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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 09:17, jim wrote:
JoeJoe Wrote in message:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.


Define "silly"?



The ones I have seen nearest to me were advertised at £50+ for
(obviously) 2nd hand, no remote (could be a problem) and/or cables (not
a problem). Delivery is also expensive (assuming they will survive the
journey).

I've just been to the tip, and the guys there promised to keep aside for
me what they'd get over the next week or so. Fingers crossed, I should
have one by next week for some beer money.
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 09:17, jim wrote:
JoeJoe Wrote in message:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.


Define "silly"?


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Samsung-SV...AOSw2xRYlgq i


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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

JoeJoe Wrote in message:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.


Define "silly"?

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

In article ,
JoeJoe wrote:
I've just been to the tip, and the guys there promised to keep aside for
me what they'd get over the next week or so. Fingers crossed, I should
have one by next week for some beer money.


You might be lucky, but my brother who used VHS long after most had thrown
them out eventually gave up on it.

I do have two working ones here - one S-VHS. But they're not for sale.

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Leyburn Friday market has a stall selling new old stock VCR players.

Mike
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

En el artículo ,
JoeJoe escribió:

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Your local car bootie usually has a couple.

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 11:12, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el artículo ,
JoeJoe escribió:

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Your local car bootie usually has a couple.


Haven't thought about it - will give it a go.


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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 11:05, Muddymike wrote:
On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a
friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Leyburn Friday market has a stall selling new old stock VCR players.

Mike


A bit far for me (200 miles+), but thanks anyway.
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

In article ,
JoeJoe wrote:
On 20/02/2017 11:12, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el artículo ,
JoeJoe escribió:

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one
from? I will only need it for approx one day.


Your local car bootie usually has a couple.


Haven't thought about it - will give it a go.


Do make sure it works before parting with cash, though. Which might be
tricky at a car boot sale.

--
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Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 08:33, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well since nobody is making the guts any more and most of the late models
were crap, its going to be very hard to find one that works.
The belts and rubber parts tend to fall to bits and getting new ones is
almost impossible these days.


I played a video tape last year on our still-working video.

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

In message , at 13:46:33 on Mon, 20 Feb
2017, "Dave Plowman (News)" remarked:

Your local car bootie usually has a couple.


Haven't thought about it - will give it a go.


Do make sure it works before parting with cash, though. Which might be
tricky at a car boot sale.


I usually find it quite easy to part with cash at a car boot sale.

In other news, I've got a UK one in the attic, and very likely a USA on
too (I threw out the USA DVD player only a few months ago).
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question,




Silicon heaven AICMFP.

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 08:33, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well since nobody is making the guts any more and most of the late models
were crap, its going to be very hard to find one that works.
The belts and rubber parts tend to fall to bits and getting new ones is
almost impossible these days.


I really must digitise the rest of our tapes... I have three players,
but that sounds like they might all die

Andy
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On 20/02/2017 21:32, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 20/02/2017 08:33, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well since nobody is making the guts any more and most of the late models
were crap, its going to be very hard to find one that works.
The belts and rubber parts tend to fall to bits and getting new ones is
almost impossible these days.


I really must digitise the rest of our tapes... I have three players,
but that sounds like they might all die


If you are keeping the tapes (and players) "in case" you want to watch
them "some day", then non-functioning VCRs are probably as good as any,
especially if you don't check them.

--
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 23:58:48 +0000, JoeJoe wrote:

I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


They are an extremely rare and highly valued collectors item, now
investments by the very rich. You can have mine for £15,000 - a real
bargain.
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone? [UPDATE]

On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Went to the tip again earlier today, and the guys kept a working VCR for
me as promised.

I am planning to use one of these to capture the videos:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1416077784...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

but unfortunately the VCR I now have only has one output - a SCART.

I have one of these in a draw somewhe
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCART-Adap...IAAOSwI3RW8k-M

but the audio connections on both the SCART adapter and the capture
device are all female.

Would one of these make everything work?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triple-3-x... VbkyKvLwQtMtw

Sorry, I am pretty ignorant when it comes to all these antique fittings€¦


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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone? [UPDATE]

"JoeJoe" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a
friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Went to the tip again earlier today, and the guys kept a working VCR for
me as promised.

I am planning to use one of these to capture the videos:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1416077784...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

but unfortunately the VCR I now have only has one output - a SCART.

I have one of these in a draw somewhe
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCART-Adap...IAAOSwI3RW8k-M

but the audio connections on both the SCART adapter and the capture device
are all female.

Would one of these make everything work?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triple-3-x... VbkyKvLwQtMtw

Sorry, I am pretty ignorant when it comes to all these antique fittings€¦


LOL "antique" :-)

Yes I think that should work OK. Given that the phono lead is designed for
video as well as audio, the cable will be good enough to carry the 6 MHz
video as well as the 20 kHs audio. You may find that the digitising device
has trouble with poorer VHS recordings. I bought a Hauppauge one (supposedly
good quality) but I get a lot of dot patterning and horizontal timing
jitter, which I don't get on the PCI card in my ancient ("antique"?) XP
computer that I keep just for digitising from VHS and the Sky box.



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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone? [UPDATE]

On 21/02/2017 19:09, NY wrote:
"JoeJoe" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a
friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Went to the tip again earlier today, and the guys kept a working VCR
for me as promised.

I am planning to use one of these to capture the videos:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1416077784...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


but unfortunately the VCR I now have only has one output - a SCART.

I have one of these in a draw somewhe
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCART-Adap...IAAOSwI3RW8k-M


but the audio connections on both the SCART adapter and the capture
device are all female.

Would one of these make everything work?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triple-3-x... VbkyKvLwQtMtw


Sorry, I am pretty ignorant when it comes to all these antique fittings€¦


LOL "antique" :-)

Yes I think that should work OK. Given that the phono lead is designed
for video as well as audio, the cable will be good enough to carry the 6
MHz video as well as the 20 kHs audio. You may find that the digitising
device has trouble with poorer VHS recordings. I bought a Hauppauge one
(supposedly good quality) but I get a lot of dot patterning and
horizontal timing jitter, which I don't get on the PCI card in my
ancient ("antique"?) XP computer that I keep just for digitising from
VHS and the Sky box.


Good point! I still have a 2003-vintage XP desktop in the attic with a
TV card that I've used before for this purpose, and kept for this reason
only.

Last time I used it was ~5 years ago when I digitised the last of our
VHS tapes, so I am not sure it still works. I'll try it first and use
the above option if the plan fails.

Thanks a lot.
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone? [UPDATE]

On Tuesday, 21 February 2017 19:09:53 UTC, NY wrote:
"JoeJoe" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 19/02/2017 23:58, JoeJoe wrote:
I think I know the straight answer to the question, but...

I am looking for a working PAL VCR to digitise some VHS tapes for a
friend.

As luck would have it, I binned our old VCR last year after doing the
same for our old tapes, thinking that it would not be needed any more.

I put ads on Gumtree and Freecycle a few days ago, and also searched on
eBay (for local ones), but nothing apart from a few silly-priced ones on
eBay.

I will be in the tip tomorrow and plan to speak to the guys there to see
if they happen to have any.

Failing that, any other suggestions as to where to get hold of one from?
I will only need it for approx one day.


Went to the tip again earlier today, and the guys kept a working VCR for
me as promised.

I am planning to use one of these to capture the videos:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1416077784...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

but unfortunately the VCR I now have only has one output - a SCART.

I have one of these in a draw somewhe
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCART-Adap...IAAOSwI3RW8k-M

but the audio connections on both the SCART adapter and the capture device
are all female.

Would one of these make everything work?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triple-3-x... VbkyKvLwQtMtw

Sorry, I am pretty ignorant when it comes to all these antique fittings€¦


LOL "antique" :-)


that's what I thought. But in fairness many of the connectors in use today are antique, including RCA/phono.


NT
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"JoeJoe" wrote in message
o.uk...
Good point! I still have a 2003-vintage XP desktop in the attic with a TV
card that I've used before for this purpose, and kept for this reason
only.


Yes I'm hanging onto that PC. I panicked last year when something got
corrupted in the drivers and the device disappeared, but luckily I was able
eventually to find a site that had replacement drivers and it's as good as
new.

The only thing I've used the USB Hauppauge device for is to digitise from a
pre-recorded VHS so I can add it to my library of DVDs (the film isn't
available on DVD so I don't feel too guilty). The PCI card in the XP machine
rejects Macrovision copy-protected tapes whereas the Hauppauge doesn't care.
I did wonder at first whether the patchy dot-patterning was a legacy of
Macrovision, but it does it on my own VHS recordings and even on the cleaner
signal from my Sky box where there should be no timing errors due to the
mechanical speed of the tape/head varying very sligthly.

The biggest problem I have with the XP PC is remembering the incantations to
get the correct sound input to the recording software - it always seems to
take several goes to get it to remember that I've changed away from the
default for the sound card.

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On 20/02/2017 22:03, Huge wrote:
On 2017-02-20, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 20/02/2017 08:33, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well since nobody is making the guts any more and most of the late models
were crap, its going to be very hard to find one that works.
The belts and rubber parts tend to fall to bits and getting new ones is
almost impossible these days.


I really must digitise the rest of our tapes... I have three players,
but that sounds like they might all die


I thought, "Oh, **** it" and chucked the tapes away and freegled the player.



So did I. Including my wedding video tape - TBH who would want to watch
a wedding video? I watched it once just after I got married.




--
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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone? [UPDATE]

In article ,
NY wrote:

Yes I think that should work OK. Given that the phono lead is designed
for video as well as audio, the cable will be good enough to carry the
6 MHz video as well as the 20 kHs audio.


6 megs from a VHS? ;-)

--
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Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.


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In message , at 20:57:39 on Tue, 21
Feb 2017, ARW remarked:

I thought, "Oh, **** it" and chucked the tapes away and freegled the player.


So did I. Including my wedding video tape - TBH who would want to watch
a wedding video? I watched it once just after I got married.


Assuming no acrimonious divorce in the mean time, either a widow or
widower might gain some comfort from it. And children could well be
interested.

And FWIW I videod two weddings in the mid 80's, both as a wedding
present for friends, and recently they've both digitised copies as
part of a 30th anniversary celebration.
--
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On 22/02/2017 08:53, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 20:57:39 on Tue, 21
Feb 2017, ARW remarked:

I thought, "Oh, **** it" and chucked the tapes away and freegled the
player.


So did I. Including my wedding video tape - TBH who would want to
watch a wedding video? I watched it once just after I got married.


Assuming no acrimonious divorce in the mean time, either a widow or
widower might gain some comfort from it. And children could well be
interested.


This is my (friend's) case.

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Default [OT] Where have all the VCRs gone?

On Tuesday, 21 February 2017 00:13:05 UTC, Max Demian wrote:
On 20/02/2017 21:32, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 20/02/2017 08:33, Brian Gaff wrote:
its going to be very hard to find one that works.


If you are keeping the tapes (and players) "in case" you want to watch
them "some day", then non-functioning VCRs are probably as good as any,
especially if you don't check them.


I beleive the tape ruins if you lie them flat. I still have my VCR but once you have seen the fil a time or two you are not likely to want to watch it decades later.

Besides the digital alternative now is amazing with android boxes so small and cheap.

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