When did you last use a VCR?

[Harrison]

That is one thing you have to say for progress. At least most games can now be completed. There were so many 8-bit and 16-bit games I gave up on or cheated because they were just so unforgiving or impossible to work out.

[Stephen Coates]

I am using one as I write this.

I am currently watching the ceefax pages from the morning of Saturday 27th October. Well, more like listening. I can't read the ceefax pages whilst I am typing messages. I need to use this tape later to record something for my Mum, who lacks any kind of recorder, so I thought I'd listen to the ceefax music for a while.

Last time I used one was last night. My Dad does have a DVD recorder which I could have used, but I don't trust DVD recorders any more, so would only use one in an emergency. (The disks which this DVD recorder produces don't play in my player, but do play in my mum's player, and I often forget to finalise the disk which is something that can not be done when I have transported the disk 3 miles to watch it on my own tele).

I also have a DVD/VCR combi, but I am thinking about getting a VCR on it's own, so I can have one which can be put in the cupboard during the night to record stuff (it keeps me awake when it is on the desk), and also take it downstairs without messing up the cabling, and also for copying tapes.

[Harrison]

You record teletext so you can listen to the music?... O....K.....

The problem you mentioned with recorded DVDs not playing on certain players is actually down to the make of blank disks you are using. Some makes of blank DVD-R won't work in all DVD drives. For example 4x speed Datawrite discs can't be played in my Sony DVD player, but every other make I've used will. These days I just stick with Verbatim DVD-Rs. They may cost a little bit more, but they work in everything I've every tried them on and are higher quality and more reliable.

[AlexJ]

Isn't Pages from Ceefax music like lift music? Anyway, if you want a VCR for copying tapes, you could do far worse than tracking down one of these bad boys:

[Harrison]

Hey, I remember those Amstrad double decks. They were great at eating tapes.

£349.99! No way. Did we actually used to pay that much for such junk? Well I suppose it was viewed as quite current, if not cutting edge, at the time.

[AlexJ]

Inflation adjusted it's actually about £515!!

Still this was well before the days of DVD Writers etc. and I reckon a standard VCR would have been quite pricey.

[Stephen Coates]

You record teletext so you can listen to the music?... O....K.....

Nah. I just fancied seeing what happened when BBC 2 finishes for the night these days. Seems like they have been using Ceefax for quite a few years. Back in 2002 when I recorded a few revision programmes off learning zone I always wondered why there were ceefax pages on for a few minutes before learning zone started.

That double VCR sound quite cool, although I would rather have two seperate ones.

But, if anyone fancies having one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/vintage-amstra...QQcmdZViewItem

[Harrison]

Imagine the postage for that thing from Aus! And Amstrad products were not exactly well made even when new, so I can't imagine it would be to hot after so many years. Although the built quality of their CPC computers was much better.

[Stephen Coates]

I expect it would be heavy.

What about the build quality of their printers and satellite recievers? (as you know, my DMP2000 still works perfectly and seems to be built pretty well)

[StuKeith]

Must have been about 7-8 months ago.

Havent got rid of it yet, as I have over a decade of Formula 1 review videos that not on DVD.