vcr-related stories
Posted Jun 22nd 2009 7:05PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Web, Hardware, TiVo, Reality-Free
Do you remember a long time ago when you had no options to watch a TV show if you didn't see it when it aired (you had to wait for a repeat)? Of course you don't, you people with your Twitters and your iPhones and your space-age Saran Wrap. But there was a time when if you wanted to watch, say,
The Magician, you had to stay home and watch it. No iTunes, no Hulu, no YouTube, no DVDs.
Then came the VCR, and everything changed. Only $1000! (
Full-sized ad here.) Notice the fine print at the bottom: "Caution: The unauthorized recording of television programs and other materials may infringe the rights of others."
Posted May 7th 2007 3:40PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: HDTV, Hardware
I've slept on a couch for the past 8 or 9 years, so I'd simply take the bedroom and the bed in this video. But the TV is cool, too.
It's the Underbed Lift, a rather complex looking gizmo that holds a 50" television, DVD player, VCR, amplifiers, a subwoofer, and seven channels of surround sound. Press a button and the TV screen comes up from under the bed, presumably to the theme of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's for people who don't want all that entertainment equipment taking up room in their bedroom, and for people who just want something that's pretty damn cool.
It looks like you need a queen-sized bed and a pretty big bedroom. I wonder if they make a couch version for the living room? After you view the video, here are some pics that show it from different angles.
[via Digg]
Posted May 1st 2007 8:18AM by Brad Linder
Filed under: PVR Wire, Hardware
As I mentioned the other day, I'm in the process of
converting my old VHS collection into digital video files for easy storage. Fortunately I have a PCI TV tuner card that serves double duty as an analog video capture card. But if you're not so lucky, you might want to take a look at Plextor's
ConvertX PX-AV200U.
Like earlier devices in the ConvertX line, the PX-AV200U lets you plug an analog video source like a camcorder or VCR into your computer and save your video as a digital file. But the PX-AV200U replaces the case that earlier converters came in with a tiny dongle form factor.
Continue reading Plextor's updated analog to digital video converter
Posted Apr 29th 2007 4:01PM by Brad Linder
Filed under: PVR Wire
I'm getting ready to move, so I'm in the process of going through the house and purging things I don't need. What's at the top of the list? Two VCRs and a handful of old VHS tapes.
I've been spending the weekend with a VCR plugged into the computer so I can capture the video from those old tapes and make them into digital movies that can move with us to the new apartment without taking up any space (other than hard drive space).
Continue reading Sharp releases PVR with DVD and VHS players
Posted May 6th 2006 9:22AM by Adam Finley
Filed under: PVR Wire, Cable/Satellite
I'd like to think I'm not terribly old, but
I do actually remember a time when televisions didn't have remote controls. In fact, my siblings and I were my father's
remote control. The advent of the "clicker" changed the way we watch TV, and ultimately, the way television
shows and commercials are made and produced. Back in the day, you would pick a channel and more or less stay with that
channel for the evening. Now, you can zap through the channels, defying each one to engage you within three seconds or
risk being left in the dust. Borrowing (stealing) an idea from Lost Remote, I thought I'd ask TV Squad readers just how many
remotes they have in their home. I'll stretch it to include any kind of remote, not just television ones. I myself rock
three remotes: one for my crappy little stereo, one for my Tivo (that also changes the channels on my TV), and another
one to turn my TV on and control the volume. Why can't the Tivo remote also turn my TV on and control the volume? Well,
it's because instead of buying a name brand TV that's compatible with universal remotes, I instead chose to purchase
some no-name brand which I believe was put together by Eskimos using discarded pieces from a Zenith set circa 1968. I'm
not always as discerning a consumer as I should be.
Posted Apr 24th 2006 8:30AM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, NBC, Programming, Will & Grace, My Name Is Earl, The Office
OK, you owners of the Video Tape Recorder, I'm putting you
on alert. NBC is 'super-sizing' some of its Thursday night shows during May sweeps. This, of course, will be putting
your VCRs into a state of apoplexy.
On May 11th Will & Grace and the season finales of My Name
is Earl and The Office will expand to 40-minutes apiece in a ratings-grabbing scheme that hasn't been
seen on Thursday nights since Friends was on the air. The belief is, by adding an additional ten minutes to
each show, viewers are less likely to surf to other networks.
This will be the next-to-last episode of Will
& Grace and will feature a bit of baby drama for the two main characters. On Earl, the main character
(Jason Lee) will encounter some problems as he tries to cross off the number one item on the list. The finale of The
Office, written by star Steve Carell, will feature a charity casino night.
In a related story, ER
will be ten minutes shorter that evening to see if anyone really notices. Heh. Heh.
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