Two Questions About DVDs/VHS Tapes

[Guest ShamRock]

1.What is better,VHS tapes or DVDs?

 

2.Is it possible to record DVD's onto VHS tapes?

 

Thanks.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

1.What is better,VHS tapes or DVDs?

 

DVDs are far and away better than VHS tapes in terms of quality. Plus, they don't decay over time.

 

 

2.Is it possible to record DVD's onto VHS tapes?

 

Not that I am aware of. For copyright reasons, the picture is blurred when you try to hook up most DVD players through your VCR. I'm sure someone has been able to get around it though.

[Guest J*ingus]

1. Technologically speaking, DVD presents far better picture, sound, and shelf life, along with cool DVD extras on some movies. However, VHS is still much cheaper, and they haven't worked out a cheap and reliable method to record and re-record on DVDs yet.

 

2. Most DVDs are copy-protected, but not all. Also, there are various not-quite-legal devices that can get around copy protection.

[Guest MrRant]

I believe you can get by it if you pick up one of those RF converters to convert it from RCA jacks to regular co-ax. I would imagine if you went from the DVD player directly to the VCR it may work.

[Guest El Satanico]

DVDs are better...VHS aren't even close.

 

The price of DVD's are already dropping. VHS tapes are around 12.99 each. Alot of the bigger stores have new DVDs for around 15 during the first week of release then most aren't over 19.99 after the first week. Older releases are like 10 at bigger stores. So the price aspect isn't that big of a deal now.

 

The recording onto DVD aspect will be taken care of as soon as the price of technology lowers. Because DVD recorders are already here but they are expensive like any new technology. In 4 years time VHS will be damn near extinct.

[Guest Choken One]

Call me nuts but I Like Both.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

For some reason when I plug my PS2 into a TV/VCR combo and play DVDs it gives me a terrible picture, but when I use my Xbox the picture is fine. So I tried recording from the Xbox and the recording had the same kind of picture I'd get from a PS2. Did they try something new that makes it so it can tell you're recording?

[Guest razazteca]

DVD is better because there are so many extra features that can be added on to the movie. Such as commentaries, behind the scenes stuff, better picture, better sound, different languages, subtitles.

 

The main reason recording DVDs are hard to do is because of a company called Macrovision. This company makes encryption to make the movies safe from piracy. There are ways to get by this, such as buying special equipment. I am sure there are several web sites that go into detail about it.

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

DVD by a long shot. VHS was good for it's time, but it's time has passed.

[Guest The Amazing Rando]

slowly...with the advent of DVD recorders...you will be able to make your own stuff...

 

but the same problem will exist...you most likely won't be able to copy other DVDs...but might be able to burn copys of older VHS movies

[Guest evenflowDDT]

slowly...with the advent of DVD recorders...you will be able to make your own stuff...

 

but the same problem will exist...you most likely won't be able to copy other DVDs...but might be able to burn copys of older VHS movies

Yea, but once somebody cracks DVD protection (which they already have with computers!), dubbing DVDs will be just as easy as dubbing tapes, only with much better quality.

 

I was just watching a movie on VHS today, and it was really worn down because it was a 10-year old commercial rental tape. DVDs own VHS quality-wise, hands down (it's not even close), with the possible exception of those crappy-transfers on bargain budget discs. For all the trouble dubbing DVD to VHS is, it's just a loss of quality... just save up and get a DVD player.

[Guest El Satanico]

Well at one point you couldn't record a movie off a prerecorded VHS tape either. Someone will break dvd security.

 

Also i believe that they don't have DVD copyright protection overseas it's just North America that does it.

[Guest pochorenella]

The DVD rules all. I have a huge collection of VHS tapes but I have to admit DVD is better on all fronts. Anything that has to do with tapes will dissapear very soon, it's unreliable. It's kind of sad because my VCR is one of my favorite toys but it has to go soon.

 

A prime example, I went to see Episode II on a regular theater, then I went to Downtown Disney to watch it digitally. WAAAAY BETTER (and a few different scenes as well). That's how it is with VHS and DVD.

[Guest razazteca]

when Region 0 becomes the standard for DVD and blank DVD media is out in spindles at reasonable prices I will own a burner.......but this dream is 10 years away

 

But by then I will have to worry about HDTV standards

 

You know its wierd that DVD pornos are region free or region 0 while studio movies are protected.....Whats up with that?

[Guest Karnage]

Regions are useless. Movies are a world wide type thing. The studios should think about getting rid of piracy rather than Region encoding/proofing or whatever.

[Guest razazteca]

fear Capitalism at its worst

Canada will only get DVDs months after the fact

 

there is always DivX.....long live P2P

[Guest El Satanico]

Well to the Studios the Regions is the way to kill piracy.

[Guest J*ingus]

The DVD rules all. I have a huge collection of VHS tapes but I have to admit DVD is better on all fronts. Anything that has to do with tapes will dissapear very soon, it's unreliable. It's kind of sad because my VCR is one of my favorite toys but it has to go soon.

 

A prime example, I went to see Episode II on a regular theater, then I went to Downtown Disney to watch it digitally. WAAAAY BETTER (and a few different scenes as well). That's how it is with VHS and DVD.

Depends on your definition of "soon". CDs have been around forever, and audio tapes are still around, albeit mostly for recording purposes these days. VHS will be with us for several years.

 

And as for Episode II, it's not a good example at all. It was shot completely on digital. To show it in a regular theater, they have to dub it down to celluloid film, which has about the same effect as copying a tape; it loses a generation in quality.

 

Of course, there's a whole side argument about how digital projection in movie theaters is NOT better or cheaper than other currently existing technology, but that's a whole other can of worms. If you care to find out, go look through Roger Ebert's "Answer Man" archives, keeping an eye out for when he talks about the Maxivision process.

[Guest pochorenella]

And as for Episode II, it's not a good example at all. It was shot completely on digital. To show it in a regular theater, they have to dub it down to celluloid film, which has about the same effect as copying a tape; it loses a generation in quality.

 

Of course, there's a whole side argument about how digital projection in movie theaters is NOT better or cheaper than other currently existing technology, but that's a whole other can of worms. If you care to find out, go look through Roger Ebert's "Answer Man" archives, keeping an eye out for when he talks about the Maxivision process

 

Ok, sorry, bad example. I completely forgot it was shot digitally. But it was absolutely better on the digital theater, I have no doubt about that. Wether it's cheaper, with all the new technologies coming out everyday it's like saying your PC will be worthless in 3-4 years. Of course regular projectors have a longer life, it was the standard so nobody thought of anything new before, but now we have something new everyday. With a digital projector you can simply program it and the movie would go over and over again with no loss in quality for years and years. The same cannot be said for regular projectors, which of course are cheaper, but the tape quality deteriorates over time. It's debatable, of course. We can continue to talk about it.

 

Regarding Ebert, he's always been against digital filming/projecting, or at the very least reluctant about it. When he reviewed Episode II he said the picture was bad and completely blurry (already in the first showing?), but then he went to see the movie digitally and admitted it looked way better, but that was about it (never mind he gave the movie Thumbs down.)

[Guest El Satanico]

Film in regular film projectors deteriorates rather quickly. Hell after two weeks if played regularly you can start to notice scratches and dirty parts on the film. After a month or two the movies look like total shit.

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

From all the stuff I have read, and testimonials I have read, Maxivision is much better than digital. It's one tenth the cost, it lasts longer, the projecters are much cheaper to run and it looks better.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

some things you can't get on DVD like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T, most wrestling events, etc. Plus, a lot of places are more likely to have a VCR instead of a DVD player for now.

 

But if I was given a choice between getting a specific movie on VHS or DVD, assuming it was available on both, I'd get DVD.

 

 

and I know someone (who will remain nameless), who's copied from DVD to VHS, so I think it's possible

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

some things you can't get on DVD like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T

E.T. is coming in October.

 

You can get Star Wars and Indiana Jones if you want, but you have to order them overseas. I have the Indy trilogy, it has anamorphic widescreen, 5.1 and DTS baby!

[Guest MrRant]

I heard that those SVHS players that JVC and them have put out are supposed to be better than DVD's because they can hold so much more information. Better quality and sound but no features because its tape.

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

SVHS is a retarded waste of money and energy. Why spend time developing something like that when it's garbage since it's still friggin' VIDEOTAPE!

[Guest El Satanico]

Star Wars will be on DVD it will just be a few years. For some reason Lucas doesn't want to release the old ones until all the new ones are on DVD.

 

But i guess we shouldn't complain. Waiting till the new ones are made will allow him to work on the DVD more thus giving us better extras. As long as he doesn't use this technology to digitally "enhance" the movies for the DVD release it is better to wait for it.

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

As I stated in another thread, Lucas isn't going to release the original trilogy on DVD in their original form. Only the Special Edition versions.

[Guest MrRant]

SVHS is a retarded waste of money and energy. Why spend time developing something like that when it's garbage since it's still friggin' VIDEOTAPE!

I never said it was a good idea lol. Got any DVD reviews for me yet?

[Guest MDH257]

Movies shot digitally look better projected digitally. Moves shot on film look better projected on film.

 

It's not like it matters much. Here in Houston the projectionist are clueless. They turn the projector bulb too low (they think that will make the bulb last longer) making everymovie look darker than it should. to me most movies look better on DVD.

 

I once saw "True Lies" at the Mall of America in a theater that had THX sound. It's the only time I can say I was blown away by the in theater technical expierence. It realy sounded like helecopters and fighter jets were coming from behind you.

 

In Houston we have plenty of 24 screen stadium seating megaplexes, but to me they're just big movie theaters. I'm not blown away by the audio and visuals.

 

Maybe it's different in L.A. and N.Y.C.. Do most of the theaters there there have top of the line sound systems.

[Guest cabbageboy]

I am possibly the only one here who isn't in awe of DVD. Being a fan of old classic movies, DVD is basically useless. For one the sound is recorded in mono on the DVD, which seems incredibly stupid since VHS tapes of the same movies are in hi fi. Second, since something like Frankenstein is really old there aren't any features to speak of.

 

This might sound odd but I think studios have intentionally reduced the quality of VHS tapes in recent years to make DVD seem better than it really is. I have old tapes from 1990 or so that still look fine.