End of an Era as Last VCR Maker Ends Production

Fortune ^ | ly 21, 2016 | Aaron Pressman

[Coronal]

It’s been almost two decades since the DVD arrived, sparking the long, slow decline of video cassette tapes. But the tape era is about to come to a final close.

The last maker of VHS-compatible video cassette recorders, Japanese manufacturer Funai Electric, says its going to stop producing the devices at the end of the month due to declining sales. Sony said it would cease production of video tapes in its Betamax format last year, 13 years after it stopped making compatible recorders.

[bert]

no, it required in of of the security code to access

each of the devices had to individually sign on

[bert]

no, no..... it is secure. I had to log each of the devices on to the net work. It is a linksys router

But not to worry..... in my neighborhood is a wi fi signal entitled FBI surveillance van 2 , so I think bad guys will stay away.

[wally_bert]

I forgot about drop frame. LTC and VITC don’t vary when switching back and forth?

It’s been 6 or 7 years since I ran a broadcast level VTR. Liked the job but hated the office politics and no future.

[Larry Lucido]

Always plan ahead. I'm set for a while.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Hello 1979!

[Yo-Yo]

I was a television engineer for almost 25 years until I got laid off. However, I wasn’t an editor.

LTC and VITC were supposed to always be the same, but since VITC was part of the video on older analog machines, if you did a video insert edit and were not regenerating time code, you could end up with VITC not matching LTC. Most later machines made sure to regenerate VITC so that wouldn’t happen.

On the lower end machines, LTC took up one of the audio tracks, so it was usual practice to just use VITC. On the higher end broadcast units, LTC had it’s own third audio track.

All is now moot in the age of digital recorders and video servers.

[ro_dreaming]

Sure wish I could get a Blu-Ray Writer with VHS, like I have with my DVD and VHS player. It’s great for burning my own personal tapes to digital backup.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I could see it. Each Blu-Ray player has wifi, each smartphone also. Then any tablets and of course, your desktops or laptops. Then ther emight be a wifi extender in the house. Have I missed anything?

[ro_dreaming]

And those of us who live in the country and have no high-speed internet will be happy, healthier, and enjoy the outdoors; so that when the electric grid crashes, we’ll be able to feed and cloth ourselves.

[roadcat]

But not to worry..... in my neighborhood is a wi fi signal entitled FBI surveillance van 2 , so I think bad guys will stay away.

That's a common name that punky nerds use, to keep others off their wi-fi connection. Very effective deterrent. I have friends and relatives that don't pay for connectivity, by piggybacking off unsecured networks. I think that's wrong, but it is a cost saving move. Personally, I would not trust my content going through someone else's unsecured network. Because the owner might be a punky nerd intercepting your data streams for his jollies. Very easy to put a sniffer on your router, see the packets, and redirect them or spy on unsecured data. I used to be a router administrator, and learned more than I wanted to know about co-workers and what they did.

[rockinqsranch]

I still have, and enjoy my 1967 ELAC Benjamin Miracord. Does a great job with my old SONY 1000 watt amp, and speakers. My wife made me take it all to the workshop years ago as it took up too much room in the den. Wires running all over the place. I can crank the valve, and blow out the cobwebs without a load of grief, so I like it.

[wally_bert]

I vaguely remember a lot of what you just posted.

My old boss from TV would have given me grief for the amnesia.

I have a betacamSP from Ebay I bought for very little for nostalgia.

[IYAS9YAS]

None of the DVD players have a rewind button. It’s a pain in the ass to do it by hand.

Just flip it over and hit fast-forward.

[minnesota_bound]

A quick look at Amazon.com found this digital recorder for $30
I did a search on: vcr
https://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-Homeworx-HW180STB-Converter-Recording/dp/B00IYETYX8/ref=sr_1_2?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1469126727&sr=1-2&keywords=vcr

Auto Tuning, HDMI 1080P Output / Composite Out / Coaxial Output, Closed Caption,Real-Time recording & Programmed Time Recording, Auto, 16:9 Pillar Box, 16:9 Pan G Scan, 4:3 Letter Box, 4:3 Pan G Scan, 4:3 Full, 16:9 Wide Screen. Timing Start Up & Shut Down.
Recording require user to connect a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 2.5” / 3.5” External Hard Drive via USB (Up to 2TB).

[Axenolith]

There are more horses in the US now than in 1899. The makers of buggy whips and other assorted pony spankers are doing fine.

[bert]

no, you didn’t miss anything....... they add up

it was an interesting surprise to see them all in one place

[bert]

the punky nerd lives next door and I applaud his effort to advertise his geekiness.

He recently turned 16 and his dad bought him a car...... an ancient white chevy station wagon. no girls for him

sigh

[Peter W. Kessler]

I faithfully rewind all my DVD’s, even if they’re mine.

[Freedom56v2]

Yes, I remember reading how Obama was revising White House website pages...rewriting history. Wikipedia does same thing.

I wish I had kept my encyclopedia set from my childhood!

[SoFloFreeper]

bttt