The Saddest thing that reminds you that you're old...

[D'Snowth]

Okay, so one of our local news stations has been paying tribute to decades past this week - each day, they would cover a different decade from the 50s on Monday up to the 90s today (which hasn't been on yet); one of the cuter aspects of these tributes is that they've been having a segment each day where they would bring in little kids to see if they could identify products from these decades, and most of them haven't been able to. Anyway, yesterday they were talking about the 80s, and among the things they brought in for the kids to try identify were an old word processor keyboard, an old Simon Says game . . . and a VHS tape. Now, I know that a few years ago I made a joke that Steve D'Monster doesn't know what a VCR is (despite the fact he originated during a time when VCRs and tapes were still around), but . . . has it really been that long since VHS tapes were a common household item that little kids today don't know what they are?

 

[Drtooth]

I'll say this much. DVD's made me retroactively hate VHS for 2 reasons. They get eaten up and destroy both player and tape for one thing (though DVD's ain't exactly durable either. One scratch and its history), but mostly for the fact that, overall, DVD's are cheaper for what you get.

And streaming makes me not so fond of DVD's either, now that I think about it.

I honestly have a huge beef with VHS on account of what kind of VHS I'd buy. Yep. Cartoons and cartoon compilations. I'd HATE having to fast forward and rewind to watch one cartoon. Especially if I bought a Nickelodeon compilation video. I'm glad that Road Trip had Rocko and Ren and Stimpy close together so I didn't have to search all over the video for it. Unlike a compilation tape that had an episode of Doug (the only Doug I had on VHS by the way) that had a Rugrats cartoon, and a big honking Hey Dude in the freaking middle of it.

On that ground of being able to search for a single episode with a click of the remote, I find cartoon DVD superior to tapes. The other thing being, well... I remember having to pay 10 bucks for 2 measly Darkwing Duck episodes. I got both DVD's released as gifts, but they were under 25 bucks for 30 eps. That's why I go nuts when they still sell any single disk DVD's less than 5 episodes for 10 bucks (which is still a bargain).

Now, I'm going to consider this. Unless the kids' parents are just old enough to still have a VHS collection, and provided they have a working VHS player, the kids aren't going to know or care about what they are. Though everything references VHS now, so they shouldn't be completely in the dark about it.

 

[MuppetSpot]

Rember when music stores were everywhere.

 

[D'Snowth]

Today was the 90s, and the things they challenged the kids on were an electric razor (the kind you had to plug in), a typewriter, and an alarm clock.

Now, the plug-in razor and the typewriter I can understand (the latter was on the verge of obsoletion when I was a kid anyway), but are alarm clocks really relics of the past? And I'm not talking about the ones with the hands and the bells, I mean the kind that read the titme digitally and the alarm is a radio.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

but are alarm clocks really relics of the past? And I'm not talking about the ones with the hands and the bells, I mean the kind that read the titme digitally and the alarm is a radio.

It could just be the specific kids they picked,because i'm pretty sure a lot of people still have those, including myself.

 

[D'Snowth]

I do too, and you may have a point, because they asked one of the kids if they'd ever use anything like this to tell the time at night, and she said, "nah, I just use my phone."

 

[Erine81981]

My nieces make me fell old

 

[fuzzygobo]

I'll say this much. DVD's made me retroactively hate VHS for 2 reasons. They get eaten up and destroy both player and tape for one thing (though DVD's ain't exactly durable either. One scratch and its history), but mostly for the fact that, overall, DVD's are cheaper for what you get.

And streaming makes me not so fond of DVD's either, now that I think about it.

I honestly have a huge beef with VHS on account of what kind of VHS I'd buy. Yep. Cartoons and cartoon compilations. I'd HATE having to fast forward and rewind to watch one cartoon. Especially if I bought a Nickelodeon compilation video. I'm glad that Road Trip had Rocko and Ren and Stimpy close together so I didn't have to search all over the video for it. Unlike a compilation tape that had an episode of Doug (the only Doug I had on VHS by the way) that had a Rugrats cartoon, and a big honking Hey Dude in the freaking middle of it.

On that ground of being able to search for a single episode with a click of the remote, I find cartoon DVD superior to tapes. The other thing being, well... I remember having to pay 10 bucks for 2 measly Darkwing Duck episodes. I got both DVD's released as gifts, but they were under 25 bucks for 30 eps. That's why I go nuts when they still sell any single disk DVD's less than 5 episodes for 10 bucks (which is still a bargain).

Now, I'm going to consider this. Unless the kids' parents are just old enough to still have a VHS collection, and provided they have a working VHS player, the kids aren't going to know or care about what they are. Though everything references VHS now, so they shouldn't be completely in the dark about it.

There is never going to be any perfect technology. Everything will have some kind of glitch, but we try to make the best of them.
Back around 1984 or so, when there was a video store on every corner (just before Blockbuster, there was a glut of mom-and-pop shops) it was cheaper to rent than to shell out sixty, seventy, eighty bucks to own your own copy.
DVD's were a big improvement, better resolution, more room for bonus features, but true, one scratch (or damage to the eye in the player) and they were toast.
Laptops, iPads, etc. can give faster and wider access, but they can still crash.

How would you like to have been around in the 70's, when VHS existed, but the only people that could afford them were the ultra-rich? When players cost a thousand bucks, tapes only had thirty minutes of memory, and buying a blank tape would set you back sixty bucks?
(Back when minimum wage was $3.00 an hour, that's half a week's pay).

You can hate VHS all you want, and even be thankful you can AFFORD to hate VHS all you want. Ain't that great? 8)

 

[Drtooth]

How would you like to have been around in the 70's, when VHS existed, but the only people that could afford them were the ultra-rich? When players cost a thousand bucks, tapes only had thirty minutes of memory, and buying a blank tape would set you back sixty bucks?

Ah yes. When it was strictly for hobbyists with a crapload of money on their hands. But it's usually that way with technology. It has to slowly catch on before the price comes down. Not to mention the fact that technical advancements usually iron out what was wrong with the previous incarnation. It does indeed spoil, but that's what technology does. Does anyone really want to go back to washing clothes out in streams and banging them with rocks since the advent of the washing machine? I don't think so. Beavers do their business in that water.

I did have a soft spot for VHS until mine finally crapped out years ago, and it almost took a copy of a Dr. Slump movie I bought at an Asian grocer with it. On the other hand, I do so hate how a DVD becomes bricked when it gets a tiny scratch on it. And it's always somehow disproportionate. I have ones that look like a cat used it as an emory board and it works fine, but one with a thin, not even noticeable crack will refuse to play at a certain point. However, the advantage over streaming is thus. While DVD's are subject to going out of print, you can still buy them. When some company gets greedy and thinks they deserve more of the rights of something then they do, they move to another steaming service. Everything is indeed a big leap forward and a small step back.

Still, I have fond memories of the great late 90's Disney/Buena Vista VHS liquidation. Got a lot of great Disney Afternoon cartoons for a couple bucks.

 

[D'Snowth]

My beef is that what VCRs they still manufacture are clearly not designed to last, because honestly, in the last three of four years, I've probably gone through about five or six or them because they all tend to stop playing properly after just a few months - not only that, but they're really picky-choosy too about what tapes they'll play: you can put in an old tape that may not be in the best condition andit'll play well, then you can put in a newer tape that's been cared for meticuously and you'll get snow/noise and distortion for no reason. Luckily my mom still has her old VCR that's still in very good working condition that I can borrow whenever any of mine go out again.

I have consolidated before in the past, particularly if I get DVDs to replace store-bought tapes of movies and such, though some of the tapes I've recorded off TV as a kid hold a little more sentimental value and I still like to watch them from time to time.