Something I never quite understood about VHS tapes - Blu-ray Forum

Scarface32 · 05-14-2014, 05:58 AM

VCRs typically had 3 speed settings.

SP = record for up to 2 hours
LP = record for up to 4 hours
SLP (EP on some VCRs) = record up to 6 hours

How come when buying a movie that was close to the 3-hour mark, you got TWO tapes? Examples include Ben-Hur (1959) and Titanic (1997).

I don't see why studios couldn't just put the movies on at the LP speed? I've heard that the higher you go, the lower the quality; but I've recorded several things off the TV at the SLP speed and never noticed a drop in picture quality.

Batman1980 · 05-14-2014, 06:07 AM

Probably just an excuse to charge people more $.

iank · 05-14-2014, 08:52 AM

I think Darth Anakin nailed it.

The BBC used to do that all the time in the late 80s/early 90s with Doctor Who releases too. If it was a six parter (2 and a half hours in total) they'd put it on two tapes and jack up the price. Quite the little rort.

Lemmy Lugosi · 05-14-2014, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarface32

VCRs typically had 3 speed settings.

SP = record for up to 2 hours
LP = record for up to 4 hours
SLP (EP on some VCRs) = record up to 6 hours

How come when buying a movie that was close to the 3-hour mark, you got TWO tapes? Examples include Ben-Hur (1959) and Titanic (1997).

I don't see why studios couldn't just put the movies on at the LP speed? I've heard that the higher you go, the lower the quality; but I've recorded several things off the TV at the SLP speed and never noticed a drop in picture quality.

The difference is more noticeable than DVD:blu-ray!!!

MrHT · 05-14-2014, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemmy Lugosi

The difference is more noticeable than DVD:blu-ray!!!

Agreed. I have no idea what he's talking about. Even tracking issues become more of a problem with LP and SLP speeds.

Scarface32 · 05-14-2014, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemmy Lugosi

The difference is more noticeable than DVD:blu-ray!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrHT

Agreed. I have no idea what he's talking about. Even tracking issues become more of a problem with LP and SLP speeds.

Well I'm sure I'd notice a difference today

We're talking about back in the VHS heyday. On CRT SD TVs that are between 10" and 27" you don't really notice a difference

It's not like people were sporting 60" HDTVs in the 80s and 90s

And tracking issues were mostly a problem on 2-head VCRs. If you had a 4-head VCR they were less of a problem. And let's not forget about the "auto track" VCRs

Lemmy Lugosi · 05-14-2014, 06:44 PM

I dunno, I've always been able to see the difference between tape speeds.

I do, however, feel that my general life experiences are unusual compared to most: I am truly an obsessive, to the point of disorder (or extreme order, if you choose to see it as I often do). When I saw\see differences, I usually magnify them far beyond any reasonable viewing pleasure.

Only recently have I been learning to try to abandon perfection in order to gain a bit of joy and satisfaction.

Okay. Phew. Sorry it got heavy in here for a minute!

xander · 05-14-2014, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemmy Lugosi

I dunno, I've always been able to see the difference between tape speeds.

I do, however, feel that my general life experiences are unusual compared to most: I am truly an obsessive, to the point of disorder (or extreme order, if you choose to see it as I often do). When I saw\see differences, I usually magnify them far beyond any reasonable viewing pleasure.

Only recently have I been learning to try to abandon perfection in order to gain a bit of joy and satisfaction.

Okay. Phew. Sorry it got heavy in here for a minute!

I thought that was pretty much normal for everyone I've known. Otherwise why bother having the settings at all. OP hurting for thread topics to start today I see.

Scarface32 · 05-14-2014, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xander

I thought that was pretty much normal for everyone I've known. Otherwise why bother having the settings at all. OP hurting for thread topics to start today I see.

You know, you don't really have to be a jerk

Just because YOU can notice a difference, doesn't mean everyone can. I couldn't, that's the truth. How dare you post what you did (in the bold) when you really have no idea how things looked on MY televisions.

xander · 05-14-2014, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarface32

You know, you don't really have to be a jerk

Just because YOU can notice a difference, doesn't mean everyone can. I couldn't, that's the truth. How dare you post what you did (in the bold) when you really have no idea how things looked on MY televisions.

How dare I lol. Dude, the answer seemed REALLY obvious. What would be the point of having tape speeds then? If there was no degradation of quality than all tapes would just have been 6hrs.

I do apologize for offending your delicate sensibilities though, and do concur that I have no way of knowing what your television looked like in the 80's.

bhampton · 05-14-2014, 07:20 PM

All VHS was gone from my life in 1999.

I was so READY for DVD ... VHS sucked bad.

thrillmygorilla · 05-14-2014, 07:30 PM

I wonder if VHS will have a resurgence like vinyl records did.

Scarface32 · 05-14-2014, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrillmygorilla

I wonder if VHS will have a resurgence like vinyl records did.

Is rather have a resurgence in LaserDisc with better technology so the whole movie can be on one side, and less bit rot occurrences.

Nice big discs that can display great cover art, similar to vinyl records.

xander · 05-14-2014, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrillmygorilla

I wonder if VHS will have a resurgence like vinyl records did.

Doubtful because vinyl is still a superior audio format as part of the allure, where as VHS is pretty poor. That said, there's a couple niche labels like Alamo Drafthouse who have offered a VHS release recently as a nostalgia piece when they have put out the blu's.

Al_The_Strange · 05-14-2014, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrillmygorilla

I wonder if VHS will have a resurgence like vinyl records did.

If anything gets a resurgence the way vinyls did, it ought to be having actual projectors with actual reels of 35mm film. Then you'd get that same true-to-source analogue quality just like with records.

Not sure about anybody else, but I'm not that film-crazy to invest in that kind of stuff. I'm perfectly happy with Blu-Rays on my 55" screen (VHSes have always sucked in my experience).

bhampton · 05-14-2014, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarface32

Is rather have a resurgence in LaserDisc with better technology so the whole movie can be on one side, and less bit rot occurrences.

Nice big discs that can display great cover art, similar to vinyl records.

Like ... just put a DVD or Blu into a big sleeve ...

bhampton · 05-14-2014, 09:40 PM

The only hoarders episode I saw was about a guy with a house full of VHS and many of them were soaking wet.... It was so bad in every possible way.

Patient-X · 05-19-2014, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrillmygorilla

I wonder if VHS will have a resurgence like vinyl records did.

A resurgence in vinyl records? Yes, as they sound better. A resurgence in VHS? No, they were crap then and they're just as much crap now.

AnamorphicWidescreen · 06-17-2014, 01:03 PM

I got rid of my VHS player in 1996, and never looked back. The format was execrable. I would rather not watch a film at all than watch it on a VHS tape....

I didn't have any home video after that for years, until I got my first DVD player in the early 200X's.

Steedeel · 06-17-2014, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhampton

All VHS was gone from my life in 1999.

I was so READY for DVD ... VHS sucked bad.

It sucked but it was magic when I was a kid. Happy days.

05-14-2014, 05:58 AM	#1
Scarface32 Blu-ray Baron Member since:Oct 2012 Location:New York 4K collection:24 Blu-ray collection:1170 DVD collection:341 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:3	Something I never quite understood about VHS tapes VCRs typically had 3 speed settings. SP = record for up to 2 hours LP = record for up to 4 hours SLP (EP on some VCRs) = record up to 6 hours How come when buying a movie that was close to the 3-hour mark, you got TWO tapes? Examples include Ben-Hur (1959) and Titanic (1997). I don't see why studios couldn't just put the movies on at the LP speed? I've heard that the higher you go, the lower the quality; but I've recorded several things off the TV at the SLP speed and never noticed a drop in picture quality.

05-14-2014, 06:07 AM	#2
Batman1980 Blu-ray Jedi Member since:Feb 2009 Location:District 13 Home Theater Gallery:8 4K collection:146 Blu-ray collection:394 DVD collection:57 Blu-ray reviews:22 Trading Score:48	Probably just an excuse to charge people more $.

05-14-2014, 08:52 AM	#3
iank Banned Member since:Feb 2014 Location:QLD, Australia DVD collection:323 Blu-ray reviews:4	I think Darth Anakin nailed it. The BBC used to do that all the time in the late 80s/early 90s with Doctor Who releases too. If it was a six parter (2 and a half hours in total) they'd put it on two tapes and jack up the price. Quite the little rort.

05-14-2014, 06:44 PM	#7
Lemmy Lugosi Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Sep 2010 Location:In a vault full of electric guitars and Batarangs. Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:8	I dunno, I've always been able to see the difference between tape speeds. I do, however, feel that my general life experiences are unusual compared to most: I am truly an obsessive, to the point of disorder (or extreme order, if you choose to see it as I often do). When I saw\see differences, I usually magnify them far beyond any reasonable viewing pleasure. Only recently have I been learning to try to abandon perfection in order to gain a bit of joy and satisfaction. Okay. Phew. Sorry it got heavy in here for a minute!

05-14-2014, 07:20 PM	#11
bhampton Blu-ray Count Member since:Aug 2007 4K collection:981 Blu-ray collection:2537 DVD collection:67 Blu-ray reviews: 6 Trading Score:18	All VHS was gone from my life in 1999. I was so READY for DVD ... VHS sucked bad.

05-14-2014, 07:30 PM	#12
thrillmygorilla Blu-ray Guru Member since:Aug 2012 Location:Dayton, OH Blu-ray collection:390 DVD collection:59 Trading Score:24	I wonder if VHS will have a resurgence like vinyl records did.

05-14-2014, 09:40 PM	#17
bhampton Blu-ray Count Member since:Aug 2007 4K collection:981 Blu-ray collection:2537 DVD collection:67 Blu-ray reviews: 6 Trading Score:18	The only hoarders episode I saw was about a guy with a house full of VHS and many of them were soaking wet.... It was so bad in every possible way.

06-17-2014, 01:03 PM	#19
AnamorphicWidescreen Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Feb 2014	I got rid of my VHS player in 1996, and never looked back. The format was execrable. I would rather not watch a film at all than watch it on a VHS tape.... I didn't have any home video after that for years, until I got my first DVD player in the early 200X's.

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