I have returned 3 VCR's in one day!!!
 

Well, how do you like these apples?

The Toshiba stopped working (even after I went out and bought he Universal Remote).

The picture kept jumping and twitching. I gave up and brought it around the corner. The guy took one look at my face and said "uh oh".

I said "this does not work". He said 'but I tried it". I said: 'I told you I want a vcr that I can tape on and play tapes from OTHER vcrs."

He said: 'what do you want to do?" I said "let's try the Panasonic Omnivision up there on the shelf, (I have 2 others at home that work just fine).

Brought it home. It had no sound.

Brought it back. The guy looked like he wanted to kill me. I said "Piece of junk, what else do you have.....then I spotted a 2nd Panasonic Omnivision vcr. I said 'let's try that". He gives it to me. I take it home.

Picture is jumping, sound is bad.

I bring it back.

Are you counting so far???

So I said "what's that up on the shelf on the other side??

WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, IT'S ANOTHER PANASONIC OMNIVISION.

He takes it down and he goes "but you should have taken the Toshiba, if you press the record button on the machine....blah blah.

I then said: "listen to me, I can eat and spit out VCR's in my sleep, I've owned them for over 20 years, I even put one together once. The recording heads don't work on these, so let's give this 4th one a go.

I take it home. Oh brother. I had to find some tapes that it worked with. I finally was able to record and play something.

I'm not going back to him. I think he'll close down the store if he sees me coming in for the 5th time.

Tomorrow we are taking a walk to the electronics store not too far from my house (I know, I should have gone there in the first place). . If they have vcr's (new), we'll see.

But for now, this stupid thing works, NOT GREAT, but it will do what it has to do.

Good Lord. I have now realized I am addicted to taping EVERYTHING.

So good bye Toshiba, and a return HELLO to my Panasonic.

Even if it did take 4 attempts.

Oh, by the way, I will never buy a second hand anything again.

It's not worth the 20 or 25 dollars to go back and forth 4 times. (or was it 5??)

lol

*trying to hypnotize Mel into getting a DVR*

Mel, time for TIVO TIVO TIVO TIVO :p...or call DIrect TV and have them set you up with a DVR atleast for one TV.

You will never go back. I promise

How can Alan and I exchange tapes then?

How many programs can you tape at the same time you watch a show.

You really like this DVR thing??

I'm going to check it out.

Oh my god, I'm so VCR nuts, I have to eventually learn to live without this technology.

And if I get this DVR thing from Direct tv, is it more money a month??

Thanks much.

CHanting DVR, DVR, DVR, DVR, DVR

You wont need to exchange tapes, you may need to switch TV's if you want to watch something on tape but you can tape two programs at the same time.

Direct TV may charge like $5 or $8 dollars more a month for the DVR but call them tonight or tomorrow and ask them.

I swear once you have one you won't go back...plus I hate to say it but in a couple years...they won't even make vcrs anymore and eventually no tapes either.

Take the plunge Mel I promise DVRs are amazing.

"I swear once you have one you won't go back...plus I hate to say it but in a couple years...they won't even make vcrs anymore and eventually no tapes either."

CHEMAR:: THEY DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE.

I know because I went on the interet, to Panasonic, on Ebay. YOU CAN'T FIND PANASONIC OMNIVISION. That's the ones we love.

Oh yeah, you can buy refurbished, but who wants refurbished? They are junky.

All I wanted was a nice VCR. Is that tooooooo much to ask??

Of course.

Well, I'm going to call up directv.

Now before I call. Let's say I get 2 boxes. One for my bedroom, and one for the living room. Who sets these things up?

Do they come in the mail, and I just plug it in and that's it.

I gather I take the coaxial cable that comes out of the side of my house (the directv cable), and is now presently in the back of my cable box, I gather I take that cable and plug it into the NEW DVR thingee??

Is that the whole magilla?? Doesn't seem hard to do, if that's all it is.

The only hard part is learning how to use it.

I can do that.

I THINK!!!

LOL

Afew years ago....my dh bought 3 brand new vcrs and put them in the
basement.

We have soooooo many kid tapes that I wanted my youngest to be
able to see them all. We havent had to break them out yet but
Im happy that we have backup.:)

Good luck....maybe you could find one at a tagsale.:o

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/secondaryIndex.jsp?assetId=900023

says 5.99 a month and more info about it
installation info-
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global...97018177711100

YAY!!!!!! Yeah get two TV's hooked up and you will be happy.

Depending on what box direct TV has in your house now what they will likely do is come by and just change out the boxes for you.

They came by to install it right?

Wait till you get them....its so easy to use. The best part is you can set up a program for a season pass so no need to set it each time its on, the DVR will remember.

Seriously its just a better VCR without the tapes.

And for $5.99 extra its so worth it.

If this only costs $5.99 a month more, I'll kiss you.

Is this $5.99 for each box? Alan will need his own box in the living room.

Right now we have 3 receivers. The third one is free. They don't charge me anything for this 3rd one. It was kind of a bonus.

I use the third one on my right set up in the bedroom. Only for taping. It's so convenient. We don't have to miss anything.

Especially when the fall comes and there are new shows on Channel 2, 4, and 7.

But when HOUSE is on, on Channel 5, then we're cooked.

But it seems that with this DVR thing, we might not be so cooked.

Oh, guess what happened last night with the 4TH ONE I GOT FROM THE GUY AROUND THE CORNER.

The lovely Panasonic Omnivision, well it would not record or play anything without jumping up and down. I wanted to kill it.

So I just unplugged it and put back my former SONY that my friend threw out because she couldn't get the tapes to come out when she pressed the eject button. I figured out how to do it, and I've been using it.

I guess I'll still use it until I figure out what I want to do.

But I'm definitely going to check out the link that Jo provided.

I can just see Alan in the living room screaming at me "how the hell do I work this stupid dvr thing???"

That's when I get ALL OF YOU TO COME TO MY HOUSE AND PROGRAM IT FOR ME.


lol

Okay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jo, Shelley and Chemar::

Get a load of this!!

I just called Directv.

I got it spelled out clear as a bell. (I don't trust ANYBODY, so we might just see that's not clear as a bell BECAUSE IT'S NEVER CLEAR AS A BELL WITH THE PHONE COMPANDY AND DIRECTV

I have a bundle. My stuff is bundled. I have NEVER gotten the same bill twice in a row.

There are fees, surcharges, discounts (some months there are no discounts) I have to call every month to get the bill straightened out and god only knows HOW MANY PHONE CALLS I'LL HAVE TO MAKE IF I DO THE DVR thing.

But I got my answers.

I pay a $19.99 one time shipping and handling charge for them to mail out the two receivers. They ship these to a local guy who, after I make the appointment, they come to my house, they replace my receivers with the two NEW DVR thingees.

They show me how to use them. I still keep my bonus free 3rd receiver anyway. They don't take that back.

I am then charged $5.99 for the DVR stuff.

So my bill only goes up $5.99 a month and I don't have to worry about exchanging anything with Alan because you can tape 2 shows while you are watching a 3rd show. AND IT HOLDS 100 HOURS OF TAPE.

That alone convinced me.

Now I have to wait until Alan wakes up. I have to get him in a nice mood (I'll massage him, that should do it).

And we shall see.

100 hours of taping, no more tapes, he can tape 2 programs and watch what he wants. Who can argue with this??

The only thing is teaching him how to use it (after I learn).

The man pushes a button, sees a blue screen and YELLS MELODY!!

lol

We shall see.

THE PLOT THICKENS.

YAY Mel!!!!!!!

I told ya it was amazing. No more tapes and you can keep the shows as long as you want.

And it seriously is so easy to use..I'd even call it idiot prof because when it comes to remote controls thats me and even I am a pro.

You are gonna love it!

Now...I have to convince you on a new flat panel TV :D

Take it easy.

We're not doing this YET!!!

We will.

But we want to plan it just right. Alan has all appointments, and I think I want them to come during an IVIG so we are home, we are not alone, blah blah.

Oh, WHY DO I HAVE TO HAVE THESE THINGS PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED.

I switch cable boxes and have installed VCR's up the kazoo.

Is this box different than installing a cable box.

On their website it says "you can self install and we'll help you through it, or you can have one of our professional installers do it for you"

So what's the better way??

I really don't like a bunch of strangers traipsing all over my house going into my bedroom if I don't have to.

Any ideas?

Thanks much

Melody

P.S. Don't worry, I'm getting there.... slowly...but eventually!!!

on the direct TV link there was
this page too-
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global...setId=P4720082

download pdf of install guide
you will need to know which kind you will be getting - Sony or RCA

but for now you could just pick one and look thru it to see if you want to try it-
{ I'm sure it's easy unless you have surround sound or other gadgets to connect} and they do have a 1-800 number if you get stuck

here is a list of choices for the RCA- I don't know if you have a stereo TV or surround sound or PIP
I looked at #1 & #3 SIMPLE - I'm sure you could do it.
the pdf is a diagram/picture of how to connect everything

[TV (non-stereo) and DIRECTV System

TV (non-stereo), DIRECTV System and stereo/surround unit

TV (stereo) and DIRECTV System

TV (non-stereo), VCR (non-stereo) and DIRECTV System

TV (stereo), DIRECTV System and stereo/surround unit

TV and VCR (non-stereo), stereo/surround unit and DIRECTV System

TV (stereo), VCR (non-stereo) and DIRECTV System

TV (stereo with PIP), VCR (non-stereo) and DIRECTV System

TV (stereo with PIP), VCR (stereo) and DIRECTV System

TV (stereo with PIP), VCR (stereo w/S-video) and DIRECTV System]

Now aren't you amazing!!!

And I wouldn't have a Surround Sound, if you paid me a million dollars.

God, all that noise would kill me. In the bedroom, my tv is not stereo. Alan's is a Stereo Sony Trinitron.

Does it matter?? Do I tell them that one tv is stereo and the other is not?

Good Lord.

Why did they take away vcrs???

AAAARRRRGGGHH!!!

OH, I JUST HAD A BRAINSTORM.

Because I am an ebay seller, I just went to EBAY.

I emailed 14 sellers (there are COUNTLESS VCRS all over ebay), but I know which power sellers I can trust and which have negative feedback. So I chose 14 vcrs, wrote to all the sellers.

I will decide which to buy.

AND YES, WE ARE DOING THE DVR thing. SOON!!!

But I still want my vcr.

lol

if you get a DVD/VCR combo machine {one that plays & records}
you could copy your tapes to DVD if you wanted to and wouldn't have to worry about tapes jamming, wearing out...or someday not being able to get a VCR at all..
They don't cost much more and I think if you stay with a top brand the VCR part should last just fine.

[Does it matter?? Do I tell them that one tv is stereo and the other is not?]

no the box the give you will be the same I'm pretty sure - it just takes more connections for the speakers {L to L & R to R} when there is stereo

See, that's exactly what I don't want.

More connections. L to R to R....all I want is antennae in and out to tv.

Simple as Pie.

Oh, get this. I was talking to my girlfriend on the phone telling her about my VCR woes and I said "oh god, if I could only get my hands on a Panasonic Omnivision....and I hear dead silence and she says "wait a minute, I have one of those, yeah, I'm looking right at it. It says Panasonic Omnivision. I never used it, OH I USED IT ONCE TO TAPE PAUL ANKA, my husband did it for me, I don't tape, would you like it??

WOULD I LIKE IT??? She's used it exactly one time. It's not connected to anything and it's sitting on top of her Optima Cable Box.

She has a brand new Flat screen tv, and she only watches, she never tapes anything.

I said "hey, if you can't use it and want to give it to some humble person, I'M THE HUMBLE PERSON".

She asking her husband if she can send it to me. She said 'hey it's mine, but I'll give him the courtesy".

I said: "by all means, be courteous".

I burst out laughing.

And I have a bid on Ebay for the same VCR by a power seller with excellent feedback and we've been corresponding. My max bid is $15.00. It's now up to $13.00

So we'll see.

I'm telling you, by next week, I'll have a room full of Panasonics.

One can only hope.

I'll join the DVR revolution in due time, don't worry!!!

melody