As somebody who has used VCRs for a quarter of a decade, I'm amazed that the recordable DVD rewritable format is so frustratingly different and more awkward to use. Simple edits that I could do seamlessly with a VCR require much more work on a DVDR and aren't quite as seamless. With a VCR, I can trim something I've taped by stopping, hitting play, rewind search for a few seconds, go back to play, pause where I want to continue recording, and record over the short segment I don't want. That cannot be done with a DVDR without a lot of extra work--or at least it cannot with the brand I have. The DVDR has to close out the segment that has been taped after stop is hit. I can't rewind a little, pause, and start recording again. I have to go into a Title menu, select the last title, go into an Edit mode, fast forward through everything that was recorded in that title's session to get to near the end, select start and stop points, delete them, confirm deletion, and then go back to the recording mode. What was a 5 second process on a VCR is a 5-10 minute process with a DVDR and there's a pause when it's played back whereas there's none on the VCR edit. Then, I try to play the recorded DVD on a DVD player and it's not recognized. After spending a half hour scouring the manual, I find that the recorded DVD needs to be finalized before it can be played in anything else. Then, I suppose that I need to cross my fingers and make a sacrifice to the electronics gods to ensure that the finalized DVD can be unfinalized so that the remaining space can be recorded.
I'm just surprised that consumer DVD recorders aren't more like their video recorder predecessors. It is by no means a seamless transition from one format to another. It shouldn't be too bad for somebody who only uses a DVDR to tape and play back, but the simple, in-VCR editing that I was used to doing now has to be done on a computer because there is no way to effectively use the DVDR the same way as a VCR. I suppose that I can get used to the differences. I'm just not sure why I have adapt to the new technology instead of the technology adapting to how people do things.
Peas
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I'm just not sure why I have adapt to the new technology....
Because it is to be brief, NEW,! If it was the same then it wouldn't be new now would it???
Do you think the bicycle was easy to learn after riding horses? How about the first automobile after driving a horse and buggy? First came the canoe and then sailboats and then motor boats! This is the advance in technology that we all (at least most all of us) enjoy, appreciate and understand. Why no go bcak to your VCR if you don't like the improved PQ of DVD's?
No amount of complaining on an internet messsage forum is gonna change your life for the better now. You will be miserable until you throw that danged new fangled gadget in the trash. Don't let new technology make you unhappy. Free yourself from the bondage of new improvements. Heck I suggest you go back to riding skateboards for transportationand sending smoke signals for communication. This dang internet can be so troublesome as well, perhaps the Pony Express, will return someday soon.
Some things to consider: videotape and optical discs (such as DVDs) are very different creatures, and thus work much differently. Editing a DVD using a dedicated recorder's remote control is VERY different from editing video on a computer with keyboard and mouse/trackball or on a dedicated editing console. (Editing commercials out of a TV show on my HDD/DVD recorder is slow and not very accurate when compared to doing the same thing on my Macintosh.) Some of the problems you're having are just the nature of the beast, so to speak.
Unfortunately, not all electronics manufacturers make their equipment easy for users to work with. It's sort of like programmers that write programs for other programmers rather than end-users. About all you can do is complain to the manufacturer of your choice, and give specific suggestions on how to improve the next firmware revision. You can also tell them that you won't give them any more of your money, and that you have a lot of friends and a big mouth. I don't guarantee that you'll get what you want anytime soon, but if enough people complain, something might get done.
I know I didn't solve your problem, but I hope you feel a little better, anyway.