Today in what was made before you were born, we bring you, the VCR recorder & tape!!!
VCR, in other words, videocassette recorder is a technological device that records audio and video from TV, from a video-recording camera or any other source, on a magnetic taped videocassette. You can then use the VCR player, to playback what you’ve jut recorded… crazy, right?
Videocassette recorders for consumer use were made in 1972 and were priced at $50,000 USD…which realistically might even be the price to find them now in 2017. The recording aspect for home-videos was founded by Phillips. Later on, many different types and forms of VCR players were made.
So, how do VCR players work?
There are rotating video-head drums on the tape that receives electrical signals from the TV. The signals then record onto the magnetic tape.
Originally, Sony created the first commercial VCRs in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. These machines were mostly used by news broadcasters, the television industry and schools and businesses.
By 1972, VCRs started hitting the mass market crowd, as there were 6 major businesses associated with the timeline of VHS:
- RCA,
- JVC,
- AMPEX,
- Matsushita Electric/Panasonic,
- Sony
- Toshiba
The most popular were Panasonic, JVC and Sony because they created more technologically advanced VCRs and had more options for tapes.
As a 90s baby, I definitely remember using the VCR recorder and tapes in my daily life. Still until this day, we have our huge family collection of classic Disney movies on VHS, as well as all our home-video birthday celebrations. I clearly remember recording shows like, Arthur, using a timer on our VCR player.
I also remember going to BlockBuster and Rogers Video, to rent out VCR tapes of the latest and greatest movies that were out at the time.
But as we all know, all good things do come to some sort of end. Although VCRs were still used in home until the 90s, the competition of disks had caused the decline in VCR usage. Discs did provide much higher quality in both audio and video. Once the 200s hit, DVDs then became the most popular medium for playback and recorded video. Another aspect that helped were the lower prices for DVDs, in which VCRs started to become extinct.
According to Tech Times, VHS tapes officially become dead in July 2016. Japanese company, Funai Electric, had states that they will not be making VCRs anymore after 30 years in the VCR biz.
After all this reminiscing about VCRs, I’m going to eat some popcorn and watch The Lion King on VHS with my VCR recorder (yes, I still own one).
Happy Surfing!
