DVD vs VHS
September 28th 2006 11:20
This is a big topic in our household and it’s quite ironic that I’m going to back “old and outdated technology” on a pop culture site but I’m having one of those rare, chronologically challenged (read: old) moments. Yes, I’m rejecting new technology!
I remember when CDs replaced tapes, they were 3 times the price of cassettes but we all went out and bought them because… hey! They were cool! I remember using my Merryl Bainbridge one as a Frisbee to impress the boys at my 13th birthday party (I still regret it, sorry Merry!).
By the time DVDs came in I was now well aware of the drawbacks of trading thick plastic protecting the memory of the tape (which you could basically run over with a truck and still get a decent sound) with a flimsy unprotected
All pics sourced from Wikipedia
Yesterday I walked past a man converting old videos to DVD and I wanted to say “Why?”.
I have a CareBears Video at home which my brothers and I watched about 1000 times when we were younger, the label is mostly ripped off, the back cover fell off after it was dropped one too many times leaving the tape exposed. How does it play? Like a dream!
In the meantime I have several DVDs bought only in the last couple of years that require you skip a couple of scenes due to hairline scratches. How many times have you rented a DVD, only to have to drive back to the video store because it’s too scratched to watch?
What I want to know is why would you pay that guy money to take your family’s memories, your favourite childhood film, the episode of Echo Point you re-discovered a few weeks ago and need to preserve just to ensure you were ever that young and put it onto, perhaps more attractive but much less circumstance-withstanding DVD?
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Comment by Cinico
Small Business Scope
Comment by Legally Brunette
My Wedding
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
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Fat Cult
Techbreak
Someday, we'll have the National Library archived into a diamond ring. And that'll be good.
I'm only being half-sarcastic - now, looking back at VHS, I can't help think how crappy those tapes were... rewinding them, watching the picture quality degrade. Not being able to pause frames?
the terrible quality? The bad sound?
Nio directors commentary? No extras? No skipping to a scene? No subtitle libraries?
Just the size! I have a CD folder which contains 50 DVDs, and it's a little thicker than a single VHS.
Comment by charles
FanFootball
ZCars
Ponderous
Old fashion photo albums are great, but once again, the colours of the photos fade and turn a little yellow over time - just look at the ones when ou were a baby and you'll get what I mean (also assuming that you're older than 20!! lol).
Charles.
Comment by Sisi
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I owned around 4,5000 movies on VHS, collected em since I was 6. I gave them all away about 6 montsh ago
because I cant watch them now Ive been spoiled by DVD. the storage space alone is worth it.
Could fit 10,000 DVD's in the room it frees up
Straight away the main selling point for me is sound and picture, infinetly better quality and in the proper
aspect ratio. Im one of those people who refuses to watch a film in Pan Scan whenit was originally in 16:9
The dolby digital sound too is a massive draw for me, nothing like seeing an old classic remastered to
pristine quality with a complete sound design. Just he way the filmmaker intended (eg Apocalypse Now)
Another big selling point is that I can watch DVDs as many times as I like with no reduction in quality.
All my faves on VHS had been viewed so many times they were unwatchable.
eg: I had to re purchase Raiders of the Lost arK 7 times on VHS because I wore the
Tapes out about once every 3 years.
As for scratching vs splitting arguement, I have collected DVD's for 7 years now and have never
once had a problem in my player with a scratched DVD. Fact is if you look after the DVD it is quite hard
to mark them and if your player is half decent, small scratches or imperfections will have no effect on playback quality.
Its worth noting that you can buy a dvd cleaner that buffs and polishes out even the deepest marks.
(Eg: Running a knife over the disc is repairable.
I worked in a video store for a few years and was dismayed at how battered up people managed to get
the DVD's. I swear some people must have used them as a drink coaster or done donuts on them. (sad)
So be a litle resaponsible with teh disc and you will have no problems. Treat it like a tonka toy and you might.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
I kid, I kid, but I point the finger at your shoddy dvd player that stuffs up becase of hairline cracks. It shouldnt do so.
I have several dvds with scratches and the like which plays like a dream on my dvd player...
Comment by Chantal
I can barely notice the difference in quality, although that is one of my boyfriend's main points against VHS. I have one of those dvd/vhs in one players and they dont take very long to rewind. I also think it's kinda cool to keep them in original form. They'll be to our kids what records were to us!
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Umm, depends on the TV really, but DVD does in fact have better visual quality than VHS if you have a big enough TV you'll see the difference. Certain VHS looks terrible in 16:9 format (I can testify to that) and it doesn't support 5.1 surround sound.
If your not a tech savy nutcase there are ther things that'll make you love DVD, but your not (obviosly)
And uh... well, to each his own.
Comment by Chantal
I have an 80cm, I do get that the features and things are better on dvd. I guess my main point is why didnt they make something more durable? CDs showed how easy it is to scratch disks (remember this was before we could spend money to restore them) maybe they should have invented something that got the best of both. Like the VHS casing with a microchip inside. They probably will anyway, I hope you all remember me when they do!
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Thoughthey have blu-ray coming out to replace DVD's that are going to be coated with something making them scratch resistant.
Comment by Bulelwa
However, the VHS are rarely available! We should hold a protest march around the headquarters of the video distributors and demand an equal representation of DVD/VHS in their stores!
So, onya Girl! You have a knack for picking just the right topics.
Love ya!
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
get better dvd layers people! I only have ever had one dvd skip on me which I rented out, and it was harry potter so it didn't matter!
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I'm in the middle of the road with my opinion on this one. I think DVDs are great, they are easier to store, the non-fast forwarding/rewinding aspect is great and the quality is definitely better...
But it still took me a while to physically and psychologically move from videos to DVDs. I was a bit suspicious that if I moved my loyalty from one type of technology to another, then another one will replace it soon after that. I guess that's the nature of technology and life though and probably a topic for another blog.
Like you, Chantal, I have one of those machines with both a video and DVD player so I can still use both depending on what I'm watching.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by Chantal
I know what you mean, Tracy it's so hard to hold off when they create the latest and greatest technological sensations but you just know that in the next 6mths something better will come along and this thing will be half it's price but do you want it, or the next greatest thing??
And Bulelwa, you were my inspiration for this piece
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by Vixter
People
Diet Food Lifestyle
CHEATERS
1 For The Road
But then I have had to go back to the video store and say i can't watch past scene whatever can I have another DVD -oh the anger!
As for Photo albums - I am totally afraid of that technology...I mean I am using it and have told myself that I will print it out eventually but I really can't see that day happening and I keep wondering how you facilitate a family photo album online - you lose a lot of that human contact that is the basic part of sharing.
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
I'm sorry, but when my kids are clamouring for whichever movie it is and they get stuck with long winded piracy warnings and previews etc that you can't skip.....welll I paid for a DVD player so I could skip certain things....like piracy warnings (which now are much longer and nobody pays attention to anyway) and not have to deal with "But I want to see Ariel....!" etc etc With VHS - simply no problem - machine fast forwards without giving me annoying little symbols in the corner to tell me that I can't do with my machine what I paid for it to do.
In other ways they are good, space, quality, chapters that sort of thing but hey, what do I know - I just asked for a record player for a birthday present!