bwt (12/15/82)
Please excuse me if this has been asked before or if someone thinks this is a dumb question but I am interested in finding out the differences (pros/cons) about VCRs and Video Disc Recorders/Players such as reliability, pricing, and performance comparisons as well as availability of movies for each. Please send mail to me and/or reply on the net if you feel it worthwhile to post. Thanx. Barry W. True iw2F-315 x7642
michaelk (12/16/82)
Video Discs don't record (unless you are MGA, etc). VCRs do. This is one big problem with the discs -- especially with VCR's prices going down on the low end machines. Mike Kersenbrock Aloha, Oregon
mclure (03/09/83)
#R:ihuxn:-19400:sri-unix:7100004:000:1234
sri-unix!mclure Dec 16 07:12:00 1982
VCR advantages
you can record
wide selection of pre-recorded tapes
VCR disadvantages
generally lousy quality of picture (compared to professional VCR's
like Umatic)
tapes decay with time
tapes are easily damaged
different formats by different manufacturers
some work is being done on getting stereo, but for the most part
the results have been poor.
Video disk advantages
excellent picture and stereo quality
almost indestructable media
Video disk disadvantages
lack of wide selection of pre-recorded disks.
you can't record
I expect that recording will become possible within 10 years.
current video disk players have a hack called extended play
(1 hour per side) which requires the disabling of many of the
features: freeze-frame, slow-mo, etc. I expect 1 hour per side
with features to become available sometime in the next 5 years.
different formats by different manufacturers
A personal note: I do not intend to buy a video disk player until at
least 1 hour per side with features has been implemented. 50% of my
reason for buying/renting movies is to carefully inspect the various
shots and techniques used by the director.
Stuart