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VHS era is winding down - guitarist - 12-23-2008
The last big supplier of the tapes is ditching the format, ending the long fade-out of a product that ushered in the home theater.
By Geoff Boucher
December 22, 2008
Pop culture is finally hitting the eject button on the VHS tape, the once-ubiquitous home-video format that will finish this month as a creaky ghost of Christmas past.
After three decades of steady if unspectacular service, the spinning wheels of the home-entertainment stalwart are slowing to a halt at retail outlets. On a crisp Friday morning in October, the final truckload of VHS tapes rolled out of a Palm Harbor, Fla., warehouse run by Ryan J. Kugler, the last major supplier of the tapes.
"It's dead, this is it, this is the last Christmas, without a doubt," said Kugler, 34, a Burbank businessman. "I was the last one buying VHS and the last one selling it, and I'm done. Anything left in warehouse we'll just give away or throw away."
full story here
Re: VHS era is winding down - mikebw - 12-23-2008
Kinda sad, but I really do not miss having to rewind tapes, and finding out that pausing a tape in the same spot would actually damage it.
I recently moved the VCR into the storage room, still have some tapes that I might want to watch (or convert to DVD) so I will keep it for a while, but there is no point in keeping it connected to the TV all the time now.
Re: VHS era is winding down - modelamac - 12-23-2008
It would be a good idea to keep a VHS player around. Some day you will be glad you did, or your progeny will be glad you did.
Re: VHS era is winding down - clay - 12-23-2008
Great story.
Re: VHS era is winding down - volcs0 - 12-23-2008
Amazing... I remember being in Blockbuster ~2002 and seeing the small DVD section in the middle, amidst the sea of VHS tapes. I haven't been in a Blockbuster since, well, around 2002, but I can't imagine how it has changed.
And what do you think of this (from the article)?
"The DVD will be obsolete in three or four years, no doubt about it. Everything will be Blu-ray," Kugler said, anticipating the next resident at his pop culture retirement home. "The days of the DVD are numbered. And that is good news for me."
Re: VHS era is winding down - Robert M - 12-23-2008
Hi everyone,
I'm not sad to see the departure of VHS. I knew VHS was well on its way out when DVDs hit the move rental stores and that it's days were sorely numbered when I saw DVD Recorders that worked like VCRs on the shelves at electronics shops. I gave up on its entirely after I bought a DVR.
One thing I disagree with is the following statement:
""The DVD will be obsolete in three or four years, no doubt about it. Everything will be Blu-ray," Kugler said, anticipating the next resident at his pop culture retirement home. "The days of the DVD are numbered. And that is good news for me.""
I do not believe DVDs will be obsolete in three or four years. People aren't switching to Blu-Ray that quickly. Maybe when Blu-Ray players are $75.00 or less or when the cost of owning a PlayStation drops to that same level but not until that time.
Robert
Re: VHS era is winding down - mikebw - 12-23-2008
Robert M wrote:
I do not believe DVDs will be obsolete in three or four years. People aren't switching to Blu-Ray that quickly. Maybe when Blu-Ray players are $75.00 or less or when the cost of owning a PlayStation drops to that same level but not until that time.
Agreed. I don't see how anyone can think that given how long it has taken VHS to die, and DVD was a much better format than VHS. People didn't have to buy a new TV to see the benefits of DVD (other than the player that is).
Of course with the digital transition and falling LCD/Plasma prices lots of people are buying new TV's that happen to be HD, so then if they were so inclined to buy a BluRay player their TV's would then be suited for it.
Re: VHS era is winding down - Robert M - 12-23-2008
Mike,
That assumes they have a Playstation that supports Blu-Ray, or, if after the purchase of the TV, can afford buy a Playstation that supports blu-ray or a blu-ray player. While the prices for HDTVs have fallen, they are still costly to the point that most people will get the Tv and do without the player until they save up enough to buy one. I'll be buying a new TV soon and the player is going to have to wait a while because of the expense. That's the path I'm taking because of the money. I'll do just fine with my upconverting DVD player and an HD DVR until I save up enough for a blu-ray player or Sony PlayStation.
Robert
Re: VHS era is winding down - incognegro - 12-23-2008
i have found DVDs to be extremely sensitive to minor smudges and scratches - VHS tapes would play with minor wrinkling or creases, and I've fixed them by splicing.
just like with digital TV - there are good things, and there are bad things.
so far what i've seen with digital noise & dropouts on TV, i prefer the occasional snow - it was less distracting/disruptive.
Re: VHS era is winding down - Kraniac - 12-23-2008
Just be aware...if you have stuff archived on VHS that you copied to DVD as a future archive....
Do not throw out that VHS. Tape is an excellent archive material...better than almost anything.
Your home burned DVD's are not reliable at all. In fact, they are destined to crap out on you.
Hard drives are much better but tape is excellent.