# Who still uses a VCR? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868 "2008-07-26T20:24:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/1 "2008-07-26T20:24:46Z")
AIB [this article](http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=150180&catid=3): A lot of senior citizens still use VCRs. After all, why should they give it up after spending years to learn how to program the clock? My dad prefers the VCR for watching movies over DVD, because all he has to do is pop in the tape, play it, and rewind when it’s over. With a DVD, there’s menus, long copyright notices and special features galore, and one wrong move with the remote will take you back to the root menu or the beginning of the movie. Renting tapes can be a challenge, though there’s still a few lone Blockbuster outlets that stock a few. Generally, older people have problems with consumer product menus; anything where a button can control different features based on its context, so a VCR is simple by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/2 "2008-07-26T20:30:32Z")
I still have a few VHS tapes because either the titles are not available on DVD, or because they have only recently been released on DVD and I haven’t replaced them yet. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/3 "2008-07-26T20:34:33Z")
We do occasionally. My kids were just watching a Scooby Doo video on the combo TV/VCR I have in my office. I keep a Combo DVD/VCR in my bedroom and on rare occasions a video actually does get played in it. Our main TV setup has DVD & DVR and a computer hooked up to it, but no VCR. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/4 "2008-07-26T20:36:19Z")
We have a combo VCR/DVD player, and I prefer the tapes for my kids. I can just shove in the tape, FF to the movie, and let it play. With DVDs I have to sit there and go through all the previews and the menus and it’s just a big pain. Also, I can get old videotapes for a dollar (from the library donation table), which is a lot cheaper than any DVD, even a Netflix rental. For us grownups I get DVDs, but my kids only have a few. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/5 "2008-07-26T20:40:12Z")
I still have quite of a few movies on VHS that I keep it around for, as well as my, uhmmm, “special genre” collection. I don’t try to rent anything though. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/6 "2008-07-26T20:42:07Z")
We also use the VCR for kids’ movies. The kids haven’t gotten the hang of handling DVDs, so after 15-20 viewings they’re too scratched to play properly anymore. It’s a lot harder to ruin a videotape, and it’s a lot easier for someone who can’t read to work a VCR. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/7 "2008-07-26T21:10:24Z")
I have a VCR/DVD combo, since I have quite a few movies on videocassette that I’ve had for a long time. In addition, it lets me tape TV programs for viewing later. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/8 "2008-07-26T21:16:08Z")
I do. It does all I need at this point, so why spend the money? But I am a slow adopter of technology. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/9 "2008-07-26T21:18:56Z")
I do. We tape shows for later viewing, and we buy a lot of children’s videos at the tykes and tots fair. Disney vid for two bucks? Plus I don’t have to wait until god knows when they will next release it? Then again, we _also_ regularly listen to cassettes (the library has a surprising number of children’s read along books on tape, as well as the tapes still kicking around from _my_ childhood) and records (which you can’t buy on CD). I also have an ungodly number of DVD’s, as does my mother, so we are hardly clinging to the VCR. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/10 "2008-07-26T21:31:43Z")
I still have a large collection of VHS (and Beta) tapes, mostly things I taped off TV that aren’t available on DVD and some personal stuff like the video I took at a shuttle launch. One of these days I’m going to buy a DVD recorder and make copies, but until I do I need to hang onto my tapes. ---
**Author:** ![Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rascal_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/11 "2008-07-26T21:35:00Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom] We have a combo VCR/DVD player, and I prefer the tapes for my kids. I can just shove in the tape, FF to the movie, and let it play. With DVDs I have to sit there and go through all the previews and the menus and it’s just a big pain. Also, I can get old videotapes for a dollar (from the library donation table), which is a lot cheaper than any DVD, even a Netflix rental. For us grownups I get DVDs, but my kids only have a few. [/QUOTE] Both of my DVD players allow me to hit an arrow to zip past the previews. ---
**Author:** ![mrsspooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@mrsspooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrsspooky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/12 "2008-07-26T21:41:20Z")
My mum still uses one to tape all her soaps! Ive got one in my bedroom but its not switched on and has been used once in 3 years. As a kid I collected all the Disney videos and have kept it for the sole purpose of watching my disney tapes. I have other tapes which I may watch. I wont, however, disclose the nature of those. Lets just say they are no disney cartoon! ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/13 "2008-07-26T21:55:25Z")
[QUOTE=Canadjun] I have a VCR/DVD combo, since I have quite a few movies on videocassette that I’ve had for a long time. In addition, it lets me tape TV programs for viewing later. [/QUOTE] Same here. Most of my movies are on DVD, but I use the VCR to tape TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/14 "2008-07-26T22:06:08Z")
I use a VCR to record shows. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/15 "2008-07-26T22:24:41Z")
I’m using my VCR right this moment. For the past year, I’ve been transferring my extensive collection of films and auto races taped off the air to DVD. Today it’s Champ Car races from 2002. I’m nearly finished, and when I’ve copied the last tape I’ll probably box up the VCR and put it in storage. I’ve given away or recycled several hundred VHS tapes. I’ll keep a handful that are of historical interest, but not for watching. This is all part of a long-term project to digitize all of my analog media. A relatively small collection of LPs and R-T-R audio is next. Then it’s on to the biggest part of the job: scanning thousands of film negatives and transparencies taken over 35+ years of snapshooting and professional photography. (Unlike all the other media, I will not be getting rid of the negs after I scan them!) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/16 "2008-07-26T22:26:33Z")
Studies show that DVR penetration (google DVR penetration for tons of articles) is estimated to be between 20-30% of all households with a TV. So something tells me a lot of people still use VCRs. I know I do. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/17 "2008-07-26T22:53:21Z")
I have a VCR/DVD combo. I tape many films. The thing I love about videos is that when I have to stop the film in the middle and come to watch again, I just put it back in the machine. I have to do that many times as I have a toddler. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/18 "2008-07-27T00:11:53Z")
I use mine as a clock. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/19 "2008-07-27T00:43:26Z")
Someone should invent a DVD player for kids. Not so they can use it, necessarily, though that would be something to pursue too. But one where you can shove in 12 DVDs, and they will play one after the other, completely skipping all the preamble and menus. Just movie, to movie, to movie, without need for menu or remote control intervention. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868/20 "2008-07-27T00:46:36Z")
I still have one hooked up, but it only serves one purpose - I went to a golf school a few years ago and they did a detailed video analysis of my swing and gave it to me on cassette. I refer to it about once a month during golf season to remember what I need to concentrate on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-still-uses-a-vcr/457868.md?page=2)