Technology vs. Tradition
Mar 25 '01
The Bottom Line Get what you think will work best for you. DVD players are more expensive, but you get a much richer experience!
DVD and VCR. What should you get? First off, let me say that I am a DVD fan, and I own around 30 titles. So, you will be reading this from the view of someone who likes the DVD technology -- it's already obvious what I'm going to tell you in the end, isn't it? Read on, you may be surprised.
DVDs and video cassettes are both used for movies and television programs. The way in which they are used is vastly different though. Most commercial tapes have the copy-protection tab removed, so that when you pop them in the VCR, they automatically start playing. Most DVD's have menus and extra features, so that when you put them in the drive, you may have to push a few buttons to get to your movie. Boo hoo, a few extra button pushes? Is that all? Well, that's not why I mention this. I mention it for the sake of people who are not experienced or comfortable working with a bunch of buttons or a remote control -- namely children. I have a 5 year old sister (turned 5 today) who has lots of cartoons on tape, and she can just put them in the VCR and go.
While I'm on the subject of my little sister, it should also be noted that DVD has lots fewer titles than are available on DVD -- most notably stuff like TV programs or compilations of TV programs. My family can easily go in a store and pay $3 or $4 for a VHS tape of 3 or 4 cartoons, whereas they are not available on DVD -- and they would probably cost more as well.
DVD isn't all that bad though. When it comes to movies (especially popular ones and those made in the past few years) DVD is just about as diverse as VHS. In fact, in some cases the DVD version of movies comes out before the VHS version. One prime example is The Matrix. If I remember correctly, the DVD of The Matrix was released around November of 1999, while the VHS didn't come out until first quarter of 2000.
While VHS tapes only contain the show or movie, DVDs contain (80% of the time) many features. Making-of-featurettes, behind-the-scenes documentaries, cast & crew information, student movies, music videos, screenplay, foreign audio tracks, subtitles, and directors/composers audio track are some of the features, just to name a few. However, don't assume all DVDs have lots of features.
Rush Hour and The Matrix are two DVDs that have lots of features. Rush Hour has nearly all the aforementioned ones, plus a few more (hidden student film, a few games). On the other hand, my Billy Madison & Happy Gilmore DVDs have almost no features. Since DVDs cost around the same amount as VHS tapes, you are essentially getting more content for the same price.
One thing that is different is that the price of a DVD player is around double or triple that of a VCR. You can easily find a VCR on sale for $60 or $70, but even the low end DVD players cost around $150, and usually over $200 for anything decent. If you already have a DVD player (a gift, or it may have come in your computer).
We come to some marginal type things now. DVDs are discs, which are smaller than tapes, so naturally you can expect to be able to store more DVDs in a smaller amount of space. DVD plastic cases are also pretty sturdy -- much more so than the cardboard VHS ones. Although some VHS tapes come with the plastic cases (the only ones I can think of are Disney titles).
Also, you don't have to rewind DVDs (not really a problem if you have a $10 tape rewinder). And DVDs usually come with chapter breakdowns, so you can jump to anywhere in the movie/show at any time. It's kind of the same difference between CDs and cassette tapes.
If your computer is equipped with a DVD drive, you can watch DVDs on your computer, just as clearly as you could on a TV. If you don't have a DVD drive, you may want to consider buying one, because they act as CD-ROMs too and in some of the newer models, they function as CD-RW's too! However, since most of the DVDs are widescreen, if you have a small monitor then it may not be good. On the same hand, if you have one of those wide screen TV's then you'll get maximum viewing experience out of a DVD.
I think DVDs are here to stay. Although the technology is relatively new, people are coming around more and more. I think the main thing holding some people back is that they think that DVDs are just a fad, or won't be used widely -- like the laserdisc.
Ultimately though, you must pick what's right for you. Keep in mind that it's easier to use a VCR (something to consider if you have little kids, or people who may not be able to see small things very well, or people who have weak motor control skills). However, if you're a quality-freak or a film aficionado, then DVDs are for you. They've frequently got extra features (be sure to check the back of the DVD case).
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Epinions.com ID:
fireballdw
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Member: Derek Williams
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 84
Trusted by: 18 members
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