Circuit City to stop selling movies on VHS

[Alexandra]

This was on cnn news last night. Circuit City will still stock VCRs and blank tapes, but will stop stocking movies in VHS format. bye-bye!!!

This will affect dance video afficionados eventually, and probably rather quickly, I'd guess. I remember when I was told that CDs wouldn't affect one's record collection. True, until you need a new needle.

[Victoria Leigh]

Yep, it's already started. The Royal Ballet's newest live performance taping of Coppelia, done in 2000 with Leanne Benjamin and Carlos Acosta, is only out on DVD. I have it, and it is lovely! The Borders in DC stopped carrying ballet videos some time ago, but at last check did not have the DVD's yet either. Tower Records still has a video collection, but they have a growing DVD section too. It's inevitable, as it is a better format, with more time and information on the DVD's, and they will hold up much, much better. I find the quality, even with an older TV, to be definitely superior.

The DVD's are great too in terms of being able to find all the different sections of the ballet without searching or rewinding. They list the sections of the ballet just like on a music CD, and you can go directly to #10 or 15 or whatever. Very convenient

[BW]

Thanks for the technical update. I guess it's time to bite the DVD player bullit and purchase one. Any comments on type of player or features?

[dirac]

I suppose I'm going to have to break down and buy one. I have nothing against the technology, but since so many of the items I want for home viewing are older ones still unavailable on DVD that I have to buy on VHS anyway, I have felt no need to rush. (Also, the trailers, interviews, and "director's cuts" that are supposed to lure people into spending anywhere from ten to twenty dollars more on a DVD don't tempt me. They can't tell me anything about "Citizen Kane" I don't already know, to put it bluntly. The movie itself is just fine, thanks very much.)

However, from what I've seen of DVDs they're a definite step forward. The only thing I object to is the forcing of the consumer's hand -- this is what everyone else wants, or what we want them to want, so we're going to make you buy it too by the simple expedient of taking away your options. And Alexandra is right -- replacing a needle requires Federal intervention these days. (I still have ambivalent feelings about CDs -- we gained a lot, but we lost quite a bit, too.)

[Mel Johnson]

I'm reminded of Rita Rudner's wonderful line, "All right, I'll buy your new system, but you have to sign an agreement never to invent anything ever again!";)