(Photo: DeeperThought)
It was once a futuristic symbol of entertainment. Now it's an obsolete relic from the past. DVD players and digital recording and playback devices have replaced the old VCR console. Now that machine has reached its end. Funai, the last manufacturer of video cassette recorders, is ending production this month. Popular Mechanics reports:
The reasons for Funai's halting VCR production aren't surprising: they've cited declining sales and difficulty finding parts, which translates to "nobody's buying them anymore." Just because nobody's buying doesn't mean that nobody's using them, of course. VCRs and VHS tapes have garnered a cult fan base, with people coming to appreciate the lack of sharpness in quality as a type of warmth, or nostalgia. This has inspired a trend of appreciation towards older formats. Indeed, as the VCR ends its initial run, Kodak is looking to revitalize the Super 8 under the tagline "Analog Renaissance." So if you're going to miss the VCR, just wait 20 years.
-via Glenn Reynolds
The most dazzeling aspect of all those techical achievements is that they still do not make better movies...
I see them lying around, unsold, at garage sales all the time.