| Today's
VCRs offer quite a variety of features. Do your homework before
buying so you don't get stuck paying for options you aren't
going to use.
STEP 1: Decide how you're going to use the machine. Will you
use it just to run video rentals or do you intend to tape
television shows? Will you be taping sports events so you
can break down the action later?
STEP 2: Determine if you want automatic
features such as auto start, which turns on the VCR whenever
a tape is inserted; auto rewind, which automatically rewinds
a tape once it gets to the end; auto shutoff, which shuts
off the VCR automatically; or auto eject, which ejects the
cassette when the VCR shuts off.
STEP 3: Decide if you want index search,
which marks the tape each time you record so that you can
return to the exact spot either by number or by scanning forward
or backward. Another feature, jog shuttle, lets you scan at
various speeds, from frame by frame to warp speed.
STEP 4: Think about different playback
options, such as still picture/frame-by-frame playback, slow
motion/reverse slow motion, and variable-speed search/reverse-motion
playback.
STEP 5: See if you want VCR Plus, a
way to automatically tape shows easily.
STEP 6: Figure out if you want special
features such as digital effects, including picture in picture,
which lets you see two programs simultaneously; or flying
erase head, which is used to edit tapes. Other features include
manual tracking, editing from a camcorder, editing to or from
another VCR and audio dubbing.
* If you ever tape shows, think about index search or high-speed
searching methods.
* If you watch or tape sports events and like to deconstruct
the action, consider advanced playback options.
* If you tape shows regularly, consider VCR Plus.
What
is Videotape ? | Audio
& Video Tape Preservation |
Video
Tape Conversion to NTSC or PAL or SECAM | Save
a Videocassette |
How
to Get a Digital Video Recorder | How
to Buy a VCR | How
to Videotape Sports Action |
Transfer
Audio From a Videotape to a Computer | Transfer
Audio From a Videotape to a Cassette |
Transfer
Video Onto the Computer | How
to Program a VCR | Video
Tape Formats |
Video
Tape Time Comparisons | Tape
& VCR Tips | Camcorder
& Recording Techniques
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