las wrote:
>
> Shawn Lin wrote:
>
> > However, what I feel is much more archaic than cassette is VHS. I
> > absolutely can't stand VHS' size, bulk, and inconvenience. Not to
> > mention the physical complexity which leads to reliability problems (I
> > think most people have experienced a VCR chewing up a tape at least
> > once). After using DVD, it makes one wonder how VHS survived so long.
> > I wish DVD were a recordable+rewriteable media from the beginning
> > though, like MD is. I don't know what DVD-R or DVD-RW is going to be
> > like since I can't afford it, but I feel as though it could end up being
> > a "hack" like CD-R/RW is.
> >
> > Shawn
>
> Shawn,
> Until someone comes out with a reasonably priced DVD recorder, that will
> allow you to make DVDs of your favorite TV shows, etc. and sell the blanks
> for just a few dollars, we still need VHS. This TiVo and Ultimate TV are a
> joke because you fill up the space and that's the end of it.
>
> So if you really think about it, we still need VHS far more than we need
> cassettes. Also, unlike VHS recorders, DVD players do not have RF outputs.
> You'd be surprised how many people there are who still have TV sets that do
> not have video and audio inputs.
Oh yeah, I definitely know this. I was more wishing aloud that DVD was
originally a rewriteable media from the very beginning. I'll bet if
that were the case, we'd have inexpensive DVD recorders by now. I'm
pretty sure once they got a tuner into a DVD recorder, they'd throw in
the RF output. Right now I still have to use VHS to record TV shows and
such, but the format is just so inconvenient, I can't help but wonder
why DVD-Video wasn't rewriteable in the very beginning. It would have
completely replaced the VCR.
> I was in a Wal Mart one day and spoke to a woman who had just gotten a DVD
> player. Except she had no way to use it with her RF in only TV. She was
> told that she was going to have to buy an expensive converter. She had left
> by the time that it occurred to me that all she needed was to plug her DVD
> player into her video recorder. When she pressed play on the DVD player
> with the recorder set to line in, the output would go through the VCRs RF
> output.
This won't work with most VCR's due to Macrovision. This is analog copy
protection that hides in the blanking signal, most TV's are immune to
it. However, it causes a constant light/dark transition of the picture,
geometry distortion, and color distortion through most VCR's.
Basically, it makes the movie unwatchable. Macrovision was designed to
prevent copying of commercial videos (VHS and DVD) to an analog VCR.
Since Macrovision is generated by the Video DAC in the DVD player, there
are hacks out there for many DVD players. In fact, that's why Apex DVD
players are so popular... they're built around a computer DVD-ROM drive
so they're relatively easy to hack.
> Shawn you have to realize that you are light years ahead of the average
> person when it comes to this kind of stuff. Once they started making TVs
> that could often last over 20 years and at the same time keep talking about
> digital TV signals being "forced" on us, people don't what to replace their
> old TV that is still working OK.
Heheh, don't be so sure, I'm using antique TV's! My Sony KV-25XBR is
about 18-years old, although it looks a lot younger than it is, and my
27" Sony is an old silver one with fake woodgrain sides from the 80's,
probably 15-years old. I've also got an old 19" Sony probably 20 years
old or so, back before OSD's (this one's got an LED readout). They'll
have to do until I can afford to replace them all with Vega's. I would
certainly LOVE to be light years ahead of the average person though. I
feel the same way about these new flat panel displays I've been seeing.
I wouldn't mind one bit if CRT's were totally replaced by inexpensive
flat panel displays in the future. I can't wait till flat panel screens
are affordable and then I can replace all my bulky CRT's. The bulk and
weight of a CRT TV or monitor is something I'm definitely not going to
miss.
> A few years ago I went to visit my father in law. He was all concerned
> about digital TVs being forced on him. He was worried that his TVs would
> either be no good or he would have to buy expensive converters. This was a
> man who was about 80 years old at the time.
My only concern would be, "how the heck am I gonna get rid of my old
TV? It weighs 150 lbs and I can't exactly sell it on Ebay." Maybe by
then I'll get lucky and my TV's will be worth something on the Antiques
Road Show.
> A TV from 1950 with a cable converter attached could play every channel your
> cable company provides (alas, it would be a black and white picture). It
> takes America 30 years to agree on a standard, so once America gets a
> standard that catches on, unlike the Japanese, they are slow to change.
Yes, that's true. Crazy to think one of those old 1950's TVs with the
huge wooden cabinet, rattan speaker grille, and small, virtually circle
picture tube could receive modern reception while a 5-year old computer
can't run most of the newest software apps.
> You still see as many if not more models of cassette car units than CDs.
I have actually noticed car cassette units thinning out. There are
almost as few of them as there are car MD units.
> And even a mini unit like Sharp's MD-C2 which has a 3 CD and 3 MD changer
> still has a cassette "deck" in it. The money would have been better spent
> putting in a more powerful amp or a little better quality speakers.
That's why I like my Aiwa XR-H66MD. 3-CD, 5-MD changer, no cassette. :)
> But you are starting to see less and less phono inputs on these units (there
> is none on the MD-C2). Interestingly higher end receivers ($600 to $900 and
> up) still have phono inputs. I guess their thinking is that so called
> "audiophiles" are going to purchase these units and may still have an
> expensive turntable and their vinyl collection??
That's true, my Aiwa minisystem has no phono inputs either. Only my
receivers do, although I've never used them. :)
Shawn
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