# Am I the only person on the SDMB who still has a VCR set up **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719 "2014-09-07T01:48:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/1 "2014-09-07T01:48:42Z")
Okay, I have a DVD player and a CD player too. And I’m just getting rid of about half of my VHS tapes that are duplicates of DVDs I have. But until I can get enough money to replace the VHS tapes I won’t throw them ALL out. I’ll keep the VCR because I recorded a huge number of Warner Brothers cartoons, and it would cost a lot to replace them. Still, I feel like a dinosaur. The VHS tapes will go in the trash, nobody wants them anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/2 "2014-09-07T01:53:56Z")
Nope, I got one, too. And a stash of movies I recorded off cable going back to 1996. Someday I will get to them all. Someday… ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/3 "2014-09-07T01:59:45Z")
sure, lots of tapes (off the air and retail) that are only in that format. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/4 "2014-09-07T02:03:03Z")
I have one because I once went to an expensive golf school and they did extensive video analysis of my swing. It really helps to look at it when my game goes wonky. I also have a boxed set of the original Monty Python shows on VHS. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/5 "2014-09-07T02:03:11Z")
No, you’re not; I’ve got one that I still use every once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/6 "2014-09-07T02:09:45Z")
I got a ton of kids’ movies for free on VHS, so I still use mine. Since the new cable boxes don’t come with clocks any more, it’s a handy time-telling device too. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/7 "2014-09-07T02:44:07Z")
We’ve got one, as I had many Disney movies on VHS, as well as a few others, not to mention my own high school and college performances. Two weeks ago, my daughter was simply appalled when she had to wait a whole 3 minutes for _Anne of Avonlea_\* to be rewound before she could watch it. This was clearly an archaic technology, from a more primitive time. \*Which along with the others in the series is technically available on DVD, but from what I read online it doesn’t look any better than the grainy VHS versions I already have. If/when they snap, I’ll probably buy the DVDs, but not until then, or until they do a real remastering. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/8 "2014-09-07T02:45:58Z")
We have one set up, but only use it once or twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/9 "2014-09-07T03:16:57Z")
Mine’s still hooked up. The last time I used it was when that computer was on _Jeopardy_. I got a DVD set up on another tv, can’t remember the last time I used that. I find I don’t waste much time in front of the tv these days. That’s what the internet is for. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/10 "2014-09-07T03:28:43Z")
My brother-in-law has a son who has low-functioning autism (the son is now 27). Over the decades his son has developed an extensive library of Disney videos on VHS, so I asked my BIL just yesterday if they still use their VHS player. He said that yes they do, since they automatically play. Plus he said his son has figured out how to transfer from VHS to DVDs, mostly as something he likes to do rather than because which format he prefers. He said videos from the 1990s are still playing well and going strong. I remember the warnings that tapes would degrade in five years, but it doesn’t look like that’s a problem. Personally I have a bunch of early Max Headroom shows, a few hours of MTV videos from 1985, some local news programs etc. that are kind of interesting to view today. But I’m going to try to find where that old VHS player went, so no, I don’t currently have a VCR set up. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/11 "2014-09-07T03:29:02Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Am I the only person on the SDMB who still has a VCR set up Yes, **Baker** , you are. Well, not just you but also **Just Asking Questions** and **johnpost** and **Lamar Mundane** and **Thudlow Boink** and **Fair Rarity** and **Why Not** and **Prof. Pepperwinkle** and **Julius Henry**. Okay, only 9 Dopers have a VCR still set up. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/12 "2014-09-07T04:02:31Z")
I had one until about a month or so ago, when it broke. I guess I could get one, but I only recorded a few shows and have found other ways to find those. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/13 "2014-09-07T04:17:47Z")
I have a combo VHS/DVD player/recorder made by Magnavox. Not too many companies make them any longer. I think I found it at a Radio Shack. My wife has a number of “comfort tapes” that she watches when she’s sick. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/14 "2014-09-07T04:26:10Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Yes, **Baker** , you are. > > Well, not just you but also **Just Asking Questions** and **johnpost** and **Lamar Mundane** and **Thudlow Boink** and **Fair Rarity** and **Why Not** and **Prof. Pepperwinkle** and **Julius Henry**. > > Okay, only 9 Dopers have a VCR still set up. 😉 To be scrupulously honest, it’s a DVR/VHS combo unit by Samsung. Got it for $10 at a garage sale. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/15 "2014-09-07T04:32:59Z")
I have a lot of work-related VHS tapes that I still use, so yes. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/16 "2014-09-07T04:34:06Z")
I have one. I only use it to transfer irreplaceable tapes to .avi and burn to DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/17 "2014-09-07T04:39:32Z")
I have one set up. It’s a used one hooked up to a used TV, both of which I got at a thrift shop for fifteen dollars. I use them to watch movies on VHS - some movies have never been released on DVD or blu ray. Looking over right now (I have this set up in the same room as my computer) I see 84 Charlie Mopic, Hot Stuff, The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea, First Family, Avanti, Murph the Surf, The Big Fix, The Amsterdam Kill, Get Crazy, The Stuff, 1984, Simon, and The Parallax View. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/18 "2014-09-07T04:57:46Z")
We’ve still got one. Don’t use it very often, but we have enough tapes that we still watch occasionally that it makes sense to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/19 "2014-09-07T05:11:23Z")
Another one with a still functioning (and rarely used) VCR player/recorder. Still have the media and the equipment for: LPs Cassette audio tapes CDs DVDs VHS tapes and several computer-based collections of various media ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719/20 "2014-09-07T07:49:57Z")
I still have my VCR. Use it… occasionally. Also still have a cassette player, two turntables, an AM/FM receiver, and a CD player. Also DVD and Blue-Ray. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-sdmb-who-still-has-a-vcr-set-up/697719.md?page=2)