Badmovies.org Forum

I can't  fathom ANYONE preferring to buy VHS movies over DVD. Unless they can't afford a dvd player, which the price has gone down considerably over the years. But allegedly, there are still people buying VHS.

The only time I'd by a movie on VHS is if it a rare import (from EBAY) or that it's not on dvd and shows no sign of appearing on dvd anytime soon.

Anyone here, god forbid, prefer to buy VHS over DVD?

Hell, a good dvd can cost as low as $10 these days.

You can buy a cheap, yet reliable dvd player, under $100.

Anyone who loves movies, and can afford the cheapest of dvd players, but sticks to VHS should be kicked in the crotch.

My parents recently bought a ton of DVD players for the various bedrooms in their house- and not a single one cost more than $75. I can't remember what I bought my current VCR for (back in 1994 or 1995) but I doubt it was that cheap.

I just picked up a new DVD player for my bedroom. It's a Sony. It was on clearance for $100.

At this point, you're right. There's really no reason to buy VHS tapes anymore if buying the DVD is an option. Even my collection of bad movies on VHS has been replaced by DVDs.

I own 15 VHS tapes, total!

I would buy VHS tapes for my mother as she had Parkinson's disease and could neither handle the DVD discs nor, due to the medicine's affects on her mind, figure out how to operate the unit. If you somehow feel that I should be kicked in the crotch for that, I suggest you should consider what you are asking or it could well appear to be stupid.

I'll spend hard earned money on VHS tapes over DVDs because I can almost be certain that in 7+ years I'll be able to watch them with very little loss in original picture quality. They don't get scratched, they have a hard outer casing, and it's analog. Heck, a VHS tape can take a good drop on the head and keep on trucking. A DVD is so fragile, sometimes a single drop will ruin 20 minutes of the middle of the movie. Not only that but digital technology is unreliable. It's been shown that the coating of a DVD is liable to fall off after 7 years which renders it as useless as a coaster, plus DVD format is being outdated by newer technology every day. Now with HD being the flavor of the month and DVD format proving to be incompatible with it, all of your DVDs are going to become obsolete while something else takes the market.

It kills me to hear people say they don't own a VHS player because there are so many movies out there that could be gotten for so much less. Thanks to DVD, VHS prices have plumeted and that's fantastic news for a collector like myself. I could clear out a used VHS shelf for $100, or a closed down video rental store for just a bit more. The format is still compatible since RCAs are still being used, and it stands up marginally to a wide screen projection.

DVDs are good when you want to do lots of exhibition, but as for my collection, I'll stay with VHS

Kick me in the jimmy!

I hate DVDs because I usually rent vs. buying. The damn things are always scratched and they dont last worth a crap if they meet with any sort of abuse. A VHS tape costs next to nothing now days and seems to have a much longer shelf life. Still I do own both DVDs and VHS.

I'm a video-slut.  Not too picky about which format, as long as I get ahold of a flick I'm after.  Some good points about both analog and digital from both sides of the fence.  I love to trade dubs of movies with others, and I'm currently capable of making copies all-which-ways(tape-to-disc; disc-to-tape; tape-to-tape; disc-to-disc).  Mainly because--I have over 2000 movies on VHS.  I have neither the time nor the energy to convert them all to disc(many still play perfectly fine fifteen years after I bought/traded for them).  Also, I trade with some folks who are getting on up there in years, and they have told me they simply aren't going to bother with the newer technology, so it's nice that I am able to still make VHS copies for them.

I heard that ***Mart is going to completely phase out VHS by year's end.  As the world's biggest retailer, that will be something of a coffin-nail for analog, I reckon...

To the person whose mother has Parkinson's disease: that's different. You know damn well I wasn't referring to those who were too sick to handle dvds. I'm talking about those that have all their faculties but are too lazy or could care less about dvds. No need for the kneejerk reaction, please.

Although there is something nostalgic about renting a movie from tthe 80's on VHS..
All  the 'pops' and 'hiss' give the movie a certain glow.
There's a video store near me that has 1/2 of its inventory on vhs, probably because some of it is not on dvd.
There is a certain charm of watching 'Ice Pirates' on videocassette...
...but still, given the choice of dvd or VHS- DVD takes the cake.

If you want someone to know 'damn well' (your words) what you mean, then state what you mean. It would also be helpful if you actually addressed the user to whom you are referring rather than 'to the person whose mother has Parkinson's Disease'.

I like them if they are cheap. Yes, I have bought an occasional $20+ DVD, but I really like that you can get old TV shows and a lot of public domain movies on dollar DVD's. Heck, it's even cheaper to get a DVD player now than it is to get a VCR. I still have a collection of about 500 VHS tapes, with many hard to find titles which have not made it to DVD yet and will still buy the occasional VHS if it is hard to find or cheap enough.

Yeah, you caught me . . .
I'm really Menard, too . . .
* * * *
Anyway, the one reason I own so many VHS tapes still is that there are STILL movies I want to see that have never been put on DVD, just as there are vinyl LPs that have never been put out as CDs.
Vermin knows whereof I speak . . .
Now I continue to buy VHS tapes because they're cheaper than renting -- I go to the Video Station, and they have them on sale, like "4 for $10".  I can easily find 4 marginal titles that I've sort-of always been meaning to watch, but just never got around to it.  
I picked up a barely played Brothers Quay animation collection the other day for $2.  Almost to "arty" to even rent, but to own if for $2 -- shoot, I'll watch that sucker a dozen times now.
peter johnso/denny crane
I have no idea what I mean either . . . what do you mean?

Most people still buy VHS because movies are still released in VHS, are cheaper and alot of people have built their VHS collectiosn and don't want to start another one. It's like when they phase out DVD's (which will happen very soon i'm sure), those of us who have built up a big collection will probably still buy dvd's, i wouldn't want to have to get a new system and start another collection

there are some vhs tapes i buy once in awhile because the stupid studio's haven't put the movie on dvd yet and i can't wait around forever.

the brilliant part of dvd's is the first time i rented one i was so excited i didn't have to rewind

Rewinding never bothered me too much, as I own a freestanding rewinder gizmo.  I love how you can jump ahead through chapters with DVDs!  I don't like how some discs won't let you fast-forward until they've shown all the title cards and FBI warnings and such.  Sometimes, this takes up 2 or 3 minutes, whereas, with a VHS tape, I could already be FF'd an hour into the movie(if I was looking for a particular scene or something).  Minor quibbles, granted...

I first jumped in on DVD when the technology first broke the sub-100 dollar market.  My first dvd player was about 80 bucks and I picked it up at the local walmart during one of the huge day after Thanksgiving sales in 2000.

Now, five years later, I don't know what'd I do without a DVD player.

My DVD collection now far outshadows my VHS collection.  I'd say I have apx. 200 or so DVDs in my collection - mainly horror flicks.  I've found it to be pointless to go buy a VHS for 5 bucks when I can rummage through the 5 dollar DVD bin at wal-mart.  Hell, the digging is half the fun.

The quality of a DVD is much better than VHS, and I'm a huge fan of commentaries and special features.  Sure laserdiscs had the capability back in the day, but the discs were too damned large.

Now, someone on this thread said that they like VHS better because they last longer.  That's....well....not quite true.  Yes it is true that DVDs will scratch, but that's to be expected.  My big problem with VHS is that over years, they get almost unwatchable.  It's common knowledge that unless a VHS is stored correctly and is standing correctly on a shelf, that some of the information of the tape can eventually "fall" off.  Conditions have to be just right for a VHS to last a long time.  

With a DVD, just don't scratch it.

The only problem that I can actually see with DVD today is the invention of new DVD mediums.  Right now, conglomerates are working on two new types - BlueRay Discs and DVD-HD discs.  Both have better quality and can hold more info, but that means that we'll have to buy all new DVDs and players due to the fact that the new players won't be able to play standard DVDs.

scratched dvd discs don't necessarily effect the quality - i watch scratched discs from the library (some are scratched up all too hell) but play in vivid color and sound without a single freeze or blip

Susan,

That is true.  There have been numerous DVDs that I've rented with scratches that have played just fine.  Then, they are DVDs that are spotless yet they jump and freeze.

skaboi - it may have to do with the player or the type of disc the dvd was burned onto more than a scratch, if you ask me. I think it may have to do with the labels they slap onto the disc which overtime may get warped from the heat of the player

Let's see.... people should always go with the latest technology when entertaining themselves (something that very much depends on personal taste all around), or there is something wrong with them. Indeed, they should be "kicked in the crotch."

And you think Menard's response was out of line? Hell, I didn't even think of the Parkinson's angle, and I took offense. You want to talk about a knee-jerk reaction, how about the assumption that DVDs are better, so people who prefer VHS (for any reason, we must assume, since you never specified) are lazy, stupid or otherwise just plain wrong? Not just wrong, mind you, but deserving of scorn and physical abuse, in your words. What the hell do you call that?

Personally, I've pretty much exclusively bought DVDs for the past three years (except for OOP titles), and only rent VHS when it's the only option. But I can't see how that makes me better than someone else who chooses to do things differently. If somebody wants to collect VHS tapes exclusively, then more power to them. None of us is here because we like what entertains the majority of people. What makes this different?



Post Edited (06-18-05 17:14)

Skaboi wrote:

>
> The only problem that I can actually see with DVD today is the
> invention of new DVD mediums.  Right now, conglomerates are
> working on two new types - BlueRay Discs and DVD-HD discs.
> Both have better quality and can hold more info, but that means
> that we'll have to buy all new DVDs and players due to the fact
> that the new players won't be able to play standard DVDs.
>

Actually, they will be able to play the older formats; at least, Blueray and HD-DVD allow for backward compatability, and the manufacturers seem eager to build in DVD compatability.  Check this site:

http://www.hddvd.org/hddvd/difformatsblueray.php

Personally, I think VHS and DVD both have their ups and downs - it's still a lot cheaper to record to VHS, if for no other reason than because VHS tapes are bloody cheap.  DVD, however, provides better quality and, with proper care, a longer shelf life.  I realize that VHS can have an incredibly long lifespan, but there's a lot of things that can effect VHS (humidity, actually playing them, setting them the wrong way on the shelf) that have little to no impact on DVD.  DVD allows for commentary, VHS does not.  DVDs occasionally pause briefly as they change layers, something you never have to worry about with VHS.  DVDs take up a hell of a lot less space than VHS, which has made it easier to sell entire seasons or runs of television shows (I'm working on my Greatest American Hero, Millenium, and Sliders collections - and I must say I like TV shows a lot better without commercials).

In the end I prefer DVD - between commentaries, better quality, and the TV series, I think the format has more to offer.

On a side note, I'm cheering for Blueray over HD-DVD.  For one thing, it has a much catchier name.  For another, the storage capacity for a Blueray disc is more than three times that of HD-DVD.  There really isn't much of a choice there, in my book.

I have been getting DVD every since the PS2 came out so thats around 2000. I do prefer DVDs but sometimes things are edited when they switch form VHS to DVD like Return of the living dead 3 which I got on VHS but thats minor. One other thing why I like DVD is easier storage. If you live in apt. or smaller house and are into movies their a godsend as they don't take up much room compared to bulk VHS.

_____________________________
"We Greeks created democracy! You also created homos!"-Ghost World

The $1 clearance used VHS is one of the greatest things ever created.

So many good bad movies to be found that way.

OW! My freakin' crotch!

Seriously, they both have their good and bad points as has been mentioned and I do prefer to watch DVD but VHS does have plenty of reasons to still be around. I have VHS tapes that I've had since the 80's and even though they are watchable, they are horrible from age. As someone pointed out before, if they're kept in optimal conditions, they'll last a long time. How many of us have the means to do this? This is the worst part about VHS but other than that, I see no problem with it.
Just last year I bought a new VCR. I felt kinda stupid doing this as I figured people would think I'm a freak but I needed one to replace one of my others. I still have plenty of movies and I still need something to record things on TV. I will also be buying another one in a few months since my daughter will be getting one for her room. She's got quite a few VHS kids movies and I'm not scrapping them just to go and get her DVDs for movies that she's not even going to like anymore in a few years.

Now, I suppose it's time for me to be kicked in the crotch because I still use it and I guess someone will need to kick my little girl in the crotch too. She watches quite a bit of VHS

VHS tapes wear out the more you watch them, they wear out from extremes in temperature, and from age.  In 20 years most VHS tapes are in very poor quality (watch an early 80s beta or VHS and tell me it still looks good).

It is true DVDs can be damaged, but if you handle them with care they last a long, long time - and far fewer of them "go bad" as CDs have been known to.

"player because there are so many movies out there that could be gotten for so much less. "

Really?  I buy movies on DVD for $1 at times, and a number of movies in my collection are in the $5-$6 range.  I very rarely pay more than $15.  How much are you paying for VHS?  It is true that if you buy them in bulk, you can get great deals...  But the collector's value of VHS is nil to me, especially considering their terrible long term viability.

However, I will say one thing about VHS - they're cheaper to rent at Hollywood Video, so I still rent them.  I also like how the rental VHS almost always have a few movie trailers, which I love. I also think the fuzziness of VHS actually enhances the experience of some low budget films.

"Not only that but digital technology is unreliable. It's been shown that the coating of a DVD is liable to fall off after 7 years "

Digital technology is not unreliable.  The coating on DVDs isn't digital technology.  I haven't ever observed what you are referring to, though similar problems have happened to CDs (people have reported about 1 in 8 of their older CDs have "gone bad").  These are manufacturing problems, not a problem inherent in the technology.  It's also worth mentioning that I believe the next iteration of DVD is due to have a casing of some kind, which I will personally welcome.  I will NOT be upgrading my old DVDs though...

BTW, have you ever thought about looking into laserdisc?

"It's like when they phase out DVD's (which will happen very soon i'm sure)"

DVDs were adopted extremely quickly, far quicker than they had predicted.  HD-DVDs will replace them, though I'm not sure if they have a street date on them yet.  I've heard something like 2007-2008, possibly even as late as 2010.  HD-DVD will be backwards compatible, so I'm not too upset..  Well, I guess I shouldn't state things so strongly, as they haven't even finalized a format yet.  But I still think it is a bit too early.  

HD is still a TINY percentage of homes in America, and a quite small percentage of DVD owners have them.  HD-DVD on a typical setup will have almost no advantage over current DVDs (regular DVD resolution is approximately the same resolution as a high end normal TV).  Eh, I'm not too excited about.

"we'll have to buy all new DVDs and players due to the fact that the new players won't be able to play standard DVDs."

Actually, from what I can recall HD-DVD is backwards compatible.  I think blu-ray can be also.

"Then, they are DVDs that are spotless yet they jump and freeze."

I've noticed this also.  I think in many cases this is due to low quality discs.  I've noticed this in a couple of my crappy bargain sets (like a Kung Fu set I have, one movie glitches in one spot for no apparent reason)

In response to the manufacturing of a protective outer casing for DVD's, I will make the switch from VHS to DVD when they can make DVDs almost idiot proof. We're talking about a casing so a simple drop won't scratch the information. We're all idiots once in a while and drop the DVD, but if they could be as durable as a VHS tape is with its protective outer casing, count me first in line!

I got rid of my entire VHS collection and I deal with nothing but DVDs now.

The Burgomaster wrote:

> I got rid of my entire VHS collection and I deal with nothing
> but DVDs now.
>


Well, sir, I guess your crotch is safe.

odinn7 wrote:

> The Burgomaster wrote:
>
> > I got rid of my entire VHS collection and I deal with nothing
> > but DVDs now.
> >
>
>
> Well, sir, I guess your crotch is safe.
>

There's a reputation to live down (:

Am I just that special?  I've never dropped a *movie* DVD (I've dropped software and game DVDs though).

From what I've inferred, the casing would be similar to that used on minidiscs, or the UMD format on the Sony PSP.  Which would make the discs similar in durability to VHS.

Jim H wrote:

> Am I just that special?  I've never dropped a *movie* DVD (I've
> dropped software and game DVDs though).

I guess you are. (:



Post Edited (06-22-05 15:34)

Skaboi wrote:

> Susan,
>
> That is true.  There have been numerous DVDs that I've rented
> with scratches that have played just fine.  Then, they are DVDs
> that are spotless yet they jump and freeze.
>

That's happened to me  a bunch of times. Now I'm never sure if a disc is going to work just fine or skip and jump all over the place.

Seriously, I'm a huge die-hard LaserDisc fan, and between my dad and I, we own at least 150 LaserDiscs (most bought right before DVD came out, and have superior sound and picture quality), in addition to who knows how many VHS tapes and DVDs.

it all depends if you the kind of person that can keep a cd form gettitng scratched.
im not one of those people,unfortunately
it never fails,i get a nothing little tiny mark on a disc and my favorite part of a movie or song will skip and the rest will play fine.
If im lacking patience that day ,it p**ses me off and i curse discs and praise vhs and casette tapes. so i guess i do sometimes perfer vhs, because i know that the tape will not skip.
When your watching a movie and really  start getting into it and it freezes or skips it sucks!it does something to break the vibe or attention of the movie and then you end up having to search thru the chapters to find the part again. now your taking the enjoyment of the whole thing away and making it a process.
for what
quality.
security over quality, sometimes.