Mom was very upset this afternoon when the VCR player started eating up her tapes. We checked and yes, that's what it was doing.
Mom's sister, Auntie Grace records a LOT of videos that she tapes for her sister. My cousin is very generous with his mother getting her a rather pricey cable service to a Japanese station. I don't know how it works. I just know she tapes a lot of the informative programs for mom.
The problem is that it's all on VCR tapes. And now the machine was broken.
We were dubious that we could find another VCR player. We even left behind about three of them in Chicago when we moved to Hawaii four years ago since we weren't watching VCR tapes anymore.
We went to Walmart and had to ask a salesperson if they carried one. The look on the young person's face was hilarious. I wish I could have taken a photo of it.
"Why?" he asked completely dumbfounded.
No, they didn't have any although when we looked on the back shelves, we did find some DVD/VCR players. They weren't very cheap and would be a waste since mom doesn't watch DVDs.
We finally went to Don Quijote and found a DVD/VCR combo player on sale for $99.99. We decided to get it since it was about half the price of the one at Walmart.
We set it up and Art tried to show her how to use it. She would need three remotes to operate everything.
Mom's sister, Auntie Grace records a LOT of videos that she tapes for her sister. My cousin is very generous with his mother getting her a rather pricey cable service to a Japanese station. I don't know how it works. I just know she tapes a lot of the informative programs for mom.
The problem is that it's all on VCR tapes. And now the machine was broken.
We were dubious that we could find another VCR player. We even left behind about three of them in Chicago when we moved to Hawaii four years ago since we weren't watching VCR tapes anymore.
We went to Walmart and had to ask a salesperson if they carried one. The look on the young person's face was hilarious. I wish I could have taken a photo of it.
"Why?" he asked completely dumbfounded.
No, they didn't have any although when we looked on the back shelves, we did find some DVD/VCR players. They weren't very cheap and would be a waste since mom doesn't watch DVDs.
We set it up and Art tried to show her how to use it. She would need three remotes to operate everything.
She got so confused that I scanned the remotes and had her write the instructions down in Japanese.
One remote is for the DVD/VCR player. One is for the TV and the last one is for the analog to digital converter since the TV is an older model.
So here is mom still working with VCR technology although I imagine DVDs will soon become antiques as well. I've got so many things stored on DVDs right now. I'm cringing wondering how soon this will happen with things like the Cloud which I still don't understand looming on the horizon.
Oh, I'm sorry but it's kind of "odd" funny, only because I've been there :( My Dad has a ton of those remotes and I have no idea what they all are for. Kind of scary isn't it. That Cloud thing, yeah, I'm not too sure of it either!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine how much things will change in the future. I know my new MacBook Air has no DVD slot. I think you're right: they are going the way of the dinosaur, and much faster! All those remotes intimidate me, I can imagine how it is for your mother.
ReplyDeletethat DVD/VCR machine might even be able to convert VHS to DVD? I should get one. I'm paying a lot of money to convert 8MM camcorder tapes to DVD, they better not phase out DVDs anytime soon! Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteWe've never figured out how to use the CD player with our new t.v. My nephew tries to explain it to us periodically, but it's in one ear and out the other. Your mom is far ahead of us!
ReplyDeleteprogress-that's how they sell the new technology! how about craig's list, etc?
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... Craigslist... I wonder.
DeleteI've just gotten rid of the last of our VCR tapes since I no longer have anything to play them on. Good for you mom for learning how to operate her new system.
ReplyDeleteWhew! I have a ton of VCRs too. My VCR player kept skipping, but I found two combination DVD/VCR players at Wal-Mart, one more expensive than the other. I used masking tape and labeled the back of my TV's remote is case I forget. The control for the DVD/VCR stays by that unit, so I don't mix it up with the TV remote. My TV is just a tad too old, so I had to get a special "widgit" to put between the TV and the DVD/VCR machine.
ReplyDeleteI like my old car, too. No special gadgets that I can't program myself to use.
DrumMajor
I love the masking tape idea. I'll ask mom if she'd like us to do that for her.
DeleteIt's going to be a very different world soon ftom what I read. Imagine a news article perfectly written by algorithm. Droids are replacing human work. I think even home construction can be done by 3D printing one day. Trucks driven without drivers and a multitude of low physical and highly skilled professional jobs will be replaced by technology. It's within our lifetime. The technnological revolution we are about to see will severely reduce our labor force. Are we prepared? I think it will require a breakdown of old systems before we can enjoy the fruit of leisure this new reality provides.
ReplyDeleteL from w
This all sounds so much like sci-fi. Amazing!
DeleteYeah, everything becomes obsolete very quickly. I have heard of the Cloud and wondered how to operate it.
ReplyDeleteSo funny you wrote about obsolete technology today. David just hauled three old typewriters to the Good Will store yesterday. Dianne
ReplyDeleteI think its wonderful your mum is able to watch her shows, I have an old VCR, if we were closer you could have had ours, I have started my new blog , pleased come visit,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see you're back on line. Yae!
DeleteI am getting rid of as much "stuff" as I can but I decided to keep the VCR player that I have "just in case". Of course that "just in case" is why I still seem to have the same amount of stuff.
ReplyDeleteI love your "just in case". I have the same problem at our house.
DeleteVCRs are still the best way to record TV programs. A lot of people I know still use their VCRs.
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to find one fairly cheap, although it has too many bells and whistles.
I loved all the old paper letters & documents I found whe doing genealogy. I haven't found any technology safer than paper. Yes paper can be lost or destroyed but so can technology. It changes so fast I'm afraid I'm going to miss something and my documents be forever lost or not have the right technology to view them.
ReplyDeleteit's all going digital. we will look back on these machines like button hooks
ReplyDeleteWarm Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
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