and as long as VHS players still cost no more than DVD players, the market hostilities are still in full bloom. I sure would like for those VHS players with firewire ports to come down a little, thiugh.

[ChrisX]

The death of the VHS player is still a long way off.

I agree and the VHS VCR is still useful for recording of TV for time shifting.

I personally still use the VCR to record TV shows and movies when I'm asleep overnight or when I am out. I play them at a later convenient time at home.

I think VHS VCR will be around for some years yet and the DVD is taking over the pre-recorded movies and movie rental.

[poopyhead]

I agree and the VHS VCR is still useful for recording of TV for time shifting.

well..there is the more expensive option of TiVO :P

[ChrisX]

I agree and the VHS VCR is still useful for recording of TV for time shifting.

well..there is the more expensive option of TiVO :P

I forgot to mention that I also got the PVR in the computer to record TV shows however not a as good as the TiVO.

Too expensive for the DVD recorder or the DVR at this time. Anyway, someday will be in my home and no more videotapes. This means the VCR will be dead.

[Tommyknocker]

Not so fast. Let us say you have the last episode Enterprise on your TiVO (sic?), and I have it on my VHS. I can loan mine to our friend who lives in the next state. What can you do to show him what he missed?

[thayne]

VHS has been dead for me since 1995 when I got my first DVD-ROM. I haven't had a vcr since. I record TV shows with my PVR and either watch them on my computer or burn to a DVDRW to watch in bed

I have never lent a show to a friend, but if I wanted to I could burn an SVCD or a DVD. I have no use at all for VHS

[Craig Tucker]

VHS is not quite dead, but terminally ill.

[RabidDog]

by lending that show to your friend you are commtting a criminal act. You are allowing it to be re-shown.
I'm fairly sure that is right...
otherwise is it legal to download tv episodes that have been shown on free to air Tv?
I have always wondered is it ok for me to download, say "blue planet" off a file sharing network considering I do pay my bbc licence fee? and the show has already been aired.

Also any dutch belgians irish or french reading please stump up your contribution to the bbc coffers if you have ever watched a BBC show (transmitted by the BBC) :P

[ChrisX]

by lending that show to your friend you are commtting a criminal act. You are allowing it to be re-shown.

It is illegal to lend a videotape of a TV show to someone else.

To record a TV show is ok for personal use at home only but not for anything else.

[Tommyknocker]

Yes, it is illegal, and my argument was completely hypothetical, as I doubt Chriscjgs and I have a mutual friend in another state who has missed the final episode of Enterprise.. But I still believe it is one of the reasons VCRs are still in use, as opposed to being completely replaced by the DVD. That was my argument.

[VideoTechMan]

Well, I personally dont feel the VHS is dead yet. I still have fairly a large collection of VHS of shows I have taped like 15-16 years ago, and still show pretty good quality. I havent gotten into DVD production yet because of cost and all and the fact that it would take some time--no alot of time to transfer the bulk material of VHS to DVD (or VCD). Eventually though, I will be able to rid all of my VHS tapes as they are heavy as hell when you have to pack them in a box to move (I'm moving to a new state later this month), so thats the down side of it. And like some of the other guys mentioned VHS is still good for catching shows when ur not home or when you have to be in bed....i personally dont care for the TiVo system.....im just not up to getting on the bandwagon everytime something new comes out. But though the VHS popularity is declining, it still have a reasonable life left.

VTM

[CPimaging]

VHS is not dead, it is dying.

[Solarjetman]

I am with Tommyknocker. VHS may be dead in terms of you would not go out and buy a movie on VHS if it was on DVD. But VHS has a few advantages over PVRs.

And how about instead of lending it to a friend, you took it for your own personal viewing

[MOVIEGEEK]

I still use my VCR to record TV shows because the quality is still better than my TV tuner on my PC,someday I will buy a standalone DVD recorder.

BTW...I don't consider silicon.com a cutting edge tech. website I prefer digitimes.com and cnet.com.

[mrtristan]

Like most of the others mentioned, the VHS VCR is still useful for timeshifting. I only buy DVD movies, though. I think DVDs will gain full market dominance when the price of DVD-R recording boxes get down to about $150.

[flaninacupboard]

VHS will not be dead for a longgggg time yet. The CD has been out for over 20 years, yet you can still see casette tapes for sale in music shops. ok, they probably sell more blanks for people to use in their cars than anything else, but albums do still come out on tape

VHS will not die until DVD does everything it can, at half the price. can you put a 5Hour DVD-r in a VCR set it on EP and leave it taping the office car park surveillance camera over night? no. can you lend somoene a DVD and know for sure they can watch it? no. can you do a presentation and know there's a DVD player there you can use? no. do schools have enough money to replace the VCR's they use for recording documentaries overnight, and do they have the staff who know how to use DVD-R? no.

Sorry guys, there's a way to go yet

[hoyboy]

I personally think VHS is a dying format, however tell that to all the people who buy vcr's off me. A lot of them don't want to know anything about DVD's. As well, as a cheap recording format it has no peer. The standalone dvd recorders are good, by all accounts, but not many people have $1500 australian laying about to get one.

[ChrisX]

A lot of them don't want to know anything about DVD's.

I got a friend who is like that and he isn't into new tech such as DVD. He is old fashioned and wants to continue to use the VHS tape for movies. This is his way and I can't change him and I am updating with the times.

Anyway I am giving away my last VHS movies to this friend of mine waiting to be delivered in a box.

VHS is dead - long live DVD forever.

[mysticgohan17]

VHS is not quite dead, but terminally ill.

VHS has AIDS, DVD has been born, and vaccinated.

[poopyhead]

VHS will not die until DVD does everything it can, at half the price. can you put a 5Hour DVD-r in a VCR set it on EP and leave it taping the office car park surveillance camera over night? no.

VCD is about VHS quality...so if you were to make a VCD-DVD (standard VCD specs are also part of standard DVD specs), you can store about 450 min of VCD MPEG-1 on a DVD-R/+R, which is about 7.5 hrs...

[Craig Tucker]

Problem is your average Joe can't do that with the press of a single button. In fact your average Joe can't do it full stop.

[tgpo]

I now refuse to buy VHS movies. In my eyes VHS is dead.

[Craig Tucker]

I have not bought a VHS movie for years, but I still occasionally use VHS to record something off the TV.

[tgpo]

but I still occasionally use VHS to record something off the TV.

I use to do that as well, but now I just buy the shows I want on DVD :P

[Craig Tucker]

But there is some stuff that I will record, because I would otherwise miss it, and I will never want to watch it again. Not much point in buying that, and chances are you could'nt anyway.

[tgpo]

But there is some stuff that I will record, because I would otherwise miss it, and I will never want to watch it again. Not much point in buying that, and chances are you could'nt anyway.

Like Junkyard Wards!! It's great the first time, but gets old after that.

[ChrisX]

I now refuse to buy VHS movies. In my eyes VHS is dead.

Me too, no more VHS. With DVD experience never return to videotaped movies.

[ChrisX]

but I still occasionally use VHS to record something off the TV.

I use to do that as well, but now I just buy the shows I want on DVD :P

Me too and I buy just the DVD now. VHS is dead - long live DVD.

[Marco33]

I would have to say VHS is on it's way out.

After going to all my local retailers to look for a good VCR with TBC, I find they have non like that. Also the VCR's they do have are all cheap pieces of junk. NON topped the $90 price tage.

Out of the 20+ VCR's only 2 where S-VCR.

Since I don't find my self taping shows off of regular TV... I would have to say after I convert the few remaning VHS tapes I have over to DVD, this will be my last VCR.