The VCR turns 30(ish)

We have fond memories of VCRs here at Engadget since they finally allowed us to pause episodes of Maude helping us through those pubescent rough spots. According to the WCF Courier in Waterloo, Iowa (and they should know) — today marks the 30th anniversary of the introduction of the VCR. Huh? We guess they must be referring to Sony's Betamax since JVC's rival VHS format wasn't released until 1976. But who cares, we loves a party! And according to their local Best Buy, there are still humans buying those dedicated VCRs, usually as replacements for existing models. Oh boy, do we have a phone for them.

[Via PVR Wire]

[Martin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

That thing is so cool! I want one! When is it available, and can I get it in Ipod White?

[Malfoy Roark @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Well I was going to comment on that I would never get rid of my VCR until they ported Pirates of Silicon Valley and The Wizard to DVD BUT it seems Pirates will be out on 8/20/05. So until they port The Wizard(the cool kids know :D ) I will always own a dedicated VCR :)


The Powerglove..it's so bad. :)

[Helo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

What's a VCR?

[narco @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Haha the Wizard. I found that a couple years ago (on VHS, of course) at the Salvation Army. Brings back fond memories of Super Mario Bros. 3, and how cool it was when he busted all those blocks with the turtle shell.

I still bust up when I think about how that retarded kid only says "California?" throughout the entire movie.

Fishes,
narco.

[Guille @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Wow, a top-loading VCR. Talk about memories.

[Funny Bunny @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Dude, what's a dvd player and a vcr?

[Tiberius @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I think my parents had the VCR in the photo. I always wondered where it went, wired remote control and all.

[mrdelayer @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Wow, 30 years and we still haven't completely gotten rid of it.

[Carl @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

#2 I have wizard on..... LASERDISC!!! w00t!

"fond" memories of VCRs?... *tries to think of one...?*
It was a medium that I for one hated... I always got movies on Laserdisc.... farrr superior quality and lasted much longer... even though all those stories of oxidation... I have never had one fail by any means.. Just be careful with them,they arent dvds.. And I regulary use Laserdisc because A. All but one of my VCRs have died and yet only a single of my four laser disc players have died, and all of my laserdiscs work fine and practically none of my VCR tapes are in any watchable quality... But I have the original theatrical release of the original star wars trilogy(HAN SHOT FIRST!), as well as Wizard and a good 50 others... just couldnt stand VCRs quality.... ewww, only good for recording tv that was already in not-to-good quality....

Mention Laserdisc dammit! BUT, the prices were a bitch.... some of mine have the labels anywhere from 39.95$ to 49.95$,..and this was a while ago... anyway... Laserdisc are still working fine while all my VCR tapes have long since died of replays...

[Malfoy Roark @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Narco,

He also says

"Corey...I don't want to quit." After Savage and the girl have a fight and are going in seperate directions.


Carl, I'm gonna need you to hand over that laserdisc of the wizard. :)

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I still use my vcr often, but more as a pseudo-remote solution for the tv-tuner (and as a signal booster.) I actually forgot I had a tape in it for a few months. My fondest memory of it would have to be the tricky art of trying to cut as much of a commercial as possible from a broadcast without missing the last few seconds of footage.

[Matthias @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

California :lol:

Well, "The Wizard" has been released here in Germany on DVD, but only the dubbed version. It is called "Joystick Heroes" here, a little ridiculous I think ;-)


Well, I have used my VCR last week, quite unbelievable, was kind of retro.

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Ah...VCR's...Modems...acoustic couplers...redboxes...floppy discs...4 track tapes...telnet...

Oh the memories...piracy and media bootlegging in it's infancy...

I agree though, those old top loaders are cool (With a stack of rubber bands you could keep'em running forever...). The heads went bad in our last one and dad commissioned ME to dispose of it. While berating me for not having gotten rid of it yet, he reminisced that back in the day, you had to pay $50 extra to get the integrated digital time readout. I about died laughing and merryily hauled away the '60lb Clock' this thing had become...

[Gmoney @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

My fondest memory would be the first porno I ever had the pleasure of viewing.

[popeye @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

RCA Selectavision anyone?

Worked kinda like a vinyl record in that a stylus decoded the info, but I recall capacitive discharge in the description somewhere. Weird stuff, when I worked in a pawnshop someone said they had loads of laserdiscs and then they brought the Selectavsion ones instead, talk about a buzzkill...

[[e-mail] @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Once this redneck at school tried to get in a fight with me because I asked who actually used VCRs anymore.

[The Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Uhm. What about Ampex? They had a VCR in 1970. That's more than 30 years old.

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

30ish indeed - the original U-matic VCRs were introduced in 1971. Ampex had units way before that, but those were VTRs, with T meaning tape. You think your VHS player has a slow load time, try spooling on some open reels of tape.

[ymmv @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

We had a Philips N1500 at home in the early seventies. This model was introduced in 1972. This was before VHS, Betamax and Video 2000. It used 30, 45 and 60 minutes tapes that were housed in rather rectangular cases. Here's a photo: http://www.technology-props.co.uk/frames/images/philips_n1500.jpg

[ymmv @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Here's a good site on the Philips N1500:

http://www.totalrewind.org/philips/P_1500.htm

Ah, the memories! The thing was a disaster to program, I was the only one at home who knew to set the timer on the analog clock (this was way before the blinking digital 00:00:00 VCR displays). I also remember that it took 10-30 seconds before you got a steady image after hitting play, the first couple of seconds was always static.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I still have my VCR but am trying to get rid of it. Problem is people keep sending me VHS tapes of home movies (goddamn family). So then I have to capture them to PC and burn them onto DVD's, which I then send back around to everybody in the family. I need to quit doing this; people have gotten to expect it.

But I also still have a lot of old music videos, student films and other junk that I'm sort of in the process of transfering to DVD, and until that's done, the VCR's gotta stay. My dedicated DVD player actually left my entertainment center before my VCR! (Replaced by Windows Media Center...)

I will say that having SuperVHS makes it a lot easier to hang on to a VCR.

And let's not forget DVHS... *still* the only way to record high-definition TV. I will actually probably upgrade to DVHS at some point - you can get recorders for under $200 at this point.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Er, and by "still the only way to record high-definition TV", I mean for archival purposes. Obviously, hard drives work perfectly well too (I have an HD-DVR myself)... and compressing to DVD with an HTPC is possible, but I'm talking bit-perfect copies here.

[010111 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

i was really hoping to get "The Wizard" on DVD a few weeks back so i could take it to the Rilo Kiley show...

then say to Jenny Lewis... "oh! i just love your work! it's sooooo wonderful! your little music thing you got going now is okay too i suppose... can you sign this? thanks!" ... then we would make out.

of course my plans were foiled (entirely) by the lack of "The Wizard" on DVD.

[Junkmail @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

#19 and #20 .. Thank you for bringing back oh so many memories. We had one of these when all the other kids only dreamed about having one. Then we, uhh, stuck to it for a too long time and finally bought a Betamax.

Oh, I still feel the shame of not having VHS in the early eighties. These wounds will never heal.

[Jason Anderson @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I love old technology design.

Also, Pirates is coming to DVD? Damn, now I don't have to record my VHS copy to DVD myself. Would be much better if they continue the story from Steve's return and Bill's "appearance".
http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=WBD006996

Also, I too will not rest until The Wizard gets a DVD release.

[Old Comedywriter @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I can't believe I had to scroll down 18 comments before someone said "VTR" and "U-Matic" 3/4 inch format...and nobody mentioned the paleolithic "luggy-corder" camcorder (13 channel tuner/power supply unit, recorder unit with lead battery, and camera unit with streak 'n burn vidicon tube) which predated the also obsolete "shoulder boulder" VHS cam.