# Does Anyone Still Use DVD Recorders?



## Zoom-boing (Feb 28, 2012)

Ok, I admit it I'm probably stuck in the stone ages but . . . I have two dvd recorders and still use them, albeit not nearly as much as I used to.  Yes, VOD and Netflix and Hulu, etc. are great options but often I have to wait until they decide when to put the shows in their lineup and watching via those other options means I have to watch in the family room or basement ( we just have a dta box in the bedroom, no VOD or anything).  So I'll record a show I follow (especially when that show is on at the same time as another show) then I can watch it when and where I want to.  I know all about dvrs but seriously . . . I refuse to rent a damn box to record the few things I record.  That just doesn't make any sense, does it?  Not when a dvd recorder serves the purpose and doesn't require a fee or subscription, etc. 

Having said all that I realize that dvd recorders never really caught on like the VCR did and that yes, these things are just about obsolete.  The refurbished one I bought a mere two years ago is on teh fritz.  Sometimes it will load the disk and sometimes it just bangs something against the disk trying to load it but it never happens.  I've taken the cover off and am pretty sure it is a flat, cable-ish connection going bad.  What to do?  I don't know how to fix it, can't find any place that fixes electronics (remember when you fixed what you had rather than threw it out and bought another one?) and these things are scarce.  Like, seriously scare.  Also, the dta in the bedroom only has coax in/out, no rca and there almost aren't any coax in/out recorders . . . one or two with internal tuners but . . yeah.  I did find two places that carry a Toshiba dr570 (which is what our other model is) and am considering buying one ($180) but . . but, but, but.  

Are dvds themselves becoming obsolete?  There are also very few dvd players around and yet stores like Target and such have tons of tv shows/movies on blue ray and dvd and people buy them.  Yeah you can play them on your computer but when a family of five wants to watch a dvd you need a player.

Does anyone know if there are dvd technologies on the horizon or are these going to go the way of the vcr?  I figure eventually everything will be 'virtual'.  What am I going to do with all the dvds we have when that happens?  Think it's worth trying to snag a dvd recorder?  In another year or two I don't know if any will be around at all.  There is a Magnavox DVR/DVD recorder for $230 bucks from Walmart.  More than what we need and yet I wonder will standalone DVR/DVD recorders be the next thing?  

Blarg.


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## iamwhatiseem (Feb 28, 2012)

That is interesting...just the other day I was thinking about this.
I have two vinyl sleeve albums filled with copied movies. (maybe 100 total)
I haven't burned a DVD in months.
Netflix, Amazon Prime and VeeHD


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## PeteEU (Feb 28, 2012)

Not since we got USB Harddrives and my Iomega Media Player. Although I am running out of space again.. 

Would of course not need all that space if the movie industry could get out of the freaking darkages and start streaming movies over the net here in Europe.. and new movies, not old crap from last year.


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## syrenn (Feb 28, 2012)

Good question. I have so many movies on DVD i would be rather annoyed if they disappeared.


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## MikeK (Feb 28, 2012)

I have a DVD player and a VCR and I'm thinking about buying a combo VCR/DVD recorder so I can convert all my VCR tapes to DVD.  Now it seems I'm a dinosaur and don't know it.


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## Dabs (Feb 28, 2012)

I have 2 DVD players, and over 500 movies on DVD, so I would be a little pissed too, if the DVD player became obsolete. (never burned a movie in my life , I purchased mine legit *haha*)
I no longer have a VCR tho....but for some silly reason, I have a few VHS tapes lying here.


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## strollingbones (Feb 28, 2012)

i have a dvd player....i would love to use it....but i have forgotten how to work it.....so i just use the computer....


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## Unknown_Soldier (Feb 28, 2012)

yes still have a dvd burner, but only so I can burn things from my directv dvr and later copy them to my wireless HD set up.


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## mudwhistle (Feb 28, 2012)

strollingbones said:


> i have a dvd player....i would love to use it....but i have forgotten how to work it.....so i just use the computer....



Push the power button.....push eject.....take a dvd out of it's case....put it in with the lable up.....push the eject button again.....grab your remote......and press *play movie* when the menu comes up.

Oh, oh, oh,.....you're just kidding. 


My Blue Ray plays DVDs too......so I don't use a DVD player that much.

I'm procrastinating on getting a 3D player.


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## Zoom-boing (Feb 28, 2012)

As long as Blu-Ray - or whatever is next - sticks around dvds will be able to be played.

I'm talking about a dvd _recorder_ . . . to record programs from tv like in the olden days of the vcr.  It never really caught on and the digital conversion renders two of the dvd recorders features almost useless.  You can't record a show while watching another (well, you can if you know how and I know how) and you can't set the timer to record on different channels unless you're home to change the damn dta or cable box to the right channel.  Dumb.

I get the advantages/appeal of streaming and on-demand and neflix and dvrs but . . . sometimes it's really nice to just record something and take your dvd to a different room, close the door and watch in comfort at your convenience, not when Comcast decides to put the show on or having to watch on your laptop or paying a monthly fee to rent a freaking dvr from Comcast (they get enough of our money as it is).

Was looking at a DVR/DVD recorder from Magnavox.  There isn't much out there at all.  

MikeK . . . only a very few vcr/dvd recorders exist.  PM me if you want some links to check.

Dabs . . . I don't record purchased movies or anything illegal.  Just shows that conflict timewise with other shows/things and that I like to watch when nothing is on.  Ok, ok . . brain candy shows!  lol

I keep looking for options to Comcast as well.  They just raised their prices, _again._  Every year like clockwork.  I'm tired of it but when I look, everything else costs just as much . . . .so what's the point of switching?


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## strollingbones (Feb 29, 2012)

mudwhistle said:


> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> > i have a dvd player....i would love to use it....but i have forgotten how to work it.....so i just use the computer....
> ...




no i am not kidding....i cant get the tv on 00

i even got the kidlet to try lol he couldnt do it either....


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## Mr. H. (Feb 29, 2012)

I've got a recorder with both VHS and DVD components buit in. I mostly used it to dub old family VHS over to DVD. And yes I can record from TV if needed. It's a dandy machine but rather complicated. 
There's DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD RW...

Right now it serves as a dust collector.


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## editec (Feb 29, 2012)

I remember buying my first CD ROM recorder.

Slower than shit, apt to screw up the CD, and it _only_ cost $2000.

And ya'll want to best news of all?

The CDs I recorded with it starting about 15 years ago (including CDs recorded about seven or eight years ago) _are degrading, too!_

Wonder how many hundreds/thousands of hours of my labors are now forever gone?

_sigh!_


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## Mr. H. (Feb 29, 2012)

Yeah- I need to view those old family vids and check for the degrade.
Those movies are priceless. 
Here's my youngest male critter- shot this 20 years ago LOL.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAc4fpbNadI]Chariots of Mud - YouTube[/ame]


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## Zoom-boing (Feb 29, 2012)

Mr. H. said:


> I've got a recorder with both VHS and DVD components buit in. I mostly used it to dub old family VHS over to DVD. And yes I can record from TV if needed. It's a dandy machine but rather complicated.
> *There's DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD RW...*
> 
> Right now it serves as a dust collector.



See what I bolded?  I think that, right there, is also a huge reason why so many people shied away from dvd recorders.  I know when I first thought about getting one (eons ago . . . in 2010) I couldn't quite wrap my head around 'oh, you mean you can write over a disc?'.  Then I read the labels of what all those -R, +R, -RW, +RW, etc meant and I had mah light bulb moment.   I like the +RW because not only can you write over them you don't have to 'finalize' the disk in order to view the contents on another machine.  One less thing for me to do.


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## Mewtamerli (Jul 1, 2013)

That is interesting.


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