Who is still rocking VCRs? 🤔

[MaximumRD]

In my youth, I worked at and eventually managed a video store. I had amassed quite a VHS collection. When we moved here to British Columbia 20+ years ago to save space in our 1 bedroom condo it was decided to sell off the collection. There were rarities and hard-to-find titles, in the end, they were all sold off to a family video store just starting and knowing they would be used to help stock a small store I pretty much let them all go for parcticallly give away prices, instead of hagling over them all it turned out to be practically a donation since I felt I had enjoyed them for years and felt good knowing they would not end up collecting dust on a collectors shelf but rather continue to be enjoyed by customers since much of the library would never be found at any of the "Big Brand" video rental stores. 

 

Though I no longer have a VHS library of movies VHS format holds great nostalgia and memories for me and always will. 

I've had many VCR over my lifetime but currently, I only own these two which I’ve held onto and were rescued from the recycling bins. The first is the older 2004 RCA model DRC6300N this one is solid and feels very heavy to lift. The second is the Toshiba model SDV296KC. This 2012 model is light as a feather and it’s amazing comparing the two, I like them both because they are DVD players/VCR recorders (they do not record to DVD) I don’t have the original remotes for however, I can use most of the functions with the front controls or by using one of various programmable or Multi remotes on hand. In a pinch I could program one of my harmony remotes for it as well. For any VHS needs they work well, though I don't have a collection of movies any longer, I do like to dabble with recordings and creating some retro editing projects as well as using the tuners for various gaming old consoles.

 

 

[DegasElite]

I still use VCRs from time-to-time. I also have amassed a huge collection of VHS tapes. It's a blast from the past, so to speak. Fun to watch.

[RickR]

I think I still have three VCR's in my stash.  The one that is out and still in use occasionally is a DVD/VCR combo that I got for free on a "buy nothing" group.  It needed a slight tune and deep clean, but works great now.  I'll try to get pictures later.  

 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I still have my JVC unit.  It makes a great RF to Composite converter for older game systems.  I’m not home right now but I may have a picture of it on my phone somewhere.  Lemme check.

It’s not an up close picture of it but it’s on the wood storage drawer.  I try to nab VCRs from our local Goodwill when I see them as we own a bunch of videos including a lot of Disney movies.  No remote but still plays like new.

[socrates63]

Ever since I got my 27" Sony tube TV, I've wanted to add a VCR to the setup. I picked up the OG Star Wars trilogy on VHS a few months ago. I bought a region free DVD player a few months ago for use with the TV but haven't hooked it up yet.

[MistaMaddog]

2 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

I still have my JVC unit.  It makes a great RF to Composite converter for older game systems.  I’m not home right now but I may have a picture of it on my phone somewhere.  Lemme check.

 

That was how I used my VCR to play Atari games in the 90's hooked up to a Commodore video monitor that used composite ports.

Right now I use a VCR to connect my game consoles to a coax jack only TV I inherited from my grandad.

[MaximumRD]

2 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

It’s not an up close picture of it but it’s on the wood storage drawer.  I try to nab VCRs from our local Goodwill when I see them as we own a bunch of videos including a lot of Disney movies.  No remote but still plays like new.

Nice, as for the faux wood storage door pretty sure anyone who had a VCR had those types of drawers by default, I know I did. 😆

[MaximumRD]

13 minutes ago, MistaMaddog said:

That was how I used my VCR to play Atari games in the 90's hooked up to a Commodore video monitor that used composite ports.

Right now I use a VCR to connect my game consoles to a coax jack only TV I inherited from my grandad.

Literally an Identical story, hooked up to a Commodore 1084s Monitor, man that picture quality was outstanding, so much so I watched my VCR and played my NES and Snes and any other composite output system on the Commodore monitor, I even HAD a 21-inch RCA but still choose to do 90% on my viewing on the little 14 inch 1084 monitor because the colour separation and sharpness just blew the RCA away. 

[TrekMD]

I have a VCR that is saved but that hardly gets used.  I still do have several VHS tapes with stuff that has not been transferred to DVD.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

On 12/19/2023 at 5:25 PM, MaximumRD said:

Nice, as for the faux wood storage door pretty sure anyone who had a VCR had those types of drawers by default, I know I did. 😆

My Dad’s family invested heavily in those drawers. They taped every show they had interest in and would sit and cut out commercials.  All tapes got a number and what was on them was documented on index cards and put inside those old time photo albums. My family thinking the drawers were made of wood stacked them about six high. Unfortunately the weight of the tapes destroyed the bottom two drawers. 

[- Ω -]

When I moved to my retirement condo I filled up an entire 96 gallon rolling plastic bin of VHS tapes for the garbage man.  I think I have one remaining VHS player in a box somewhere along with the gadget to transfer tapes to SD card.  Everything I own, except for a few hundred DVD's in now evenly duplicated among 3 8TB hard drives.  I simply have no room for all that stuff, and since I'm not getting any younger, I don't want to leave behind a mess for my beneficiaries.