Blu-Ray Combo?

[TheGreatSatan]

I still use a DVD/VCR player. Has anyone seen any VCR/Blu-Ray combo's yet?

[XcOM]

i really doubt they will ever make them, whats the point really, you can only buy second hand vcr's in the uk now, and a very limited supply of dvd/vcr combos, most retailers don't even stock them

[aintnothang]

That would be ridiculous.

[TheGreatSatan]

I don't like have multiple devices plugged into my TV, but still need a VCR for all my kids movies and spot recording shows.

[Zephik]

I can totally understand a need for a Blu-Ray/VHS combo player. I'm not about to go out and repurchase my entire VHS Disney collection! :D

I'll see what I can dig up for you Satan. As of right now, all I could find is this baby, which is WAY too expensive and is apparently only sold in Japan? Lame. But its a start!

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/25/panasonic-intros-dmr-br360v-blu-ray-vhs-combo-player/

[Zephik]

Yep, its not gonna happen Satan. Not cheap anyways, as the only one available is that "only in japan" panasonic at over a thousand dollars.

Looks like your stuck with using two different players. My only suggestion for eliminating some of the clutter would be to buy an HDTV with a built in Blu-Ray player. Then all you would have is the VHS or VHS/DVD combo player. But if you have already bought a HDTV and/or a Blu-Ray player, then thats probably not going to work out for you. Unless maybe you sold them off and used the money to buy an HDTV with a built in player.

The only other option I see is that you get your hands on a VHS>Disc converter and convert your VHS collection to some kind of Disc format. If thats even possible anyways, I really have no idea. But if you do that, then your kids won't be able to record their favorite shows.

I wonder if you could get a sort of switch that you can use to switch between the two players? That way you would only have two sets of cables going to the switch, then one set of cables going to your TV. I'm not sure if such a thing even exists though.

[nevermind1534]

Most of the videos should have copy protection on them, so converting them shouldn't work with much of anything other than windows movie maker (apparently, it ignores the copyright protection in videos). I did this to make a copy of one video on a DVD.

[TheGreatSatan]

I don't do anything like that. I still like using VHS tapes to record shows.

[Xpirate]

Using VHS to tape shows will be problematic when the switch to DTV happens. Most VHS recorders have regular TV tuners that will not work after 2-17-09. The only way to tape a show will be to set your converter box to the channel you want and allow the VHS recorder to tape channel 3 or the composite input. You won't be able to program it to do different channels like you used to with the regular analog channels.

[aintnothang]

Get a DVR.

[nevermind1534]

Mod your own. Get an old VCR and a blue ray player, pull them apart, and put them in the same box.

[d_stilgar]

DTV won't be a problem really if you just go to that government site and get a digital to analog box for free. So much for embedded DRM signatures in our shows when you can still switch it to analog and then record it.

[Xpirate]

Get a DVR.

I have a DVR with DishNetwork and I also have a TV tuner that can work like a DVR. I'm just thinking of all the "not so wealthy" folks out there who can't afford dish, cable, or TIVO and don't know computers well enough to build their own DVR. Those folks will have problems after 2-17-08.

[TheGreatSatan]

I have cable, thus my high speed internet. I just use VCR's instead of DVR's. Eventually I'll have to upgrade, it just not a priority yet

[nevermind1534]

Actually, you should still be ok if you pick up the signal that you are recording from the cable line.

[Xpirate]

Actually, you should still be ok if you pick up the signal that you are recording from the cable line.

Charter cable is going to force you to get the digital box after the 2-17-08 cutover date. This will also render your "cable ready" tuner in your VCR useless.

[TheGreatSatan]

No. The Charter box is my digital line. Only those with rabbit ears need a converter box