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PUBLISHER’S LETTER www.siliconchip.com.au Video cassette recorders: the end is nigh Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Eighteen years ago, in July 1984, writing the editorial for “Electronics Australia” magazine, I went out on a limb and stated that the VHS format had won the battle against the Beta format video machines. That editorial caused untold angst in certain sections of the electronics industry at the time. I was thorough­ly lambasted, large advertising contracts were cancelled and so on. Yet as little as six months later, it was all over, including the shouting. VHS definitely did win the war. Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Peter Smith Ross Tester Jim Rowe, B.A., B.Sc, VK2ZLO Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Leo Simpson Phone (02) 9979 5644 Fax (02) 9979 6503 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Rodney Champness, VK3UG Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 003 205 490. ABN 49 003 205 490 All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Hannanprint, Noble Park, Victoria. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $69.50 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 8, 101 Darley St, Mona Vale, NSW 2103. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. E-mail: silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au Now, almost 18 years to the day, it is possible to forecast the end of domestic VCRs and this time around there is not likely to be much controversy (I hope). The signs are all there – prices for basic VCRs have dropped to less than $200, tapes are really cheap and DVD releases of movies are now very plentiful and getting cheaper by the day. For anyone who has DVD player, buying a VHS-movie is unthinkable because DVD image quality is far better. With these trends in mind, you have to wonder how long it will be before video shops cease stocking video tapes for rental or for sale of new release movies. If you go into any video store you will soon realise that it is the DVDs that are the hot items, not video tapes. And once the video shops do cease handling video tapes for rental then it really will be all over. What about recording video programs, you might ask? Well, VCRs are still the only way to do it cheaply and people still want to “time-shift” programs but I get the impression that it is less used than once was the case. In any event, lower priced recordable DVDs are not far away and when they eventuate you can bet that they will quickly swamp the market. So we really are seeing a product, the VCR, coming to the end of its life cycle. All told, it has lasted, or will last, about 30 years or so, not long for a product that has involved such a high level of technology. Mind you, if your present VCR is on its last legs, you might want to think about buying a new one. They are not going to get much cheaper and if you have a big collection of video tapes you will still want something to play them on over the next ten years or so. Apart from that, will anyone mourn the passing of the VCR? Not really, I think. I doubt whether servicemen will care much either, particularly as they have been doing less and less serv­ice on them over the years – and they always were a mechanical nightmare anyway. And how many people ever learned to program their VCRs? Precious few! Roll on technology! Leo Simpson ISSN 1030-2662 * Recommended and maximum price only. 2  Silicon Chip www.siliconchip.com.au