VCR setup

VCR setup

Posted Apr 24, 2008 13:46 UTC (Thu) by jzbiciak (✭ supporter ✭, #5246)
In reply to: VCR setup by tialaramex
Parent article: The Grumpy Editor encounters the Hardy Heron

And yes, I've definitely owned VCRs able to do this, and yes, they used an on-screen display for their setup thus obliging you, the VCR owner to also have and use a television. No complaints here. I've also used a VCR (my parents) with a 14 day 20 item, semi-repeating programmable timer and no on-screen display and let me just say, you are stone cold crazy if you think that's better. I'd rather buy a new VCR for someone than help them use one of those horrible LCD panel remote controls to try to set up or program the VCR.

That's exactly where I'm coming from. :-) And sure, VCRs are by and large obsolete these days, but they're useful as a ready example since nearly everyone's experienced them by now and they're meant to be used by average consumers, not trained experts.

And everyone I think knows a family member or relative with "blinking 12:00" syndrome, especially with those older, arcane VCRs. My stepmom's parents used to tape over the clock with black electrical tape back in the 80s, indicating the depth of failure the old, clunky interfaces exhibited.

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