8mm Forum: VHS is Back!

This is topic VHS is Back! in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on December 13, 2018, 05:12 AM:

Well I see VHS is back on the shelves in the UK at HMV.

Chatting to the staff at HMV its part of the retro drive apparently with a large display up centre shop. I wonder how long it will be till we see Super 8 on the shelf?

https://www.hmv.com/video/hmv-launches-vhs-range-with-e-t-scarface-back-to-the-f uture-and-more

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 13, 2018, 05:42 AM:

At £9.99, to include two DVDs (one Blu-ray), they are much cheaper than the new 12" LPs.
HMV say they are limited editions, are they putting their toes in the water? It seems they might only be available to order.

https://store.hmv.com/film-tv/vhs-range?_ga=2.24862970.1545255509.1544700686-6 5429854.1542716257

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on December 13, 2018, 07:43 AM:

...... and to think of that car boot load I dumped at the tip last week...DAMN!!

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on December 13, 2018, 01:51 PM:

Yes, but as nice as it is, it is just a packaging gimmick.

You don't actually get a VHS version...thank goodness. [Smile]

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on December 13, 2018, 01:52 PM:

Yes, but as nice as it is, it is just a packaging gimmick.

You don't actually get a VHS version...thank goodness. [Smile]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 13, 2018, 02:36 PM:

Rob's comment has referred me back to the ad and I've just seen the words "playable VHS tape not included".
What a terrible con.
HMV should be ashamed of themselves. [Mad]

Posted by Chip Gelmini (Member # 44) on December 13, 2018, 02:40 PM:

(V)ideo (H)orse (S)hit

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on December 13, 2018, 02:46 PM:

Isn't that false advertising?
I guess there trying to cash in on the "retro" collectors. In that case, maybe super 8 could be back on the shelf's soon? [Big Grin]

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on December 13, 2018, 06:10 PM:

The only thing that was ever good about VHS was how it brought home video into affordable price ranges (at the cost of killing Super 8), and Hi-Fi Stereo audio tracks.

Otherwise, execrable.

Posted by Nantawat Kittiwarakul (Member # 6050) on December 13, 2018, 08:08 PM:

"VHS Range" - without actual VHS cassette included?
So what's the point,other than just marketing gimmick? [Confused]

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on December 14, 2018, 01:45 AM:

Am I the only one who still owns a VHS player/recorder? Mind you it plays DVD's as well. [Cool]

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on December 14, 2018, 08:49 AM:

I still have a couple of VHS machines and a lot of tapes. I even put them on the same cine screen with a video projector. Another type of nostalgia... I'm just AV crazy, I guess. If I like a film I like having it on various formats. Interesting to compare.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on December 14, 2018, 12:20 PM:

Terry, no your not, we have three here, one almost brand new, also have a VHS/DVD player. I still have all my tapes of the kids growing up, (as well as 600ft of Super 8) which i have never got around to transferring. [Wink]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 14, 2018, 12:41 PM:

Back in the late 1970s my parents bought a VCR. It was this ponderous beast with a metal chassis and fake wood veneer. The tape popped out the top. They got maybe 15 years out of that one. I've never seen a front loader go that far, especially with steady use. The even newer ones with a DVD player the disk player usually goes even before the tape player.

-this is not what progress looks like!

Back in the day, for people used to watching broadcast TV on the small screens we had. VHS looked just fine.

I found a VHS collector's forum maybe two years ago. What was wonderful about it is the rhetoric was a lot like ours!

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on December 14, 2018, 07:07 PM:

I have far too many VHS tapes to not have a couple working players. I still buy VHS tapes...and cheap too! [Smile]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 14, 2018, 07:10 PM:

I have a couple that were never reissued as DVDs that I’d hate to never see again.

-me too!

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on December 15, 2018, 12:04 AM:

I have 3 front loader VCRs...One is a GO-Video Dual VCR, the second is a Toshiba VCR/DVD combo, and the third is a Sony. I use the Sony primarily as a master video and audio input-output console...connecting my film projectors, a digital projector, TV tuner, DVD player, and Chromecast streaming dongle. I can easily switch between media with the remote. The Sony has never had any problems although I haven't run a tape threw it recently. The other two didn't work for a long time. There's a guy on YouTube that is a master at restoring these machines. I learned enough from him to repair them both. I've used them for converting old VHS family home movies to digital.

[ December 15, 2018, 01:30 AM: Message edited by: Janice Glesser ]

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on December 15, 2018, 07:51 AM:

We still have our VCR(Toshiba M672 with vcrplus!) set-up but haven't watch in a little while since i had converted all the good ones to digital...
Toshiba M672 Nice!
My favourite VHS cassette I own is my copy of "The Rutles" which is a great movie if you've never seen it. I am sure our UK friends know this inside out, but some over here may still not know who the Rutles are! [Smile]

Don't upset the Apple Cart!
All You Need Is Cash!
I like your set-up Janice!

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on December 15, 2018, 10:22 AM:

I watched one of the BBC Dr Who tapes the other day. Tom Baker 1970s analogue video and you know it looked pretty good about 4ft by 3ft projected. The BBC Pal tapes were good and this was a 1990s tape issue - so 70s origination played with 90s tape and machine ( Sony ) with 2000s VP. Not bad.

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on December 15, 2018, 11:22 AM:

I was always sorry when Video 2000 faded out. Such a good picture and being able to turn the cassette over was an inspired idea. I've still got my Panasonic Svhs machine. When it had to be repaired a couple of years ago the technician said 'don't get rid of this. You'll never be able to replace it'. I've taken his advice, though I don't play the small number of tapes I have very often.

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on December 16, 2018, 07:33 AM:

Well I am another one who still uses VHS and have quite a large collection of films on the format. I have 3 Panasonic recorders which still work O.K. and screen the tapes via the the Epson projector in my cinema and the picture is still very watchable on most of them!! ken Finch. [Smile]

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 1183) on December 16, 2018, 09:21 AM:

(V)ertical (H)orizontal (S)uck is actually the technical term.

ßetamax will rise again!

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on December 16, 2018, 11:59 AM:

Mitchell - You do make a good point there. Whatever caused Betamax to sink with all hands as opposed to VHS when it was commonly accepted that Betamax was, in fact, the better system?

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on December 16, 2018, 12:44 PM:

Marketing. JVC licensed VHS to any manufacturer, whereas Sony protected Betamax.

Also, although better, Betamax was generally more expensive.

In mass marketing, there is a philosophy that the cheapest product that generally works will succeed.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on December 16, 2018, 01:18 PM:

But it did continue as Betacam, Betacam SP and Digibeta in the TV industry.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 16, 2018, 02:35 PM:

I still use my Sony VCR and it works flawlessly. All my VHS tapes play fine even after almost 40 years. Can't say the same about my DVD collection, many of which have locked up after as little as 5 years!

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on December 16, 2018, 02:52 PM:

Thanks for that, Rob and Brian.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on December 16, 2018, 08:52 PM:

Stopped using a VCR for watching movies long ago, however still have a couple of tapes that we bought new, way back in the 80s and still keep for old time sake..here is one [Smile]

Well that was the 80s....this is 2018 [Wink]

https://youtu.be/awp0XMqQCdg

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on December 17, 2018, 03:51 AM:

How nice to see all those familiar names up on these posts.

HMV are offering these repacked items in store 2 for £15,interesting to see them tho I must say.

You may be surprised how popular tape still is in the home. Over my time in Media I've seen just about every format including Low Density reel to reel video from the 60's which actually still played at 405 lines. Oh the passing years....

Super 8 is really quite magical, not just from a film makers point of view but the physical handling of this organic medium. The projectors everyone was saying would not last the test of time for the best part have also my first sound Eumig still in its box. Miraculously we seem to be keeping our GS1200's going with no new spares available so perhaps if treated with loving care these will see another generation of film fans.

Not forgetting VHS but my Panasonic Super VHS machines have been workhorses and all are functioning.

Keep well all and have a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on December 17, 2018, 05:57 AM:

Well said, Lee. Super 8 really is magical indeed.

Brian, I worked all three Betacam formats and very good they were indeed. Although, nothing compared to today's solid state HD / 4K cameras with lots of latitude - actually much more like shooting with film.

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