Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards. - Aldous Huxley
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life.-John Fitzgerald Kennedy
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DVD Vs VCR
Digital Versatile Disk Player Vs Video Cassette Recorder - This topic is a nice one to debate on. Since I have used both of these for quite some time, let me delve into the specifics. Before I do, some basics of VCR and DVD.
VCR is comparatively older one of the two and it ages back to almost 1940s when SONY and PHILIPS came up with a preceding version of VCR. Then there was Kinescope for recording the TV programs and finally Ampex came up with a working version. It was used for high-tech and top secret governmental use until Philips released the first commercial version in the 1970s. Since then VHS and VCR have come a long way and they enthrall us still, just like an old radio. Lately, it is sort of becoming an antique thing of sorts, largely due to technological leap-bounds. VCR is a player for VHS cassettes that are magnetically charged tapes. They can falter in quality as time goes by, unless maintained properly.
DVD, on the other hand is one of the lovely forms of entertainment and is of technologically superior one. Digital, as it has in its acronym, gives you better effects in sound and video. The compression is great and you get the best possible experience, whilst watching a recorded program. DVD uses Content Scrambling System (CSS) for storage of data and it is a means of scrambling and compression of data to prevent piracy as well as compression of data into a single CD. DVD has come a long way since its release by Philips in the mid 90s to today.
Without further adieu, let me compare both of these items.
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VCR
VCR - PROS
~ It is cheaper compared to DVD in many parts of the world(In advanced countries, VCRs are becoming costlier compared to DVD as DVD prices are falling and VCR prices are higher due to high production cost)
~ It is easier to copy cassettes, for personal use. You do not need special software to do the copy
~ Easier to edit and skip the unwanted parts
~ Globally you have more VHS cassettes compared to DVDs
~ More varieties around
~ Fewer formats and no hassles of toggling with modes
VCR - CONS
~ VCR is becoming an outdated item
~ Lesser and lesser companies are producing it
~ No new innovations and for development
~ Prices are becoming costlier as day goes by, soon it will be costlier or equivalent to that of a DVD player
~ The quality of tapes and the experience of viewing is bad
~ The heads in the VCR are very prone to malfunctioning and extra care is needed
~ More or less an antique item
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DVD
DVD players have come a long way since its release. I remember a friend of mine buying a Sony DVD for about $350 in 1999. The latest I heard was a price of $20 at Walmart for a DVD, during Thanksgiving Day sale in US last year. You cannot imagine getting a VCR player for the same price. Let me shoot right on to the analysis
DVD - PROS
~ Great quality. The best quality one can experience. If you have a home theatre, nothing like watching a DVD movie. You really do not have to go to a theatre. You can watch your favorite movie and scenes again and again
~ Many DVDs support THX, Dolby Surround and Dolby Digital also. Watch Evil Dead 2 or The Ring with THX mode on with a home theatre, your home will rock, literally!
~ Great viewing features. You have multiple options to watch it in many ways. Closed Captioning, forwarding by chapter, viewing at a particular point, you name it and it has something for you
~ Protection of the DVD is another thing. These DVDs do not deteriorate like VHS and you need not worry about anything, other than the laser head. If you have an internal laser, you need not worry about anything
~ More technological advances in the field.
~ Portability options. If you have a portable DVD player or a laptop, you can watch DVDs anywhere you like. Nothing beats it
~ Editing and copying. You have De-CSS available on the net, if you are a risk taker, you can make your own copies as well (I strongly do not recommend it)
~ Editing using software. Since you have DVD writers and editor software available, you can do editing (although at a cost)
~ This is the technology to stay, unless something unique comes into picture. It will be the dominant force, sooner or later
DVD - CONS
~ Not all viewing components are available in DVD
~ Issues pertaining to Zonal restrictions. Some DVD players are not portable across countries, if the zone setting is disabled.
~ Cost of DVDs is twice that of a cassette, if you rent and 3-4 times if you want to buy.
~ Personal copying is not possible, if you want to save a TV program, unless you watch your TV using your computer with editing software and a DVD writer installed.
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CONCLUSION
According to me, DVD wins over VCR in all the cases. While it comes with its own insignificant issues, DVD is here to stay. DVD is aimed at preventing illegal copying and it is doing wonders to the film industry as well as television industry although the days are not far when DVD status quo is almost similar to that of a VHS. If you want the best of both worlds, go for a DVD/VCR combo at a bit higher price. You will surely have the best of both worlds, at least for now!
DVD is a clear winner and is here to stay. Go for DVD
I hope you liked this Review. Do comment as time permits
KALIL
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Our Age of Anxiety is, in great part, the result of trying to do today's jobs with yesterday's tools.-Marshall McLuhan
If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger. -Frank Lloyd Wright
