VCR'S

[Spawn67]

So today I was at the goodwill and as usual there's stacks of VCR's sitting there for 2.00 a piece. As I went home I was thinking about the time when VCR's were everything! Taping old shows (some I still have), pausing for commercials etc.
Recently I asked my father how much our first VCR was.We got it in 1981 and was HUGE deal with everyone in our neighborhood. He told me it was $700! He would tell us to never ever touch it. That same VCR worked until about 1998! We had several other over the years but that one kept going on what seemed like forever. I really miss going to our mom and pop video store's as well.

Im sure some people on here still use a VCR. What are some of your VCR stories?

[Tyme2tyme]

The main things I remember about my first VCR were that it was really well built but the remote for the thing was attached to the unit BY A CORD! The cord was too short to get to my chair so you had to set it on a table halfway between yourself and the TV. Each time you wanted to fast forward/stop/rewind or anything you had to get up and walk over to the coffee table. JOHN

[Figuremod73]

I remember them being really heavy and clunky when first released. I have fond memories of walking to the video store back in the eighties to get the latest movie, nintendo game and a cola.

[ScottA]

I remember when I got my first one (probably around 1980 or so) my Mom ask what good was it. She changed her mind when she found out it could tape her soap opera (Days of Our Lives) while she was at work and then could watch it anytime. I still have that top-load VCR. I just can't seem to throw it out since I'm pretty sure it works just fine.

[kingdom warrior]

My first VCR was a NEC brand name what a piece of doo doo that was. My Sister then bought a Panasonic Omnivision Pink VCR for herself...I fell in love with the brand and bought myself and my Dad 2 black ones and i was hooked....never ever used any other brand and they lasted for years. I bought 2 new omni's bout 5 years ago and they work perfectly. I still have a lot of tapes and I'm a sucker to buy movie at flea markets for nothing......and Yes I still tape things on tape.....I don't like discs they break down faster than tapes do........

[RickD]

My pops used to put in BETA tapes for us, that is what I remember... then we moved to VCR which I thought was the best thing on the earth!

[Sideshow Spock]

My friend's parents used to sometimes rent a VCR from the supermarket for the weekend circa 1983, and a bunch of us would go over.. we were all into D&D at the time, and I remember watching Conan the Barbarian.. you can't beat that!

[spacecaps]

The first VCR we had was just like the one Ray used in Ghostbusters. Thing was $600-$700, weighed about 50 lbs, had a light bulb that was like staring into the sun and had to be disconnected from the tv and put into a bag every time my father wanted to take a home movie.

I remember the first VCR we had that stayed hooked up to the TV permanently could be programmed up to the year 2085....

[Nostalgiabuff]

i remember the first one my dad bought around 1985 or so and it was upwards of $1000. i bought my own around 91 or 92 and paid around 500 and that was a high end model, but i thought it was a piece of crap.....RCA

[Toyman_Chris]

JC Penny. Burlington, IA. 1979. Betamax. Video camcorder. Damn heavy. On sale for $999.99. My friends were sooooo jealous. LOL. My first movie I ever owned was "Legend Of The Lone Ranger". It was also on sale for a mere $29.99 which was 75% off the $99.99 price tag. I think I bought it in a mall store (like a Music Land or something), in the Quad Cities.

Wow!

Memories.....light the corner of my mind. Misty, water colored memories.....of the way we were.....

[Spawn67]

I remember when I got my first one (probably around 1980 or so) my Mom ask what good was it. She changed her mind when she found out it could tape her soap opera (Days of Our Lives) while she was at work and then could watch it anytime. I still have that top-load VCR. I just can't seem to throw it out since I'm pretty sure it works just fine.

And the priceless memories attached to it.


Memories.....light the corner of my mind. Misty, water colored memories.....of the way we were.....

That's what I was thinking today as I was going though memories of our old VCR.

[MegoMark71]

I finally took my VCR down about a year ago when we signed up for Digital cable. I love the DVR feature but i miss being able to record something and watching it years later or even being able to take the tape somewhere else.

[kingdom warrior]

I finally took my VCR down about a year ago when we signed up for Digital cable. I love the DVR feature but i miss being able to record something and watching it years later or even being able to take the tape somewhere else.

I tape from my Dvr... Viva Tapes!!!!!!!

[megoapesnut]

I paid over $1500 for my top of line BETA VCR and I still have it. Works perfectly. I have some old Errol Flynn movies on beta and some old tv miniseries that aren't available on DVD. I also have all three Dallas cowboy super bowls from the 90's on beta tape.

[Marvelmania]

I remember how huge and heavy they were. The scene in City Slickers comes to mind where Mitch is explaining how to tape a show while watching another. I remember trying to explain to a friend how to do this and he never did catch on.