The Clash:VCR's and DVD's,

This last week it was announced that if sales continue at its current pace, consumer analysts expect DVD players to overtake VCR’s in worldwide shipments within the next three years. As more people find the superior quality and features of ‘going” DVD sales have continued to outshine even the most optimistic sales estimates. About 10 million players are expected to be sold this year in the US alone. Clearly, DVD has become the fast growing new technology to be embraced by consumers.

VCR’s: Won’t go down without a fight

Still, without a affordable replacement for recording your favorite shows, VCR’s still have a coveted place in the entertainment rack of most homes. In fact, VCR sales are still rising and are expected to finish the year up 5 percent to around 20 million units in the United States.

DVD Recordable to the rescue, not quite

Disagreements over technical standards and the expense of recording technology’s have severely hindered the introduction of DVD Recordables to the average consumer. Over recent months the cost of DVD recording technology has fallen to a level low enough for affluent buyers and technophiles to jump into the fray. These buyers are usually the first buyers of any new technology product but there is a fly in the ointment. The Betamax paragon has become a familiar element to new competing technologies where manufacturers cannot agree on a format to introduce into the marketplace. At the heart of this battle will be three formats, two of which are incompatible as Beta and VHS was in the early 80’s. They each use the format which has been broadly accepted by manufacturers allowing for DVD’s be recoded on only once. The third method for DVD “rewritables” known for being able to be recorded upon over and over is being developed by Philips Electronics NV. This format hopes to serve as a substitute for those people who use the same videotape over and over.

So most of us will wait and see what happens. Who wants to be the buyer of the next Beta player, or Divx machine? Not me, and certainly not you, leave it to the technophiles with two much money. This economical and practical technophile will watch peripherally from the sidelines and report on the action. May the best format win.